Volkswagen Cabrio Complaints
186 consumer complaints on file.
- #10047365November 22, 2003AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIR BAG WARNING: I TOOK MY CABRIO TO THE VOLKSWAGEN (VW) DEALER SERVICE TO FIX A TURN SIGNAL LEVER THAT FAILS TO SELF-CANCEL AFTER MAKING LEFT-HAND TURNS. VW DEALER REPORTS THAT AIR BAG CARTRIDGE IS INTEGRATED INTO THE TURN SIGNAL ASSEMBLY AND THE AIR BAG IS INOPERABLE, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO INDICATION OF ANY AIR BAG PROBLEM. DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THIS KIND OF PROBLEM IS SOMETHING THEY HAVE SEEN SEVERAL TIMES. *LA
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10046905November 13, 2003STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
THE CONVERTIBLE TOP RIPPED OPEN ON THE SEAM WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *LA
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10041605October 10, 2003ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY LITERALLY EXPLODED UPON TURNING THE IGNITION KEY. *LA
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10041555October 9, 2003EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ANTI-THEFT DEVICES
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: IN MARCH, 2003, MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A NEW 2000 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO CONVERTIBLE. WHEN THE CAR HAD 13,611 MILES ON IT, WE NOTICED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS NOT OPERATING. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS AT THE TIME, SUCH AS THE WINDOW SWITCHES NOT WORKING PROPERLY, AND THE FACT THAT THE ALARMS HAD GONE OFF AT INAPPROPRIATE TIMES, LOCKING UP THE RADIO. MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORT MYERS DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. WHEN SHE PICKED UP THE CAR, SHE WAS TOLD THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD BEEN REPLACED, AND THE OTHER PROBLEMS WERE ALSO TAKEN CARE OF. SHE REALIZED WHILE DRIVING AWAY THAT THE ODOMETER WAS SHOWING ZERO MILES, SO SHE RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO QUESTION WHY. THE MEN IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT BRUSHED HER OFF AND SIMPLY SAID IT'S OKAY, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. SHE ATTEMPTED TO GET A SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION, AS SHE KNEW THAT CHANGING THE ACTUAL MILEAGE OF AN AUTOMOBILE IS VERY SERIOUS; BUT THEY CONTINUED TO REPEAT IT'S OKAY, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. AT THE TIME, THEY NEVER EVEN BOTHERED TO EXPLAIN TO HER THAT THEY HAD PUT A STICKER IN THE DOOR JAM SHOWING HOW MANY MILES THE CAR HAD ON IT WHEN THEY ZEROED IT. WE DECIDED TO TRADE OFF THE CAR FOR A NEW MAKE OTHER THAN A VOLKSWAGEN. AT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, IT WAS EXPLAINED TO US THAT THEY COULD NOT GIVE US A FAIR VALUE FOR THE CABRIO IN TRADE FOR THEIR MAKE. WE HAD EXPLAINED TO THEM ABOUT THE STICKER VOLKSWAGEN HAD PLACED IN THE DOOR JAM; AND BOTH SAID IT WAS IMMATERIAL FOR THEY WOULD HAVE TO AUCTION OUR TRADE AS A VEHICLE WITH UNKNOWN MILEAGE. BECAUSE OF VOLKSWAGEN'S ACTIONS, WE'RE BEING PENALIZED APPROXIMATELY $3,000 WHICH IS THE AMOUNT THE OTHER DEALERS INSIST THEY MUST DEDUCT FROM THE VALUE OF THE CAR. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA SHOULD HAVE PROVISIONS WITHIN ITS LAWS THAT WOULD ALLOW A MANUFACTURER TO ASSURE THAT THE PROPER MILEAGE. *LA
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10032973August 17, 2003ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 2002 VW CARBRIO OVERHEATED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO BLOW. ONLY AFTER THE ENGINE BLEW AND MY CAR COULD NOT ACCELERATE DID THE WARNING LIGHT COME ON. THE DEALERSHIP AND VW SAID THIS WAS NEGLECT AND WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10032947August 16, 2003BACK OVER PREVENTION:WARNINGS:EXTERNAL/PEDESTRIAN ALERT, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
THE ALARM SYSTEM DOES NOT ACTIVATE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THE DOOR ALSO OCCASIONALLY DOES NOT LOCK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR EITHER. YOU MUST GO TO THE PASSENGER SIDE TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS FLAW. ADDITIONALLY THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW DOES NOT ALWAYS GO UP. ABOUT HALF OF THE TIME, OR MORE IT GOES UP AND THEN GOES BACK DOWN ON ITS OWN. YOU MUST HOLD THE UP BUTTON FOR THE WINDOW FOR IT TO GO ALL THE WAY UP WHEN ITS SUPPOSE TO BE AN AUTOMATIC UP AUTOMATIC DOWN WINDOW.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10031417August 15, 2003FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER STATED THE GAS TANK CRACKED. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK. WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE AND BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE, GASOLINE SPILLED ONTO THE GARAGE FLOOR. THE CONSUMER PUSHED THE VEHICLE TO THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY FOR SAFETY. *PH *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10032820August 14, 2003SEATS
