Car involved in front end accident and the passenger side airbag deployed but the driver side did not and personal injury was the result, the car was turning left on city street and was struck in right front
The worst 1996 Volkswagen Cabrio problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Airbags2
- Engine2
- Locks1
- Transmission1
- Visibility1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags2
- Engine2
- Locks1
- Transmission1
- Visibility1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Defect investigations
Fuel tank puncture
The office of defects investigation opened this investigation on august 10, 2000 based on 9 reports regarding punctured fuel tanks involving the jetta, passat, and cabrio models.the reports indicate additional reports in its response to the preliminary evaluation.this investigation has been upgraded for further study.
PE00033
Technical service bulletins for the 1996 Volkswagen Cabrio 25
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- The part number listed in the document is to be returned if it meets the criteria provided.
- Condensation and or water droplets visible on inside of exterior light lenses
- This special notice is to inform dealers to return all part numbers listed in the document and order the...
- Vas 6154
- This communication is to update our ProFi dealers of the current status of the latest inbound and outbound...
- Update model year applicability to include 2017.
- Data Link connector pin assignment chart that is applicable to all models
- Airbag Issues.
- This document contains the VW Elsa Newsletter that contains a general overview of wiring diagrams updates,...
- This document contains the VW Elsa Newsletter that contains a general overview of wiring diagrams updates,...
1996 Volkswagen Cabrio fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 19-20 | 26-28 | 22-23 |
What 1996 Volkswagen Cabrio owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Automatic transmission will surge during normal operation. Problem occurs more frequently in warmer weather. *note: tranmission was rebuilt by dealership previously for same problem. Please provide any additional information/attachments regarding this problem.
Upon low speed impact, 5 MPH, both front airbags expanded causing minor burns and 'cuts' on passenger in front seat. Since accident on 03-25-01, the dealer has yet to receive the needed replacement air bags-today's date, 04-16-01. In speaking with vwoa's engineering & parts depts, they said do not usually stock item in us and that the airbags responded "correctly" in deceleration mode. Besides the cost of replacing the airbags, the damage to the vw was minimal (scratch on lt ft. Fender & the need to replace the lt. Ft. Side marker). Is there a problem w/these airbags? Should they have gone off @ such a low speed? If so, they could have gone off in hitting a parking garage 'pylon', no? Please inform me asap on why vwoa does not have parts in us! Thank you, [xxx]. *ak parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
From the time I bought the car the gas mileage was grossly low so everytime I took it in for scheduled service I would have them check out the fuel system nothing was ever done and the gas mileage has never gotten better now I have approx. 42,000mi on the vehicle and still horrible gas mileage and no power ii thought it was catalytic converter which is covered under the fed emmissions warranty but when I took it to the dealer they said it was the oxygen sensors which are connected to the catalytic converter I have done some research on these o2 sensors and everything I have read leads me to believe that they were faulty from time of purchase!
Vehicle leaks gas. Gas leak is coming from engine area of vehicle. Also vavle gasket was replaced which did not correct problem. Delaers then noted that problem could not be found.
Hood latch failed.
Compare the 1996 Volkswagen Cabrio
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Questions about the 1996 Volkswagen Cabrio
Is the 1996 Volkswagen Cabrio reliable?
Owners have filed 6 complaints about the 1996 Volkswagen Cabrio, fewer than a typical Cabrio model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Volkswagen Cabrio?
Airbags, with 2 complaints. Next is engine (2).
How many recalls does the 1996 Volkswagen Cabrio have?
No recalls on record.
What gas mileage does the 1996 Volkswagen Cabrio get?
Official estimates for the 1996 Volkswagen Cabrio range from 22 to 23 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 19-20 city and 26-28 highway.
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