What breaks most · 1991 to 2002 model years
Volkswagen Cabrio problems by year
Owners have filed 186 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Volkswagen Cabrio across model years 1991 to 2002. Three years stand out: 2001 for visibility complaints, 1999 for electrical system complaints and 2002 for electrical system complaints. The quietest years are 1996, 1991 and 1993.
- Years to check closely: 2001, 1999, 2002
- Fewest complaints: 1996, 1991, 1993
- Complaints on file
- 1861991 to 2002, all trims
- Worst year
- 200138 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 2113 fires · 18 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 53kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 7Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0 | 3 | Fuel system (5) | |
| 9 | 0 | 1 | Visibility (2) | |
| 8 | 1 | 0 | Visibility (2) | |
| 15 | 0 | 0 | Engine and cooling (4) | |
| 6 | 2 | 0 | Engine and cooling (2) | |
| 14 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (4) | |
| 21 | 4 | 1 | Body and structure (7) | |
| 29 | 4 | 0 | Electrical system (10) | |
| 16 | 1 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (5) | |
| 38 | 6 | 1 | Visibility (8) | |
| 23 | 3 | 0 | Electrical system (9) |
What fails on the 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 21% |
8 | 0 | Shop visibility parts for the 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 18% |
7 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 13% |
5 | 2 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio |
| Air bags | 13% |
5 | 3 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 11% |
4 | 1 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 8% |
3 | 0 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 8% |
3 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 5% |
2 | 0 | Shop suspension parts for the 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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The driver side window failed. I went to do the e check in ohio and had to open the window. When i left the window didn't come up anymore. The mechanic said i need to replace the regulator which cost $310 + labor = tax.*ak note: this the second regulator my car needs to be replaced.
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Gauge cluster malfunctioned, resulting in no speedometer or tachometer. This results in having to guess your speed. The only correction is replacement of the entire gauge cluster and the odometer cannot be reset. This is the second replacement in 12 months.*ak
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Vehicle hit rear of a trailer at 20-30 mph. Upon impact, neither air bag deployed. Vehicle bursted into flames several minutes after impact. Please describe details. *ak
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Volkswagen Cabrio years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2001, 1999, 2002 carry the most filings on the Volkswagen Cabrio. The 2001 alone has 38 complaints, led by visibility.
What is the most common Volkswagen Cabrio problem?
On the 2001 model year, the most-reported component is visibility with 8 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Volkswagen Cabrio problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Volkswagen Cabrio complaints that include mileage is about 53,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.