1992 Volkswagen Cabrio Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1992 Volkswagen Cabrio, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system218.2%
- Engine218.2%
- Interior & seats218.2%
- Visibility218.2%
- Brakes19.1%
- Exterior lighting19.1%
- Airbags19.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
FUEL LINE AT FUEL TANK RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKING. VW DEALERS WILL NOT WORK ON THE CAR STATING IT IS OLDER THAN 8 YEARS. VW CANNOT SUPPLY A REPLACEMENT PART TO MY MECHANIC. GIVEN LOCATION, RUBBER CANNOT BE USED AND BENDS ARE TO TIGHT.
VENT HOSE CONNECTOR IS RUSTED AND CAUSES FUEL LEAKAGES WHEN FUEL EXPANDS. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THAT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFAXCTURER'S RECALL. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS ASKING THE MANUFACTURER TO REIMBURSE THE COST OF REPAIR BECAUSE THE SAME PROBLEM WAS UNDER NHTSA RECALL FOR OTHER MODELS OF VEHICLE. *YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
INITIAL PROBLEM: STARTER SEIZED UP; WOULD NOT START. STARTER SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACED; NEW STARTER WOULD NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY (CLASHING W/FLYWHEEL), SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE TO FLYWHEEL; DEALER REPLACED FLYWHEEL AND INSTALL ENTIRELY NEW STARTER; PROBLEM PERSISTED, WOULD NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY. DEALER INSTALLS ANOTHER ENTIRELY NEW STARTER, PROBLEM NOT SOLVED, STARTER (3RD NEW ONE) STILL NOT ENGAGING PROPERLY. GAVE UP ON DEALER. AM NOW TALKING AROUND TOWN WITH NUMEROUS MECHANICS; SOME SAY THIS, SOME SAY THAT. DON'T KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE ANYMORE. DEALER INSISTS THAT THIS STARTER DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY TYPE OF SHIM ADJUSTMENT; I WONDER. DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER THIS POOR FLYWHEEL CAN PUT UP WITH THIS KIND OF ABUSE.
OIL SENDING UNIT MALFUNCTIONED, ALSO DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW STICKS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
LIGHT SWITCH STARTED SMOKING AND GOT VERY HOT BEFORE I COULD TURN OFF THE CAR, ABOUT 5 SECONDS. DEALER REPLACED LIGHT SWITCH AND COMMENTED THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS AS WELL. ABOUT 5 YEARS LATTER THIS HAPPENED AGAIN. DASH LIGHT AT SWITCH HAS NOT WORKED SINCE THE 1ST INCIDENT.
COMPONENT 1: WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, HEADLIGHT SWITCH SHORTED OUT. CAUSED EXCESSIVE SMOKE, THEN FIRE BROKE OUT UNDER THE DASH. I PULLED VEHICLE TO THE SIDE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPT. AMOUNT OF DAMAGE UNKNOWN AS OF YET. COMPONENT 2: ENGINE STARTED TO REV AND VEHICLE JERKED WHILE DRIVING. DUE TO WEARING DOWN OF INSULATION OF WIRE CONNECTED TO THE ENGINE THAT WAS TRIGGERING EXCESSIVE FUEL TO BE FED TO ENGINE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
OIL SENDING UNIT MALFUNCTIONED, ALSO DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW STICKS. *AK
THE HEATER DOES NOT WORK AND SPITS OUT HOT COOLANT ALL OVER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE PADS HAVE CUT INTO ROTORS, SHOES HAVE CUT INTO DRUMS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
COMPONENT 1: WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, HEADLIGHT SWITCH SHORTED OUT. CAUSED EXCESSIVE SMOKE, THEN FIRE BROKE OUT UNDER THE DASH. I PULLED VEHICLE TO THE SIDE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPT. AMOUNT OF DAMAGE UNKNOWN AS OF YET. COMPONENT 2: ENGINE STARTED TO REV AND VEHICLE JERKED WHILE DRIVING. DUE TO WEARING DOWN OF INSULATION OF WIRE CONNECTED TO THE ENGINE THAT WAS TRIGGERING EXCESSIVE FUEL TO BE FED TO ENGINE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AT SIXTY MILES AN HOUR ON I-5 IN SEATTLE.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .