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1986 Volkswagen Cabriolet

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

About this comparison →
3Owner complaints

Model-year median: 6

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1
19846
19853
198611
19876
19889
1989
Compare all Cabriolet years →

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

What owners reported most

Electrical System
1Engine And Engine Cooling
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1Unknown Or Other
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 3 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. 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.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

3 reports
141,200 miles · Oct 14, 2003
Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL LEAKS FROM TOP OF TANK WHEN TANK IS FULL OR OVER 1/2 FULL... PREVIOUS RECALLS OF THIS CAR AND THOSE SIMILAR LIST PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO WHAT I'M EXPERIENCING. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF ADVANCED AGE OF VEHICLE, RECALLS ARE NOT BEING ACKNOWLEDGED BY DEALERS OR COMPANY. AUTO IS A 1986 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIOLET. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10041769

Mileage unknown · Nov 11, 1998
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE: LEFT INDICATOR LIGHT NOT WORKING, HORN BROKEN, BACK - UP LIGHTS NOT WORKING, CLUTCH/TRANSMISSION NEEDS WORK (TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL), ALL LOCKS BROKEN...

NHTSA ODI #700502

Mileage unknown · Aug 6, 1997
Visibility

THE HEATER CORE HAS FAILED AND IS LEAKING, AND MAKING THE CAR HARDER TO STOP. *AK

NHTSA ODI #813845

Official recalls

1

87V053000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Apr 14, 1987

FUEL PUMP, LOCATED INSIDE FUEL TANK, COULD SEIZE DURING HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES BECAUSE OF AN EXTREME FINE MESH FUEL FILTER RESTRICTING THE FUEL FLOW.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: FUEL SUPPLY TO ENGINE WOULD BE PARTIALLY INTERRUPTED,RESULTING IN STALLING.

Remedy: INSTALL A MODIFIED FUEL PUMP AND FILTER.

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

EA91054 · Heater Core Failure

Opened Dec 9, 1991 · Closed Jun 12, 1992

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System

There is no summary currently available