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1996 Volkswagen Cabrio

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
6Owner complaints

Model-year median: 14.5

0Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
8
199315
19956
199614
199721
199829
1999
Compare all Cabrio years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Air Bags
2Engine And Engine Cooling
2Latches/locks/linkages
1Power Train
1Visibility
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 1 of 6 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 12, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT THE CAR THE GAS MILEAGE WAS GROSSLY LOW SO EVERYTIME I TOOK IT IN FOR SCHEDULED SERVICE I WOULD HAVE THEM CHECK OUT THE FUEL SYSTEM NOTHING WAS EVER DONE AND THE GAS MILEAGE HAS NEVER GOTTEN BETTER NOW I HAVE APPROX. 42,000MI ON THE VEHICLE AND STILL HORRIBLE GAS MILEAGE AND NO POWER II THOUGHT IT WAS CATA…

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FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT THE CAR THE GAS MILEAGE WAS GROSSLY LOW SO EVERYTIME I TOOK IT IN FOR SCHEDULED SERVICE I WOULD HAVE THEM CHECK OUT THE FUEL SYSTEM NOTHING WAS EVER DONE AND THE GAS MILEAGE HAS NEVER GOTTEN BETTER NOW I HAVE APPROX. 42,000MI ON THE VEHICLE AND STILL HORRIBLE GAS MILEAGE AND NO POWER II THOUGHT IT WAS CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH IS COVERED UNDER THE FED EMMISSIONS WARRANTY BUT WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS THE OXYGEN SENSORS WHICH ARE CONNECTED TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THESE O2 SENSORS AND EVERYTHING I HAVE READ LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THEY WERE FAULTY FROM TIME OF PURCHASE!*AK

NHTSA ODI #722583

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE LEAKS GAS. GAS LEAK IS COMING FROM ENGINE AREA OF VEHICLE. ALSO VAVLE GASKET WAS REPLACED WHICH DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. DELAERS THEN NOTED THAT PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FOUND. *AK

NHTSA ODI #825956

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE00033 · Fuel Tank Puncture

Opened Aug 10, 2000 · Closed Dec 28, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION ON AUGUST 10, 2000 BASED ON 9 REPORTS REGARDING PUNCTURED FUEL TANKS INVOLVING THE JETTA, PASSAT, AND CABRIO MODELS.THE REPORTS INDICATE ADDITIONAL REPORTS IN ITS RESPONSE TO THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED FOR FURTHER STUDY.