Volkswagen Cabrio Engine Problems
16 owner complaints filed with NHTSA across 3 model years.
Complaints by Year
Worst year: 2001. Best year: 2000.
Owner Reports
A representative sample of complaints filed with NHTSA.
WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE IT JUST STOPPED WOULD NOT START. WENT TO LIFT THE HOOD IT WAS HOT AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE HAD A FIRE. AT A VW DEALER FOR OVER 2 WKS AND THEY STILL CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT. SO FAR THEY SAID IT APPEARS ENGINE HARNESS FI...
THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON MY 2001 CABRIO MAY AND HAVE CAUSED A SHORT WHICH SPARKED UNDER HOOD CAUSING SMOKE AND POSSIBLE FIRE ALSO, THE COMPUTER OVER HEATS CAUSING SHORTS WHICH MADE THE TRANSMISSION FAIL AND GAUGES FAIL, THE US GOV. (...
A PICKUP TRUCK STOPPED SUDDENLY AND MY VEHICLE REAR ENDED HIM AT 25 TO 35MPH. UPON IMPACT MY VEHICLE IGNIGHTED IN FIRE.
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END FENDER BENDER AT 25 MPH, ACCIDENT CAUSED A FIRE IN THE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATED THAT MANUFACTURER SENT AN ENGINEER TO INVESTIGATE AND FOUND THAT THE INJECTOR VALVE BRO...
PURCHASED A 2000 VW CABRIO FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP IN NEW JERSEY (THAT WAS MY FIRST MISTAKE AS I AM A NEW YORK RESIDENT.) TEST DROVE AND VISUAL INSPECTION APPEARED GREAT. DROVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT AND WITHIN 3 MILES, CHECK ENGINE LI...
OIL LIGHT CAME ON REPEATEDLY DUE TO OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM, WHICH IS A KNOWN DEFECT. VW DID NOT COVER, DUE TO EXPIRED WARRANTY. *JB
ENGINE SLUDGE DIAGNOSED ON PASSAT. *NM
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?
THE EMISSIONS LIGHT CONSTANTLY STAYED ON, THE DEALER SERVICED THE PROBLEM 3 TIMES, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO OCCUR, THE DEALER STATED IT WAS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM. *JB
VEHICLE WOULD ATTEMPT TO STALL WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK ENGINE CRACKLES; OIL PAN LEAK FOUND; CRUISE CONTROL FIXED THEN BROKE AGAIN, DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM, ENGINE STILL REVVING AT SLOW SPEEDS AND AT STOPS, ALSO EXP...
CONSUMER STATES: HAD 2ND ELECTRICAL FAILURE ON THE ENGINE, THE WIRING HARNESS BURNT UP. UNDER WARRANTY THE DEALER REPLACED PARTIAL WIRING OF THE HARNESS. ALSO 3 IGNITION SWITCHES PUT IN. MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR,OXYGEN SENSOR, AND COOLANT...
MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH REAR TAIL LIGHTS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON BUT DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.*AK