Total Complaints
14 filings
AUDI CABRIOLET · model year
1996 AUDI CABRIOLET
14 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996AUDICABRIOLET carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 CABRIOLET is electrical system:ignition:switch with 6 filings, followed by electrical system:starter assembly (2) and exterior lighting:headlights (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 9 investigation files overlapping the 1996 CABRIOLET. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
14
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 6 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20070720ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH IS BAD. CAUSING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS: TURN SIGNAL FAILURE, A/C FAILURE, POWER WINDOWS FAILURE, HEADLIGHT FAILURE. THESE OCCUR WHEN CAR IS STARTED. *TR
20051004STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
DT: THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. THE LATCH BROKE INSIDE THE DOOR. ALL THE OTHER MECHANISMS WORKED. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED ON APRIL OF 2005. THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE LATCH WITHOUT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS STILL NOT GUARANTEEING THAT THEY COULD FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK
Mileage: 96,000
20050104ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
NHTSA RECALL 96V017000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BUT EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL REGARDING IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. *AK
20030714ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FAILED CAUSING THE STARTER TO "BURN" OUT.*AK
Mileage: 90,000
20030714ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
IGNITION SWITCH FAILED CAUSING THE STARTER TO "BURN" OUT.*AK
Mileage: 90,000
20030711ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING ALL ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES WORK, BUT THE IGNITION DOES NOT START. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. *AK. A DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED THE STARTER TO REMAIN ENGAGED. *TS *JB
Mileage: 38,900
20030611ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SAME IGNITION SWITCH DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL 96 V 017 000; BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILS, IT AFFECTS THE WIPERS, RADIO, LIGHTS AND WINDOWS. *PH
Mileage: 80,317
20010910ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH WAS FAULTY AND CAUSED STARTER TO BURN OUT ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
20010910ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
IGNITION SWITCH WAS FAULTY AND CAUSED STARTER TO BURN OUT ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
20000602EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY HEADLIGHTS/ LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS/HORN/ WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
20000602ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY HEADLIGHTS/ LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS/HORN/ WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
20000602VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY HEADLIGHTS/ LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS/HORN/ WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
20000602VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY HEADLIGHTS/ LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS/HORN/ WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
20000602EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY HEADLIGHTS/ LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS/HORN/ WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
Compare 1996AUDICABRIOLET to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 AUDI CABRIOLET have?▼
The 1996 AUDI CABRIOLET has 14 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 AUDI CABRIOLET?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 AUDI CABRIOLET is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY and EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS.
Is the 1996 AUDI CABRIOLET safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.