Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Volkswagen Cabrio, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Structure7
- Visibility5
- Power train4
- Electrical system4
- Air bags3
- Engine and engine cooling3
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Equipment2
- Seat belts1
- Latches/locks/linkages1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 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 1998 Volkswagen Cabrio failed the safety check 1.08% of the time — 37% less often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 116,309 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 10.1–10.7 L/100 km (about 22–23 mpg US), CO₂ 232–246 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabrio · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 11.5 | 8.3 | 10.1 |
| Cabrio · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 12.2 | 8.9 | 10.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL TANK FILLER NECK CAN SUFFER ABRASION DAMAGE IF THE REAR TIRE GOES FLAT AND THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN UNTIL THE TIRE DISINTEGRATES.
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 1998 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 |
| 603349 | SUBJECT ON RADIO REMOTE CONTROL LOCKING SYSTEM. *YC |
| 10243011 | VW Elsa Newsletter |
| 10242996 | VW Elsa Newsletter |
| 10242349 | VW Elsa Newsletter |
| 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 |
| 10239831 | Battery, Testing and Charging Using Midtronics VAS6161, MCR340V, InCharge 940, or GRX3000 Charger |
| 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 |
| 10239541 | Air Conditioning, Cleaning of the Refrigerant Circuit (U.S.Only) |
| 10238572 | Fault code P1297 may be set and fuel mixtures may go lean if the vehicle is driven under load or revved up and then returned to idle. |
| 10237427 | Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments. |
| 10235138 | Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments. |
| 10228180 | Update model year applicability to include 2023. |
| 10228178 | Battery testing and charging using special tools VAS6161 & GRX3000VAS Charger. Updated to include additional model year applicability. |
| 10213836 | Airbag Issues. |
| 10193577 | Update engine oil quality standard lists (attachments) |
| 10175799 | Tool number added to table. Removal of Behr Flush Kit. VAS 6337/1A |
| 10159016 | Engine Oils Which Meet Volkswagen Oil Quality Standards |
| 10159014 | Alternative method for radio code retrieval. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
FUEL TANK PUNCTURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation