Total Complaints
6 filings
VOLKSWAGEN CABRIOLET · model year
1985 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIOLET
6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985VOLKSWAGENCABRIOLET carries 6 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 1985 CABRIOLET is suspension:front with 1 filings, followed by structure:frame and members (1) and electrical system (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 1985 CABRIOLET, 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.
6
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 |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990409STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
POWER STEERING BELT LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO WHEELS, ALLOWING WATER TO SPLASH ONTO BELT FROM WHEELS, CAUSING BELT TO FAIL/STEERING TO LOCK. THE STEERING HAS LOCKED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN DRIVING THROUGH WATER DUE TO THIS PROBLEM, ONCE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
19970822ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
ELECTRIC CABLES BETWEEN ALTERNATOR/BATTERY WERE CONNECTED TO HOT WATER PIPES GOING TO WATER RADIATOR. DUE TO EXTREME EXTERNAL SUMMER TEMPERATURE IN SOUTHERN SWITZERLAND, ELECTRIC CABLE CARBONIZE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO MALFUNCTION. *AK
19970402ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
THE ELECTRIC CABLES SITUATED BETWEEN ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WHERE THEY ARE CLAMPT TO HOT WATER PIPES CARBONIZE, RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE AND STALLING. *AK
19960425ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILS TO OPERATE WHEN FIRST STARTING VEHICLE, CAUSING HEADLIGHTS/DASH LIGHTS TO DIM UNTIL REACHING SPEEDS GREATER THAN 5 MPH.
19960125STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
FRONT END METAL FATIGUE. *SD
19951116SUSPENSION:FRONT
PREMATURE METAL FATIGUE OF FRONT END. *SKD
Compare 1985VOLKSWAGENCABRIOLET 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 1985 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIOLET have?▼
The 1985 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIOLET has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIOLET?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIOLET is SUSPENSION:FRONT with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 1985 VOLKSWAGEN 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.