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM A WEEKEND AWAY, I WAS ON I95 NORTH NEAR MILE MARKER 120.00 TRAVELING ABOUT 15-20MPH WHEN TRAFFIC CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, I MADE A COMPLETE STOP AND THE CAR BEHIND ME HIT ME GOIN GABOUT 15MPH AND PUSHED ME INTO THE SUV IN FRONT OF ME THE FIRST IMPACT PUSHED MY PASSENGER AND MYSELF FORWARD AND THEN THE SECOND IMPACT OF US HITTING THE SUV IN FRONT OF US PUSHED US BACK...BOTH OF OUR SEATS GAVE WAY AND WE WERE IN LYING POSTIONS. WE HADENT EVEN REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED UNTIL WE SAT UP FROM THE LYING POSTION. I AM ASSUMMING THAT THE SEATS BROKE AND THATS WHY THEY GAVE WAY, I DONT THINK THAT THAT IS A SAFETY FEATURE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I WAS DRIVING A 2002 VW CABRIO GLX.*AK
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 2
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10030715August 4, 2003ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
MY ENTIRE EXHAUSE SYSTEM ALL THE WAY UP TO THE MANIFOLD WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I HAVE HAD THE MAIN PART OF THE SYSTEM REPLACED BUT NOW AM TOLD THAT THE PIPE LEADING TO THE MANIFOLD AND THE HEAT SHIELD ARE ALSO BAD AND ARE VIBRATING BADLY. I WAS TOLD BY THE VW DEALER-WHERE I HAVE MY WARRANTY THAT THIS IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY THAT THIS IS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE MUFFLER PLACE THAT DID THE WORK TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE DONE MORE THAN 10 CABRIO'S WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK DONE AT VW AS THE ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE DROPPED...THIS DOES NOT SOUND LIKE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10028751July 21, 2003STRUCTURE:BODY
THE TOP ON MY 1998 VW CABRIO HAS DRIED OUT AND IS CRACKING DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING IN THE VINYL USED FOR THE TOP. VW HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE IT EVEN THOUGH I KNOW 3 OTHER OWNERS LOCALLY WITH THE SAME EXACT YEAR/CAR/PROBLEM.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10028510July 17, 2003AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AT SIXTY MILES AN HOUR ON I-5 IN SEATTLE.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10021326June 10, 2003FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
1991 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIOLET FUEL TANK LEAKING FROM SPOT-WELDED SEAM. VW AGREED TO REPLACE TANK FOR FREE, BUT ONLY AFTER MANY CALLS TO THEIR PRODUCT COMPLIANCE DEPT OVER SEVERAL WEEKS. VW MECHANICS CLAIM THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT, BUT NO RECALL EXISTS.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10016781April 30, 2003ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 2001 VW CABRIO WITH 11,000 MILES HAD THE HEATSHIELD ON THE HEADER PIPE BREAK AWAY. SHOULD THIS HAPPEN TO SUCH A RELATIVELY NEW CAR?
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10017322April 22, 2003SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
THE REAR BRAKES WORE OUT BEFORE THE FRONT BRAKES. THE REAR BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10014472April 16, 2003POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I PURCHASED A CABRIO 2000 FROM JOE HEIDT IN RAMSEY NEW JERSEY THE CAR DID NOT START ONE MORNING IT WAS TOWED THEN WITHIN MONTHS IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN , IT WAS TOWED TWICE NOW IT HARDLY ACCELERATES IT GOES VERY SLOW WHEN YOU PRESS THE GAS PEDAL. THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR THE POWER TRAIN. *NLM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10015155April 4, 2003POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE, THE DEALER REPAIRED/REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10015212April 4, 2003VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10015231April 4, 2003ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AT COLD STARTS THE HEAD LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS AND WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10013682March 30, 2003LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SEAT BELTS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, STRUCTURE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
CONVERTIBLE TOP ACCUMULATING SOME KIND OF BLACK SUBSTANCE THAT HARDENS AND CANNOT BE REMOVED. AT THE THREE YEAR MARK, THE CAR JUST BEGAN TO DETERIORATE VERY QUICKLY. TIMING BELT, CONVERTIBLE STOPPED WORKING, ABS BRAKES KICK IN WHEN NOT SUPPOSED TO, EXHAUST SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 40K MILES. KEY LOCK BUTTON FELL OUT, CANNOT GET IT TO STAY IN. SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY FELL APART. INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES NOT MADE WELL, LOOSENED AND FEEL AS IF THEY MAY FALL OFF. CD CHANGER HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. *NLM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10011315March 18, 2003STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS FAILED TO LOCK. *AK ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHEN LITTLE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE DOOR, IT OPENED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0