Volkswagen Cabrio Convertible 1998
Model Cabrio Convertible made in 1998 by Volkswagen got 19 consumer complains as well as 2 service bulletins. Consumer complaints with reference, among others things, to air bags and electrical system. Technical service bulletines regarding engine and engine cooling and structure.
Model 1998
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||||
| 2015831 | 08/28/2008 | 10026848 | Volkswagen: exhaust heat shield, replacement guidelines. heat shields are to be inspected after completion o any type of repair to the underbody (exhaust system transmission, etc.), and if damaged, replaced. *pe | 12/29/2008 | |
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS - UNDERBODY SHIELDS | |||||
| 2015831 | 08/28/2008 | 10026848 | Volkswagen: exhaust heat shield, replacement guidelines. heat shields are to be inspected after completion o any type of repair to the underbody (exhaust system transmission, etc.), and if damaged, replaced. *pe | 12/29/2008 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | |||
| 04/13/1999 | 2 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Clutch inhibitor relay was faulty--car would not start and had it towed to dealership to fix, passenger seatbelt has been replaced 3 times already, abs light came on 4 days before accident took car into chapman's to be fixed but when i went to stop at a light i pressed on breaks and it slowed a little bit, and it didn't seem to very much so i then pressed harder and the car did not stop resulting in hitting the vehicle in front of me, passenger side mirror defroster inop, lack of power when shifting into 1, 2, and 3rd gear, finally get power when going about 60mph, e-brake would stick and could not get it down, when put into reverse, it would pop out of gear, | |||
| 04/13/1999 | 2 | 01/01/1998 | |
| No summary | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 08/29/2004 | 90000 | 1 | 07/22/1998 |
| 1) no known event leading to this radio system failure. 2) radio suddenly and inexplicably moved from normal 'on' to maximum blaring volume with no one touching it... and could not be changed, turned off, or altered in any way. radio controls had no effect, even turning off the auto and removing the keys did not shut off radio. driving suddenly became dangerous and nearly impossible as the noise was deafening and totally distracting. i could not hear my teenage son in the seat next to me (not necessarily a bad thing)... but could see well enough that he was laughing his head off (an annoying irriatation that did not help!) :) after 15 - 20 minutes and some miles of tortured driving, the radio went silent on it' s own. 3) no corrective action taken yet. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 09/01/2003 | 3 | 08/09/1998 | |
| With less than 75000 miles, my vehicle has had three defective water pumps replacements. the service man at vw have commented that this appears to be a bad design and warranted the part. however, this does not provide me with any long term solution. i have logged a trouble ticket with vw america requesting that they provide a resolution or extend the warrantee beyond 100000 miles. *ak | |||
| EQUIPMENT - ELECTRICAL - RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | |||
| 12/01/1998 | 1 | 03/01/1998 | |
| Radio out of order. yh | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||
| 04/13/2004 | 03/05/2001 | ||
| In ref to nhtsa campaign id number : 02v026000 the vw dealer in indianapolis refuses to acknowledge the existance of this recall against my 1998 vw cabrio. i checked the supplemental recall list filed with nhtsa dated june 2, 2003 and found that my vin 3vwaa81eowm804991 is included. how can i get vw to honor the recall? | |||
| PARKING BRAKE - CONVENTIONAL | |||
| 04/13/1999 | 2 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Clutch inhibitor relay was faulty--car would not start and had it towed to dealership to fix, passenger seatbelt has been replaced 3 times already, abs light came on 4 days before accident took car into chapman's to be fixed but when i went to stop at a light i pressed on breaks and it slowed a little bit, and it didn't seem to very much so i then pressed harder and the car did not stop resulting in hitting the vehicle in front of me, passenger side mirror defroster inop, lack of power when shifting into 1, 2, and 3rd gear, finally get power when going about 60mph, e-brake would stick and could not get it down, when put into reverse, it would pop out of gear, | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 03/06/2005 | 46000 | 1 | 12/18/2001 |
| Manufacturer told me that the car can lurch forward, from 1st gear to 3rd gear, causing an accident due to a bad transmission (car has only 46,100 miles, which leads me to believe that the transmission is faulty and defective, and should be warranty, and replaced by the manufacturer, even if the car is 7 years old).*ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | |||
