Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Volkswagen Cabrio, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system4
- Vehicle speed control2
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Air bags1
- Electronic stability control (esc)1
- Unknown or other1
- Service brakes, air1
- Equipment1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Exterior lighting1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Volkswagen Cabrio failed the safety check 3.08% of the time — 92% more often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 119,143 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 10.1–10.6 L/100 km (about 22–23 mpg US), CO₂ 232–244 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabrio · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 11.2 | 8.7 | 10.1 |
| Cabrio · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 11.9 | 9.0 | 10.6 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1997 Volkswagen Cabrio.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volkswagen told its dealers about the 1997 Volkswagen Cabrio: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 610170 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P1580 (17988) AND P0103 (16487) STORED IN DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE MEMORY. *TT |
| 601876 | INFORMATION ON MAINTENANCE INTERVALS. *YC |
| 601520 | INFORMATION ON INSTALLING A CARGO NET. *YC |
| 600825 | DISCONNECTING THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG UNIT. *YC |
| 53636 | CONCERNS WITH CASSETTE TAPE PLAYER, SOUND OUTPUT LOW OR DISTORTED, TAPES MAY BE DESTROYED. *YC |
| 53618 | VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH NEW AIRBAG WARNING LABELS. *YC |
| 53615 | CONDITIONS WITH TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING INTO REVERSE AND IS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT IN/OUT OF REVERSE. *YC |
| 53614 | A NEW FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG UNIT HAS BEEN INSTALLED. *AK |
| 10241340 | Engine Oils Which Meet Volkswagen Oil Quality Standard VW 502 00/505 00/505 01 and VW 504 00/507 00 |
| 10241266 | Squeaks, Rattles, Noise, Repair Materials |
| 10241265 | Fuel Additive to Help Prevent Sporadic Misfire Faults |
| 10241177 | Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards |
| 10239789 | To detect which line(s) is inoperative, utilize a volt meter to check for 0 V, which will be present after the open in the grid line. The check must be performed with the engine running and heated rear window switched on. Switch OFF the ignition and visually locate the damage. Proceed with checking any other lines as necessary. Once the damaged line is identified, repair utilizing the Repair kit by Permatex ITEM 09117. |
| 10239592 | Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation |
| 10239591 | Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation |
| 10239590 | Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation |
| 10237427 | Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments. |
| 10235138 | Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments. |
| 10213836 | Airbag Issues. |
| 10193577 | Update engine oil quality standard lists (attachments) |
| 10159016 | Engine Oils Which Meet Volkswagen Oil Quality Standards |
| 10159014 | Alternative method for radio code retrieval. |
| 10159010 | The part number listed in the document is to be returned if it meets the criteria provided. |
| 10158533 | Condensation and or water droplets visible on inside of exterior light lenses. TB updated to include model year 2019 applicability. |
| 10157828 | Updated to include model year 2014 thru 2018 applicability. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
FUEL TANK PUNCTURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation