EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
2001 Volkswagen Cabrio
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 38 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio, most frequently naming the visibility, engine and electrical categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 129 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2001 | 1 | 1 |
| Feb 2002 | 1 | 2 |
| Apr 2002 | 5 | 7 |
| Aug 2002 | 3 | 10 |
| Dec 2002 | 1 | 11 |
| Feb 2003 | 1 | 12 |
| Apr 2003 | 2 | 14 |
| Oct 2003 | 1 | 15 |
| Nov 2003 | 1 | 16 |
| Dec 2003 | 1 | 17 |
| Apr 2004 | 1 | 18 |
| Jun 2004 | 1 | 19 |
| Aug 2004 | 2 | 21 |
| Nov 2004 | 1 | 22 |
| Mar 2005 | 1 | 23 |
| May 2005 | 1 | 24 |
| Jun 2005 | 1 | 25 |
| Aug 2005 | 1 | 26 |
| Jul 2006 | 1 | 27 |
| Aug 2006 | 1 | 28 |
| Apr 2007 | 2 | 30 |
| Aug 2008 | 1 | 31 |
| Nov 2008 | 1 | 32 |
| Dec 2008 | 1 | 33 |
| Oct 2009 | 1 | 34 |
| Sep 2010 | 1 | 35 |
| Nov 2010 | 1 | 36 |
| Apr 2011 | 1 | 37 |
| Mar 2013 | 1 | 38 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Visibility815.4%
- Engine611.5%
- Electrical611.5%
- Airbags59.6%
- Brakes59.6%
- Interior & seats47.7%
- Driver assistance35.8%
- Other / unspecified23.8%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govRecent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
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. (DIVISION) THAT HANDLES SUCH FAULTS SHOULD FORCE VOLKSWAGEN TO RECALL EVERY AND ALL CARS FOR REPAIRS! THE US OWNERS ARE PAYING FOR VOLKSWAGENS MISTAKES, PARTIALLY FOR THEIR DECISION TO HAVE THESE CARS MADE IN MEXICO EVADING TAX'S AND WHICH HAS MADE THESE AUTOS CHEAP AND FLAWED. THESE CARS ARE UNSAFE AND THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES ARE AND WILL IN FUTURE COST THE AMERICAN PUBLIC ALOT OF MONEY....... SO FAR: MY AUTO HAS BEEN AT REPAIR SHOP FOR OVER 6 MONTHS AND HAS COST ME MORE THEN WHAT IT'S WORTH, HARD WORKING PEOPLE ARE GETTING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY A POORLY BUILT AND UNSAFE PRODUCT [XXX][XXX] PS EVEN VOLKSWAGEN DOESN'T AND CAN'T FIX ALL THESE ITEMS, TRY TAKING IT TO DEALER..... YOU WILL SEE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10505121
- Incident
- May 24, 2012
- Mileage
- 98,000 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON CRASH AND THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LACERATIONS ON HER FACE AND A RIB FRACTURE. THE PASSENGER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS ALSO INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO TOW YARD AND WAS TAKEN INTO THE POSSESSION OF THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR EVALUATION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND SHE WAS WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY WITH THE INVESTIGATION RESULTS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10395166
- Incident
- Apr 5, 2011
- Mileage
- 136,000 mi
I HAVE A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO, WHICH VW DOES NOT MAKE ANYMORE, AND THIS IS PROBABLY WHY. THE CAR IS ALWAYS BEING FIXED. ONE MAJOR ISSUE I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THREE FRONT AXLES IN THIS CAR. 3/27/07 KARL'S CUSTOM VW; 6/28/08 BIG O TIRES; AND NOW, 11/16/2010 I AM TOLD BY SUNDEVIL AUTO ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS ARE SAGGING CAUSING AXLES TO BIND, THE CAR NEEDS 4 TRANSMISSION MOUNTS AND 2 AXLES. VW PARTS ARE OBVIOUSLY INFERIOR. I THOUGHT VW VEHICLES WERE SUPPOSE TO LAST OVER 200,000 MILES. WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR ME? I AM UNEMPLOYED AND CANNOT AFFORD THIS $1100 REPAIR, BUT I NEED MY VEHICLE. WITH EACH TIME I'VE HAD THIS FIXED, I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.
