Quick, sporty, economical, and well-equipped with a wide range of standard features, the 1996 Volkswagen Cabio was a worthy addition to the German automaker's lineup. In its second year, the Cabrio was updated slightly, with daytime running lights, side molding that matched the exterior body color, and a dashboard-located central locking switch added as standard equipment.
Power was provided by a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder, 115-hp engine, which was linked to a five-speed manual overdrive transmission. A four-speed automatic overdrive transmission was available as an option.
Among the Cabrio's best standard features was its manually operated six-layer cloth top, which had a glass rear window with a defogger -- a nice feature for winter or rainy-weather driving. A fixed roll bar served not only as a safety feature but also as a style cue. Dual airbags, anti-lock brakes, power windows, power door locks, heated mirrors, cruise control, an eight-speaker stereo system,and an anti-theft alarm system were also part of the package. Leather seats and air conditioning were available as options.
Drivers were very enthusiastic about the VW Cabrio, citing its comfort, gas economy, and "fun" factor as positive points. A number of drivers noted how quickly and easily the top goes up or down, stowing neatly in the rear. Others have commented on the large trunk and convenience of the central locking system.
On out radio in the car it has the word safe on the radio when it's turned on, when i turn it off, the word safe goes away, but when i turn it back on, the word safe come back..... how do we listen to the radio, on fm channels.
My radio just stopped working and i want to check the fuses
I drove my car with the top not fully up. Now the top won't go up/down using the switch. I can raise/lower the top manually. Is there any way to repair it.
Car was starting / running fine. Does sit for a week or two at a time in between being driven. Now it doesn't start. Battery good, new about 6 months ago and kept on tender in cold weather when not driven. Cranks fine. No obvious moisture on distributor or wiring; wiped them down anyway. Smells like it is getting gas. Appears to have spark as inductive timing light on plug wire flashes strongly when cranked. When you crank and let off the key, it may sputter once. No change with some ether starting fluid sprayed in air cleaner assembly. Unclipped upper half of timing cover and observed timing belt moving / looking ok. It is an OBD-2 car. Did have one code, 16509, coolant temp sensor low. Cleared it, has not reset. I'm owned VW Cabriolet and Cabrios for about 30 years. This one has been basically troublefree once I did a proper tune up (plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil) after I bought it about 8 years / 20k miles ago. This one has me stumped. I haven't done a more complete diagnose because it is too cold in the garage to work right now. I do have the Bentley shop manual. Don't want to just start running tests at random. Looking for a good starting point as I don't see an obvious place to check next
My 96 Cabrio pops out of reverse then makes grinding noise. It helps if I hold the shifter in place, but it's getting pretty bad. Could new bushing or greased linkage help this problem? Or will I need tranny repair? Thanks, Kristi
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Convenience Features
Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheels: alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent