4.6% of complaints about the 1999 Volkswagen Cabrio came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 1999 vehicle — around the middle of the 201 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 3.9 yr in service. The most-reported system is electrical system (15 complaints), typically at 5.4 yr or about 42,100 miles.
VEHICLE CONTINUES TO SHUT DOWN IN MOVING TRAFFIC. IT'S BEEN AT THE DEALER 6 TIMES, FOR UP TO 7 DAYS AT A TIME AND THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CONCERN OR DIAGNOSE PROBLEM. I FEEL IT'S A REAL SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THE CAR SHUTS DOWN IN MOVING TRAFFIC WITH NO WARNING. CAR STARTS UP AFTER COMPLETELY STOPPING, PUTTING IT IN PARK TURNING THE IGNITION OFF AND RESTARTING IT. THERE ARE NO WARNING SIGNS. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE IN THE ELECTRICAL BECAUSE THE CAR LOOSES ALL POWER. NO LIGHTS ON THE DASH, NO POWER STEERING ETC. WHAT IS A REASONABLE LENGHT OF TIME FOR THIS TO BE CORRECTED?*AK
CONVERTIBLE TOP ACCUMULATING SOME KIND OF BLACK SUBSTANCE THAT HARDENS AND CANNOT BE REMOVED. AT THE THREE YEAR MARK, THE CAR JUST BEGAN TO DETERIORATE VERY QUICKLY. TIMING BELT, CONVERTIBLE STOPPED WORKING, ABS BRAKES KICK IN WHEN NOT SUPPOSED TO, EXHAUST SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 40K MILES. KEY LOCK BUTTON FELL OUT, CANNOT GET IT TO STAY IN. SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY FELL APART. INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES NOT MADE WELL, LOOSENED AND FEEL AS IF THEY MAY FALL OFF. CD CHANGER HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. *NLM
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON & STAYS ON, AS DOES THE ABS LIGHT, THE DRIVERS SEAT HEATER SHORTED OUT, THE CARS BATTERY EXPLOADED, THE DRIVERS POWER WINDOW MALFUNCTIONS, THE VOLUME CONTROL ON THE RADIO HAS A MALFUNCTION, THE HYDROLIC PUMP FOR AUTOMATIC TOP MALFUNCTIONED & NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS SOME OTHER MORE MINOR PROBLEMS.