- NHTSA ID
- 10367381
- Incident
- Nov 16, 2010
- Mileage
- 134,000 mi
ON MOST VOLKSWAGENS (AND SOME AUDI'S) THAT WERE BUILT BETWEEN THE YEARS 1998 TO 2002 IT APPEARS THAT THE ABS COMPUTERS FAIL AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 YEARS. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE A FAULT IN THE INTERNAL WIRING OF THE COMPUTER THAT ALLOWS WIRES TO OVERHEAT, RENDERING THE UNIT INOPERABLE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED ON SEVERAL FORUMS AS WELL AS SEVERAL COMPANIES HAVE STARTED UP WITH THE SOLE PURPOSE OF REPAIRING THESE UNITS. VOLKSWAGEN IS UNWILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM OR PROVIDE IN COMPENSATION IN REPAIRING THE DEFECTIVE UNITS. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10353509
- Incident
- May 10, 2009
- Mileage
- 83,000 mi
FUNCTION OF TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS ON MY 2001 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO HAS BEEN DEGRADING OVER TIME. BOTH SYSTEMS ARE NOW COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. THERE IS AN ACTIVE VW RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V584000) FOR THIS PROBLEM ON 2000-2002 GOLF, GTI, BEETLE AND JETTA (BUT NO CURRENT RECALL FOR THE CABRIO). I AM REQUESTING THAT THE RECALL BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE CABRIO MODELS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT IS CLEARLY WIDESPREAD ON 2000-2002 VW VEHICLES OF ALL MODELS. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10290013
- Incident
- Oct 25, 2009
- Mileage
- 70,000 mi
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V096000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10250377
- Incident
- Oct 23, 2008
- Mileage
- 21,000 mi
I HAVE HAD 5 TIRES FAIL ON ME IN A 6 MONTHS PERIOD, THEY HAVE EITHER BEEN BLOW OUTS AND OR FLATS. I DRIVE A 2001 VW CABRIO. THE LAST 2 TIMES HAVE BEEN 3 DAYS APART, WITH THIS PAST SATURDAY DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS TO VAIL COLO. BY MYSELF AND MY YOUNG DAUGHTER. MY FRONT D/S TIRE BLEW IN A VERY BAD LOCATION ON I-70, NEEDLESS TO SAY WE WERE VERY SCARED BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION IT BLEW. YESTERDAY ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK THE BACK D/S WENT FLAT. I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE ON THIS RISKING MY RIM TO GET TO A SAFE LOCATION. I WAS TOLD BY A FIRESTONE LOCATION THAT I STOPPED AT THE TIRE IS DEFECTIVE AS HE FOUND A HOLE THE SIZE OF AN ERASER HEAD INSIDE THE WALL OF THE TIRE AND THAT WALL WAS VERY FLIMSEY AND SOFT. I CAN ACCOUNT FOR EVERY TIME IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS I HAVE HAD A TIRE FAIL ON ME. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE, THESE TIRES HAVE ALL BEEN DOUGLAS TIRES 195 60R14 86H PERFORMANCE GTH EVERYTIME I HAVE HAD A TIRE FAIL ON ME THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING FOUND HAVING CAUSED THE TIRE TO FAIL (NO NAILS OR ANY OTHER OBJECTS THAT COULD HAVE ENTERED INTO THE TIRE) THESE TIRES WERE PURCHASED AT THE WAL-MART NEAR MY HOME, WHEN I ASKED THEM ABOUT WHAT COULD BE CAUSING THIS, THEY JUST ANSWER THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE NO WARRANTY WAS PURCHASED. I HAVE NEVER PURCHASED WARRANTIES ON ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED WHEN I PURCHASED TIRES. NOR HAVE I EVER RAN INTO A SITUATION LIKE THIS BEFORE IN THE PAST. AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND MONEY I HAVE HAD TO PUT TOWARDS TIRES I AM QUITE FRUSTRATED AND CONCERNED AS WELL. ANOTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT, I PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRES EXACTLY 2 YEARS TO DATE ON THIS CAR AND HAVE SINCE REPLACED ALL TIRES OVER A 6 MONTH PERIOD. I CAN UNDERSTAND A TIRED THAT HAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, AND THEREFORE HAVING TO BE REPLACED. BUT TIRES THAT BLOW ON YOU IN AREAS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE LIFE THREATENING, IS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE. MY TIRES ARE ALWAYS CHECKED AND AIR IS PUT IN THEM BY MY HUSBAND AND MY CAR MAINTAINED. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10249924
- Incident
- Nov 22, 2008
- Mileage
- 116 mi
DRIVERS SEAT FALLS BACK TO THE BACK SEAT. SIDE ADJUSTMENT PIECE FELL OFF AND THE BACK OF THE SEAT WILL NOT STAY IN CORRECT POSITION. DEALER UNABLE TO REPAIR - SUGGESTS PURCHASING NEW SEAT $600. UNACCEPTABLE FOR A SEAT TO FALL APART WITH NORMAL USE. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10237016
- Incident
- Sep 6, 2006
- Mileage
- 75,000 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION
Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION
Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
Update model year applicability to include 2023.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Battery testing and charging using special tools VAS6161 & GRX3000VAS Charger. Updated to include additional model year applicability.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Update engine oil quality standard lists (attachments)
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.