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FaultScore report

1992 Volkswagen Cabrio problems

Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 1992 Volkswagen Cabrio with NHTSA between 1996 and 2004. The largest single group is the engine & cooling.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Volkswagen Cabrio
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Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

12

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

3

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

How 1992 compares with every other Volkswagen Cabrio

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1992 Volkswagen Cabrio

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 2 16.7%
Fuel & Propulsion 2 16.7%

Median failure at 130,000 miles

Brakes 2 16.7%
Electrical System 2 16.7%

0 crashes, 2 fires · median 129,500 mi

Engine & Cooling 2 16.7%

Median failure at 65,000 miles

Lights 1 8.3%

0 crashes, 1 fires

Airbags 1 8.3%

Median failure at 122,000 miles

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Jan 1996 peak 2 Aug 2004

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

at 129,500 miles Westmisnter, MD Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

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.

NHTSA complaint #10086717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Harrisonburg, VA Fire

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH

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.

NHTSA complaint #735070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Harrisonburg, VA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

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.

NHTSA complaint #735070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 129,500 miles Westmisnter, MD Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

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.

NHTSA complaint #10086717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 130,000 miles Westminster, MD

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

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.

NHTSA complaint #10086715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 65,000 miles Panama City Bch., FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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.

NHTSA complaint #10070189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 122,000 miles Lynnwood, WA

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AT SIXTY MILES AN HOUR ON I-5 IN SEATTLE.

NHTSA complaint #10028510 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lyons, IL

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

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.

NHTSA complaint #882804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Harrisonburg, VA Fire

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH

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.

NHTSA complaint #735070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Harrisonburg, VA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

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.

NHTSA complaint #735070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Durham, NC

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

OIL SENDING UNIT MALFUNCTIONED, ALSO DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW STICKS.

NHTSA complaint #510859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Durham, NC

VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

OIL SENDING UNIT MALFUNCTIONED, ALSO DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW STICKS.

NHTSA complaint #510859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chatanooga, TN

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

THE PADS HAVE CUT INTO ROTORS, SHOES HAVE CUT INTO DRUMS.

NHTSA complaint #979945 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chatanooga, TN

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

THE PADS HAVE CUT INTO ROTORS, SHOES HAVE CUT INTO DRUMS.

NHTSA complaint #979945 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lyons, IL

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE

THE HEATER DOES NOT WORK AND SPITS OUT HOT COOLANT ALL OVER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA complaint #978017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.