| 04/13/1999 | 2 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Clutch inhibitor relay was faulty--car would not start and had it towed to dealership to fix, passenger seatbelt has been replaced 3 times already, abs light came on 4 days before accident took car into chapman's to be fixed but when i went to stop at a light i pressed on breaks and it slowed a little bit, and it didn't seem to very much so i then pressed harder and the car did not stop resulting in hitting the vehicle in front of me, passenger side mirror defroster inop, lack of power when shifting into 1, 2, and 3rd gear, finally get power when going about 60mph, e-brake would stick and could not get it down, when put into reverse, it would pop out of gear, | |||
| 04/13/1999 | 2 | 01/01/1998 | |
| No summary | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK | |||
| 04/13/1999 | 2 | 01/01/1998 | |
| No summary | |||
| 04/13/1999 | 2 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Clutch inhibitor relay was faulty--car would not start and had it towed to dealership to fix, passenger seatbelt has been replaced 3 times already, abs light came on 4 days before accident took car into chapman's to be fixed but when i went to stop at a light i pressed on breaks and it slowed a little bit, and it didn't seem to very much so i then pressed harder and the car did not stop resulting in hitting the vehicle in front of me, passenger side mirror defroster inop, lack of power when shifting into 1, 2, and 3rd gear, finally get power when going about 60mph, e-brake would stick and could not get it down, when put into reverse, it would pop out of gear, | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY | |||
| 12/01/1998 | 1 | 03/01/1998 | |
| Glove box door out of order. yh | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - ROOF AND PILLARS | |||
| 11/22/2004 | 1 | 08/01/2001 | |
| The convertible top ripped above the rear window. the consumer contacted the manufacturer and the dealer and was told the vehicle was not included in the recall. the manufacturer told the owner that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. provide further details. *jb.....the dealer stated this car of different years was recalled. consumer found many complaints of same tear/rip in rag at same spot. the material the roof was made off distintegrated a sa few years went by. the vehicle was noisy and potentially dangerous by not having a secure roof. *ak | |||
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| 1998 volkswagen cabrio gls front windshield header has rusted and no longer capable of supporting the weight of the vehicle. *nj the consumer had to incur the cost of having the front windshield replaced after the front windshield cracked because of the deformities in the windshield header. the vehicle was examined by an auto repair shop and their conclusion was that the front windshield was no longer safe enough to protect the occupants in the event of a roll over since the frame had rusted out. the support was a structural issue and a vehicles frame should not rust out.(lawyer wrote in on behalf of client) *jb | |||
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | |||
| 04/13/1999 | 2 | 01/01/1998 | |
| No summary | |||
| VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM | |||
| 04/13/1999 | 2 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Clutch inhibitor relay was faulty--car would not start and had it towed to dealership to fix, passenger seatbelt has been replaced 3 times already, abs light came on 4 days before accident took car into chapman's to be fixed but when i went to stop at a light i pressed on breaks and it slowed a little bit, and it didn't seem to very much so i then pressed harder and the car did not stop resulting in hitting the vehicle in front of me, passenger side mirror defroster inop, lack of power when shifting into 1, 2, and 3rd gear, finally get power when going about 60mph, e-brake would stick and could not get it down, when put into reverse, it would pop out of gear, | |||
| VISIBILITY - REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES | |||
| 04/13/1999 | 2 | 01/01/1998 | |
| No summary | |||
| VISIBILITY - SUN ROOF ASSEMBLY | |||
| 06/01/2002 | 1 | 12/26/2001 | |
| Convertible top shredding. huge rips all over it. class action suit filed in california. the manufacturer would like me to obtain an attorney or pay for half the repair costs. however, those included in the class action will be able to get theirs replaced.*ak | |||
Car dealers selling
| State | City | Zip | Name | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL | MIAMI | MARONEE | ||
| FL | TAMPA | LINDELL VW | ||
| IL | PALATINE | 60074 | A&L AUTOBODY INC | 847-991-5620 |
| IN | MUNCIE | 47303 | MUNCIE VW LTD, INC. | |
| NY | ROCHESTER | DORSHEL | 585 321 4017 |