Total Complaints
7 filings
VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO · model year
1991 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991VOLKSWAGENCABRIO carries 7 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, 1 injury, 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 1991 CABRIO is fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly with 4 filings, followed by fuel/propulsion system (2) and fuel system, gasoline (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 37 investigation files overlapping the 1991 CABRIO, and 2 remain open. 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.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 4 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20160603FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 (NA) VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO. WHILE FILLING THE VEHICLE WITH FUEL, THE CONTACT NOTICED LEAKS FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 91V201000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.
Mileage: 87,000
20160129FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIOLET (NA). THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE SEAM OF THE FUEL TANK. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 91V201000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
20080812FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
HORRIBLE GAS SMELL COMING FROM REAR DRIVERS SIDE, CONFIRMED GAS TANK IS LEAKING AT THE SEAM. HAVE GOTTEN TERRIBLY SICK WITH STOMACH PAIN AND TERRIBLE HEADACHES FROM THE SMELL AND AFRAID VEHICLE IS GOING TO BLOW UP. *TR
Mileage: 80,000
20030610FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
1991 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIOLET FUEL TANK LEAKING FROM SPOT-WELDED SEAM. VW AGREED TO REPLACE TANK FOR FREE, BUT ONLY AFTER MANY CALLS TO THEIR PRODUCT COMPLIANCE DEPT OVER SEVERAL WEEKS. VW MECHANICS CLAIM THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT, BUT NO RECALL EXISTS.*AK
Mileage: 126,000
20000518FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
GAS STARTING LEAKING AT THE SEAM OF THE TANK. THIS CAN CAUSE THE AUTOMOBILE TO EXPLODE. *AK
19990830FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
SEAM SPLIT ON FUEL TANK ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK OUT. REFERENCE NHTSA CAMPAIGN 91V16200 IDENTICAL FAILURE. MFG REFUSES TO HONOR THIS VEHICLE FOR THE REFERENCED CAMPAIGN.
19960723FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
GAS TANK IS LEAKING AT SEAM, CAN SMELL GASOLINE COMING INTO ENGINE, FIRE HAZARD. *AK
Compare 1991VOLKSWAGENCABRIO to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA24004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
RQ24010Recall QueryClosed
Inadvertent Door Opening
RQ23007Recall QueryClosed
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
PE23017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
EQ22001EQClosed
LGES High Voltage Battery Failures
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO have?▼
The 1991 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 1991 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO 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.