1995 Volkswagen Cabrio Complaints

CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY AN AUTHORIZED AUTOMOBILE REPAIR DEALER THAT COMPUTER FOR AIRBAG WAS NOT WORKING, AND THEREFORE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN IMPACT. *AK

I WAS DRIVING ALONG ABOUT 65 MPH AND VEHICLE SURGED, LOSS OF POWER. CONTINUES TO DO THIS 10-15 TIMES A WEEK. THIS HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS. DEALER UNABLE TO LOCATE PROBLEM.

AUTO TRANS FAILS TO SHIFT. TRANNY REPLACED AT 40K MILES. SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES WILDLY DURING INCLINES, ACCELLERATION W/ NEW TRANNY. CAR CAN NOT SHIFT, POWER LOST FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. TERRIFYING.

INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING (ALWAYS UPHILL, WITH ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED, AND USUALLY IN 3RD GEAR AT AROUND 30 MPH) THE ENGINE (AND POWER STEERING) SIMPLY CUTS OUT (TACH DROPS TO ZERO). IT IS POSSIBLE TO IMMEDIATELY RESTART IT BY PUSHING IN THE CLUTCH AND TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A VW DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED A FUEL RELAY AND CONDUCTED THE FULL 60,000 MILE MAINTENANCE BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED AND IS A LEMON-LAW BUYBACK ('COURSE THEY DIDN'T TELL ME THAT UNTIL I HAD MY HEART SET ON BUYING IT). AS I DRIVE 20 MILES EACH WAY ON A VERY CURVY ROAD WITH FEW TURNOUTS IN THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS, THIS PROBLEM POSES A THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND OTHERS. THE FUEL GAUGE IS UNRELIABLE AS WELL, BUT THAT'S THE LEAST OF MY WORRIES! *AK

CAR WANTS TO STALL WHEN BRAKING FOR A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT AND RUNS VERY ROUGHLY, AS THOUGH IT MIGHT JUST STOP RUNNING UNLESS THE GAS PEDAL WAS EMPLOYED. *AK