1989 Volkswagen CABRIOLET problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
7 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
125,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1989 model year. Data snapshot: . 3 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 7 complaints (71.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 6 | 85.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 14.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly | 5 |
| Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly | 2 |
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly: 5; Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 2 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
2000: 2; 2003: 1; 2004: 1; 2005: 1; 2006: 1; 2008: 1
Pattern summary
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 6 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10039870 · 2003-11-18 (November 18, 2003)
FUEL IS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE DEALER WILL FIX AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. *PH TWO RECALLS WERE ISSUED RELATED TO THIS FAILURE, 94V-065000 AND 91V-201000. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT NO RECALLS WERE ISSUED. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10039870 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10098476 · 2004-11-08 (November 8, 2004)
1989 VW CABRIOLET FUEL TANK HAS DEFECTIVE SEAM WELD IN FUEL TANK AS DOCUMENTED IN CAMPAIGN # 94V065000. TANK HAS NEVER BEEN REPLACED, YET VW SAYS THERE ARE NO OPEN RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 75,839 miles reported. Look up ODI 10098476 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10221871 · 2008-03-20 (March 20, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIOLET. THE CONTACT SMELLED GASOLINE WHILE SITTING IN THE VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A VOLKSWAGEN REPAIR SHOP. THE CONTACT FOUND A RECALL FOR HER YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO HER VIN. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT HER VEHICLE SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE SHE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME DEFECT. THE TRANSMISSION TYPE, RECALL NUMBER, AND MILEAGES WERE UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 04/11/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER REPAIR IS PERFORMED BY …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10221871 at NHTSA ↗