VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO · model year

2000 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO

18 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2000VOLKSWAGENCABRIO carries 18 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 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 2000 CABRIO is power train:manual transmission with 3 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (2) and power train:automatic transmission (2). 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. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 2000 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.

18
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

18 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY1
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER1
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE1
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1

Recalls (1)

02V24400012/09/2002

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." CHILD SEAT ANCHORAGES INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE'S REAR SEATS MUST BE IDENTIFIED BY MARKINGS, AND THEIR LOCATION AND USE BE DESCRIBED IN THE OWNER'S MANUA

Recent Complaints

20080616POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

PURCHASED A 2000 VW CABRIO FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP IN NEW JERSEY (THAT WAS MY FIRST MISTAKE AS I AM A NEW YORK RESIDENT.) TEST DROVE AND VISUAL INSPECTION APPEARED GREAT. DROVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT AND WITHIN 3 MILES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CHECKED FLUIDS, PROCEEDED WITH OUR TRIP HOME. WITHIN 10 MILES, THE CAR'S MANUAL TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF FIFTH GEAR WHILE GOING 65MPS ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. WITH THE DEALERSHIP CLOSED (AND BEING THE CAR WAS SOLD "AS-IS", WE LIMPED HOME. THE 2 HOUR TRIP ENDED UP TAKING NEARLY 3 HOURS. MECHANIC FOUND THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REPLACED BUT NOT REFILLED WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID. BRAND NEW TRANNY INSTALLED ONLY TO FIND THE STARTER WAS ALSO MALFUNCTIONING. MEANWHILE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON DUE TO A $409.00 SECONDARY AIR PUMP FAILURE. I HADN'T EVEN OWNED THE CAR 2 WEEKS AND HAD ALREADY SPEND OVER $2000 IN REPAIRS. I FINALLY GOT THE CAR BACK FROM MY MECHANIC, DROVE IT FOR ONE DAY, AND NOW WE APPEAR TO HAVE A TIMING BELT ISSUE AND HA

Mileage: 83,300

20080616ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

PURCHASED A 2000 VW CABRIO FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP IN NEW JERSEY (THAT WAS MY FIRST MISTAKE AS I AM A NEW YORK RESIDENT.) TEST DROVE AND VISUAL INSPECTION APPEARED GREAT. DROVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT AND WITHIN 3 MILES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CHECKED FLUIDS, PROCEEDED WITH OUR TRIP HOME. WITHIN 10 MILES, THE CAR'S MANUAL TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF FIFTH GEAR WHILE GOING 65MPS ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. WITH THE DEALERSHIP CLOSED (AND BEING THE CAR WAS SOLD "AS-IS", WE LIMPED HOME. THE 2 HOUR TRIP ENDED UP TAKING NEARLY 3 HOURS. MECHANIC FOUND THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REPLACED BUT NOT REFILLED WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID. BRAND NEW TRANNY INSTALLED ONLY TO FIND THE STARTER WAS ALSO MALFUNCTIONING. MEANWHILE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON DUE TO A $409.00 SECONDARY AIR PUMP FAILURE. I HADN'T EVEN OWNED THE CAR 2 WEEKS AND HAD ALREADY SPEND OVER $2000 IN REPAIRS. I FINALLY GOT THE CAR BACK FROM MY MECHANIC, DROVE IT FOR ONE DAY, AND NOW WE APPEAR TO HAVE A TIMING BELT ISSUE AND HA

Mileage: 83,300

20071016POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN 2000 VW CABRIO WENT BAD SEPT. 05, REPLACED CAR GARAGED FOR WINTER DRIVEN VERY LITTLE APPROX 15OO MILES IN APRIL 06 TRANSMISSION WENT AGAIN - SAME SYMPTOMS PROBLEM - TRANSMISSION REPLACED AGAIN OCT 07 - TRANSMISSION BAD AGAIN AFTER APPROX 5000 MILES. GEARS CHIPPING ACCUSED OF DRIVER ERROR. HAVE HAD 3 OTHER CARS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS THAT I OWNED FOR 10 YEARS NEVER A PROBLEM. *JB

Mileage: 70,000

20051229ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER IN THE DASHBOARD FAIL INTERMITTANTLY. *NM

20050802ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I HAVE HAD VARIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR THE SPEEDOMETER FREEZING OR THE SINCE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. SOMETIMES MY AIR CONDITIONER WON'T START. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, ABS OR THE CHECK TRUNK COMES ON HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS JUST THE SUMMER HEAT. RECENTLY LAST MARCH I TOOK IT TO FREEWAY THEY SAID IT WAS ONE PART THAT WAS FAILING. I BOUGHT THE PART FROM VOLKSWAGEN AND HAD IT INSTALLED. THE LIGHT STILL CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO VOLKSWAGEN RIVERSIDE THEY SAID IT WAS A FUSE YET I HAD ALREADY PAID FOR THE OTHER PART. I ALSO BOUGHT A TURN SIGNAL SWITCH BECAUSE FREEWAY SAID THAT IS WHY MY HAZARDS COME ON INSTEAD OF A RIGHT TURN SIGNAL. IT STILL BLINKS HAZARDS TILL THIS DAY. EVEN AFTER I TOOK IT TO VOLKSWAGEN RIVERSIDE SINCE FREEWAY VOLKSWAGEN COULD NOT FIGURE IT OUT. VOLKSWAGEN RIVERSIDE TOOK MY CAR APART AND STILL COULD NOT FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE ELECTRICAL. THE MECHANIC WAS LOOKING FOR THE PROBLEM ALL DAY AND WHEN HE PUT MY

