Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1988 Volkswagen Cabriolet, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Fuel system, gasoline4
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Suspension1
- Structure1
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 1988 Volkswagen Cabriolet failed the safety check 0.61% of the time — 39% less often than the average 1988 passenger car (1.01%). Median odometer at inspection: 111,829 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
1 1988 cars are on the New Zealand register.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 1988 Volkswagen Cabriolet.
| 1992149 23 Nov 1992 | 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 MOT… |
| 1991169 9 Dec 1991 | 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 C… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
A CRACK CAN DEVELOP IN THE FUEL TANK ADJACENT TO A SEAM WELD IN THE REAR OF THE TANK.
A CRACK CAN DEVELOP IN THE FUEL TANK ADJACENT TO A SEAM WELD IN THE REAR OF THE TANK.
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 1988 Volkswagen Cabriolet: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 621613 | SUBJECT REGARDING LATCH SYSTEM LOWER ANCHORS AND TETHERS FOR CHILDREN, INSTALLING / RETROFITTING. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
HEATER CORE FAILURE
GAS TANK LEAKS
GAS TANK LEAKS
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation