Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1990 Volkswagen Cabriolet
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Airbags
654.5%
Fuel & Propulsion
327.3%
Equipment & Accessories
19.1%
Engine & Cooling
19.1%
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.
Oct 1995peak 2Aug 2003
NHTSA investigations into the 1990 Volkswagen Cabriolet
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA91054Opened 9 Dec 1991Closed 12 Jun 1992VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
HEATER CORE FAILURE
Recalls on the 1990 Volkswagen Cabriolet
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 1992149300,000 units in Canada
Structure
CORROSION DUE TO ROAD SALT MAY PREVENT THE HOOD LATCH AND THE SAFETY CATCH FROM WORKING PROPERLY. THIS COULD RESULT IN HOOD FLY-UP WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION RESULTING IN OBSCURED DRIVER VISION AND A POSSIBLE CRASH. CORRECTION: OWNERS OF AFFECTED VEHICLES WILL BE ADVISED BY MAIL REGARDING THE NECESSITY FOR PERIODIC LUBRICATION OF THE ENGINE HOOD LATCH MECHANISM. DEALERS WILL BE ADVISED TO LUBRICATE THE ENGINE HOOD MECHANISM WHENEVER AN AFFECTED VEHICLE IS BEING SERVICED.
Recall 19911695,533 units in Canada
Fuel System
THE FUEL TANK COULD DEVELOP A HAIRLINE CRACK ADJACENT TO A SMALL SECTION OF SEAM WELD AT THE REAR OF THE TANK. SHOULD THIS HAPPEN, FUEL COULD SEEP OUT WHICH COULD RESULT IN FIRE IN THE EVENT OF A REAR END COLLISION. CORRECTION: VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED AND FUEL TANKS WILL BE REPLACED IF NECESSARY.
Recall 19901058,911 units in Canada
Lights And Instruments
THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 108 - LIGHTING. DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WILL NOT OPERATE WITH THE THREE POSITION LIGHT SWITCH IN THE SECOND POSITION. CORRECTION: MAIN LIGHT SWITCH WILL BE REPLACED ON JETTA, CORRADO AND PASSAT AND A RELAY WITH WIRING HARNESS WILL BE INSTALLED.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Centereach, NY
AIR BAGS
CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER 91V215000 CONCERNING THE AIR BAGS. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO SEND ANOTHER LETTER TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIRS PERFORMED. THE AIR BAG DEFECT HAS OCCURRED. *AK THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHICH MEANT THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF A COLLISION. *PH
NHTSA complaint #10032015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hyannis, MA
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 91V201000 FOR FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING GASOLINE. DEALERSHIP INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND PROBLEM WASN'T SOLVED. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #8007193 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Luis Obispo, CA
AIR BAGS
AFTER A TURN, ARIBARG WARNINGS LIGHTS TURNED ON AND WONT TURN OFF.
NHTSA complaint #722425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Contord, CA
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
VAPORS APPEAR WHEN CONSUMER FILLS UP VEHICLE. ALSO, CONSUMER CAN ONLY GET A HALF TANK OF GAS WHEN FILLING UP VEHICLE DUE TO A SHORTAGE WITHIN THE TANK.
NHTSA complaint #849555 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Contord, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
VAPORS APPEAR WHEN CONSUMER FILLS UP VEHICLE. ALSO, CONSUMER CAN ONLY GET A HALF TANK OF GAS WHEN FILLING UP VEHICLE DUE TO A SHORTAGE WITHIN THE TANK.
NHTSA complaint #849555 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Princeton, NJ
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
GAS TANK FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE, RESULTING IN LEAKAGE. (92V-058). MJS
NHTSA complaint #546389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Princeton, NJ
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
RADIO LOCKED UP. MJS
NHTSA complaint #546389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Scottsdale, AZ
AIR BAGS
DEFECTIVE AIR BAG.
NHTSA complaint #546654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Englishtown, NJ
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING, AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT STAYS ON CONTINUOUSLY, DUE TO AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT MALFUNCTIONED, DLR/MFR WON'T ASSIST. TT
NHTSA complaint #979375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Englishtown, NJ
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING, AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT STAYS ON CONTINUOUSLY, DUE TO AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT MALFUNCTIONED, DLR/MFR WON'T ASSIST. TT
NHTSA complaint #979375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bonita, CA
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON, AIRBAG CENTRAL CONTROL UNIT IS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. TT
NHTSA complaint #974003 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.