20040212STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

WATER CONTINUOUSLY ENTERS INTO THE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE THROUGH POORLY DESIGNED RUBBER SEALS ALONG THE CONVERTABLE TOP, PERMENANTLY DEFORMED DUE TO POOR DOOR DESIGN. REPLACEMENT SEALS EXCESSIVELY PRICED (500 PER SEAL, 4 SEALS TOTAL, PLUS LABOR).

Mileage: 30,000

20031126POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

WHILE CRUISING ON THE HIGHWAY, MANUAL TRANSMISSION BROKE. 5 TH GEAR DISENGAGED. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT BACK INTO GEAR IT BEHAVED AS IF IN NEUTRAL. CAR DE-ACCELERATED TO A HALT. *LA

Mileage: 50,500

20030804ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

MY ENTIRE EXHAUSE SYSTEM ALL THE WAY UP TO THE MANIFOLD WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I HAVE HAD THE MAIN PART OF THE SYSTEM REPLACED BUT NOW AM TOLD THAT THE PIPE LEADING TO THE MANIFOLD AND THE HEAT SHIELD ARE ALSO BAD AND ARE VIBRATING BADLY. I WAS TOLD BY THE VW DEALER-WHERE I HAVE MY WARRANTY THAT THIS IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY THAT THIS IS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE MUFFLER PLACE THAT DID THE WORK TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE DONE MORE THAN 10 CABRIO'S WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK DONE AT VW AS THE ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE DROPPED...THIS DOES NOT SOUND LIKE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE.*AK

Mileage: 49,000

20030416POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I PURCHASED A CABRIO 2000 FROM JOE HEIDT IN RAMSEY NEW JERSEY THE CAR DID NOT START ONE MORNING IT WAS TOWED THEN WITHIN MONTHS IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN , IT WAS TOWED TWICE NOW IT HARDLY ACCELERATES IT GOES VERY SLOW WHEN YOU PRESS THE GAS PEDAL. THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR THE POWER TRAIN. *NLM

Mileage: 20,000

20030404POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE, THE DEALER REPAIRED/REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *JB

Mileage: 2,000

20030404VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *JB

20030205UNKNOWN OR OTHER

CAR WILL NOT START AT SEEMINGLY RANDOM TIMES. CAR EITHER HAS TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP OR IN SOME INSTANCES LEFT ALONE FOR HOURS AT A TIME. SOMETIMES AFTER LETTING IT REST, IT WILL START AGAIN AND OTHERS NOT. THIS HAS OCCURED 4 TIMES SO FAR AND EACH TIME THE DEALERSHIP TRIED FIXING THE ECM AND EVENTUALLY REPLACED IT, BUT IT CONTINUES TO OCCUR. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED A NUMBER OF TIMES WITH A NEW BABY AND VW CONTINUES TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM TO NO AVAIL.

20030129STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH A PARKED CAR, VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. PH

Mileage: 25,000

20010316CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

I WAS RECENTLY INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE SOMEONE HIT MY SIDE GOING ABOUT 35-40 MPH AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. I DRIVE MY GRANDMOTHER PLACES BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FACTOR WITH MY CAR AND SHE WAS PINNED IN THE CAR AND NOT EVEN HER AIRBAG WENT OFF. I THINK THIS IS A DISGRACE ON THE PART OF VW AND I DON'T EVEN WANT TO DRIVE THIS CAR ANYMORE. I SPEND $450.00 A MONTH ON THIS CAR AND I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT! *AK

20001107SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

HEATED SEATS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. *SLC

20001107VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN THE SET BUTTON IS PRESSED ON THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE SPEED WILL ACCELERATE, WHEN PRESSING THE RES BUTTON, NOTHING HAPPENS, CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *SLC

20000426SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

SEAT BELT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE DOES NOT HAVE A BUCKLE. BUCKLE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE IS MISSING. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

19991123STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

THE CONVERTIBLE TOP HAS TOO MUCH CLOTH WHICH OBSTRUCTES THE REAR VIEW, ALMOST CAUSING A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

Compare 2000VOLKSWAGENCABRIO to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2000 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO have?
The 2000 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO has 18 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2000 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO?
Yes, the 2000 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2000 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO?
The most-complained component for the 2000 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO is POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 2000 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.