The fuzebox in this car is unprotected from water and can cause a fire and any time water may leak into car. I parked my car and when I went to her back in it a hour later it wouldn't crank that's when we discovered the fuze box was melted from getting too hot due to it leaking thru the antenna o to the relays filling them with water and then cause a drip to come from relays onto fuze and burn out the fuze slit for the fuel pump which caused my car not to crank at all. This a common occurrence and could potentially be a huge problem
The worst 1999 Volkswagen Cabrio problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical10
- Brakes6
- Engine6
- Acceleration5
- Body4
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical10
- Brakes6
- Engine6
- Acceleration5
- Body4
- Lights3
- Steering3
- Transmission3
- Visibility3
- Airbags2
- Fuel system2
- Seat belts2
- Suspension2
- Locks1
- Seats1
- Wheels1
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 1999 Volkswagen Cabrio 68
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards
- Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
- Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
- Update model year applicability to include 2023.
- Battery testing and charging using special tools VAS6161 & GRX3000VAS Charger
- Update engine oil quality standard lists (attachments)
- Tool number added to table
- The part number listed in the document is to be returned if it meets the criteria provided.
- Alternative method for radio code retrieval.
- Engine Oils Which Meet Volkswagen Oil Quality Standards
1999 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 | 19-21 | 26-28 | 22-24 |
What 1999 Volkswagen Cabrio owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen cabrio. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle stopped accelerating. The contact was able to maneuver to the shoulder and coast to a stop. The contact examined the vehicle and noticed the retainer clip on the end of the cable that secured it to the clutch engagement lever failed. . The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 98,000. Updated 07/18/12
Hello, I contacted you about 2 yrs ago without f/u due to recovery from injuries. Now I have my case on the docket to sue vw for faulty disc/hub assembly that separated due to corrosion. I have the parts and photos to submit. I injured my right ankle on july 9, 2009 when the wheel detached from my car without warning and after it had been recently inspected and cleaned by brake king. Similar to the jeep grand cherokee recall since I owned one and had the hub/disc assembly replaced by stainless steel assembly. I wish to continue this investigation so that others are not injured heaven forbid. Now I am ready to handle the case in court and am preparing for the trial. Please advise as to how to defend my case as the ones that were tried on the jeep recall and accidents. Also, if you need more info pls contact me. After the final physical therapy and perm partial disability I incurred in the accident I feel that this case needs to be investigated and prosecuted. I am an engineer and am sure the corrosion caused the wheel detachment which was definitely a product defect. Especially since I have the records of inspection and service of the brake involved which caused detachment of my wheel only 5 months later and in light of the jeep recalls. Have a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. Thanks. Updated 01/20/12*lj *tr injuries were from a previous incident. Updated ivoq 03/26/12 the consumer referenced recall # 99v340000. Updated 12/11/12
This has actually happened several times with this car. When I hit a patch of water, the steering wheel locks up temporarily and I'm unable to maneuver. If I'm on a corner I have to hit the brakes to avoid an accident.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen cabrio convertible. The contact stated while driving at 50 MPH, the rear passengers wheel fractured from the vehicle. The vehicle spun out of control and crashed into an embankment. The contact sustained unknown injuries and was transported to the hospital via ambulance. A police report was filed at the scene and the vehicle was towed to a local repair shop where the vehicle was repaired. The failure was contributed to a hub disk separation that caused the wheel to separate from the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000 and the current mileage was approximately 120,000
I have a 1999 vw cabrio, which is the convertible model of the golf. There is a recall of vws because of faulty brake lights due to faulty ignition parts. I called vw to register my complaint. They say that my VIN is not under their recall list. However, in september 2006, I had the exact same brake light mal-function, including the total melt down of all the lights on december 14, 2006 while I was on a highway in my state. I had to have the vehicle repaired and the garage used authentic vw parts from a dealership down the road. My cabio has the golf chassis but called the cabrio which is the convertible version. All my car care books address the golf version. I am at a loss as to why vw will not reimburse me for the parts and labor for this same repair. The recall notices are just going out even though they knew about this problem in 2006.
1) due to vandalism, the convertible top was replaced by a reputable shop. I used the power top once after the replacement, then following that winter, the power top failed. It was beyond warranty according to dealer when I discovered the failure. Dealer wants $1200 for replacement. 2) the 6 cd changer stopped working just after warranty expired. Dealer wants $600 for replacement. 3) cruise control became intermittent after a throttle body replacement in march 2003. Dealer wants $800 for replacement. 4) the speedometer and tachometer became intermittent in sept 2003. It has been removed and the contacts cleaned. It only works on extremely cold mornings, only on the first start. All other gauges work on the module. Dealer wants $600 for replacement. 5) the radio suddenly stopped working (no power) after hitting a pothole in jan 2004. Dealer wants $600 for replacement. 6) the smog pump failed dec 2005, and charred the harness wiring. It was replaced with a salvaged smog pump by reputable repair shop. Dealer wanted $1000 for replacement.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving at 35mph in normal conditions, the fuel line fractured. The result of the failure was gas leaking while in motion. The contact noticed a gasoline smell inside the vehicle. Upon arriving at the residence, the vehicle was inspected and the leak was identified. The vehicle is currently in route to the local dealership for repairs.
My car's electrical system started to fail two weeks ago. The directionals, interior lights, all exterior lights and heater did not work. I was told by a vw dealership in ma that the car alarm system malfunctioned and has caused the switching gear and other various electrical components in my car to malfunction. After informing that the cost to repair this problem would be around $1,000.00 I decided to look into these issues only to be surprised to find that my vw 1999 cabrio is notorious along with all of the other makes of the vw line to have faulty and problematic electrical systems. My car is under warranty, but was told, "sorry this is not a covered item" there are various resources out there to learn that over and over again, this happens to the consumer of their cars. When you pay $35000 for a car you expect it to not have any problems like this before 50k miles.
I have had transmission problems since the car had 8,000 miles on it. You push on the gas and the car goes just enough to put you into oncoming traffic and then it won't go anywhere for 3-4 seconds. This has happened on several occassions. I have taken it to the dealership to fix twice and they keep telling me it's fixed, but it's not. My car now has 56,000 miles on it and is out of warranty. No one wants to fix the problem.
Compare the 1999 Volkswagen Cabrio
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Questions about the 1999 Volkswagen Cabrio
Is the 1999 Volkswagen Cabrio reliable?
Owners have filed 29 complaints about the 1999 Volkswagen Cabrio, fewer than a typical Cabrio model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Volkswagen Cabrio?
Electrical system, with 10 complaints, typically around 42,100 miles. Next is brakes (6).
How many recalls does the 1999 Volkswagen Cabrio have?
No recalls on record.
What gas mileage does the 1999 Volkswagen Cabrio get?
Official estimates for the 1999 Volkswagen Cabrio range from 22 to 24 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 19-21 city and 26-28 highway.
VIN decoder
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