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1997 Volkswagen Cabrio

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 4 of 14 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports2 fire reports0 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

1 reports
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50,000 miles · Jul 18, 2005
Exterior Lighting

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 MY CAR COULD BE HIT FROM BEHIND…

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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 MY CAR COULD BE HIT FROM BEHIND WITHOUT HAZARDS OR TURNSIGNALS. 3) I TOOK MY CABRIO IN TO THE DEALERSHIP IN 2003 TO REQUEST HELP WITH DEFECTIVE HAZARD AND TURNSIGNALS AND THEY CHARGED ME FOR LABOR TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. IT WAS NOT IDENTIFIED AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE EXTEREMLY EXPENSIVE TO IDENTIFY AND FIX. SO I DON'T KNOW THE CORRECTION. NOTE: I WAS UNABLE TO SEARCH FOR VW, CABRIO RECALLS ON YOUR WEBSITE. THE SITE LIMITS ME TO SEARCHING FOR THE JETTA ONLY. DECEMBER 24, 2004 VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 369,284 CARS FOR VARIOUS DEFECTS, INCLUDING LEAKING FUEL PUMPS AND DEFECTIVE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCHES, THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION AGENCY (NHTSA) SAID. VW IS RECALLING 300,000 GOLF, GTI AND JETTA CARS FROM 2000-2002 MODEL YEARS BECAUSE THE HAZARD SWITCH AND FLASHER SYSTEM FUNCTION MAY DEGRADE OVER TIME DUE TO HIGH ELECTRICAL CURRENT LOAD FROM TURN-SIGNAL BULBS, ACCORDING OT NHTSA. VW, EUROPE'S BIGGEST AUTOMAKER, IS ALSO RECALLING 19,284 GOLF, JETTA, BEETLE AND PASSAT CARS FROM 2004-2005 MODEL YEARS BECAUSE A LEAKING DIESEL FUEL PUMP COULD LEAD TO A FIRE. THE HIGH PRESSURE DIESEL PUMPS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPER FASTENER, WHICH COULD ALLOW DIESEL FUEL TO ESCAPE FROM THE PUMP. ALSO, VOLKSWAGEN SAID IT IS CHECKING AS MANY AS 447,000 CARS MADE BETWEEN 2001 AND 2003, INCLUDING THE GOLF, GTI AND JETTA MODELS, FOR POSSIBLE AIRBAG PROBLEMS AFTER OFFICIALS CAME UP WITH 107 CASES IN WHICH SIDE-DOOR AIRBAGS MAY HAVE DEPLOYED IMPROPERLY.

NHTSA ODI #10129197

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE00033 · Fuel Tank Puncture

Opened Aug 10, 2000 · Closed Dec 28, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION ON AUGUST 10, 2000 BASED ON 9 REPORTS REGARDING PUNCTURED FUEL TANKS INVOLVING THE JETTA, PASSAT, AND CABRIO MODELS.THE REPORTS INDICATE ADDITIONAL REPORTS IN ITS RESPONSE TO THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED FOR FURTHER STUDY.