1997 Volkswagen Cabrio Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cabrio years
- Fewer complaints than other years 7th of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Volkswagen Cabrio. That ranks 7th out of 8 Cabrio model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (4 complaints, 29%), typically at around 122,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 fires. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 14owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Volkswagen Cabrio problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 4 | 29% | 122,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 14% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 14% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 7% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 7% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 7% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Volkswagen Cabrio recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1997 Volkswagen Cabrio.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel tank puncture (PE00033) — opened Aug 10, 2000, closed Dec 28, 2000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Ignition switch fails to return from starter position -- burning out starter. This is a know problem with 1997 a4 but was never reported/carried over to the 1997 cabriolet. Also, key-in-ignition-status maintained even after key removed from ignition causing battery to run down. *tr
While driving my vw cabrio home last night the highlights, dash lights, heater fan and radio all suddenly went off and the abs failure light came on. I pulled the car off the road and the lights suddenly came back on and i was able to drive the last few miles home. I spoke to a service manager at…
Car: 1997 vw cabrio: at 92.890 miles, the airbag light went on. Vw determined, this was due to a defective clockspring (resistance too high). Airbag is not functioning without clockspring. *nm
1-2) i found the following recall for the vw jetta. The defective hazard and turnsignal portion of the recall has happened to my 1997 vw cabrio highline since 2001 getting worse each year. See below, recall dated december 24, 2004. I have not had a consequence due to this, but i would imagine that…
The convertible top ripped open on the seam while driving on the highway. *la
Other Volkswagen Cabrio years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 Cabrio | 23 | 0 |
| 2001 Cabrio | 38 | 1 |
| 2000 Cabrio | 16 | 1 |
| 1999 Cabrio | 29 | 0 |
| 1998 Cabrio | 21 | 1 |
| 1997 | 14 | 0 |
| 1996 Cabrio | 6 | 0 |
| 1995 Cabrio | 15 | 0 |
See all Volkswagen Cabrio problems by year, every Volkswagen model, or the Volkswagen VIN decoder.
Similar Volkswagen models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Volkswagen Cabrio?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Volkswagen Cabrio?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1997 Volkswagen Cabrio a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cabrio model years, the 1997 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.