1998 Volkswagen Cabrio Complaints

MY TAN-VINYL CONVERTIBLE TOP BEGIN TO CHEMICALLY BREAK-DOWN AFTER 3 1/2 YEARS OF OWNING THE CAR. I WAS TOLD BY VW OF AMERICA THAT I WAS PAST MY WARRANTY AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THE TOP CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE OVER TIME. I HAVE FOUND 15 OTHER 1998 CABRIO OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. ALL THESE 98 CABRIOS WERE MANUFACTURED AT THE VOLKSWAGEN DE MEXICO PLANT BETWEEN 11/97 AND 10/98 AND HAVE ALL EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEMS AFTER EXPOSURE TO THE WEATHER AND THE SUN. VW TOLD ME WHEN I PURCHASED MY CAR THAT THE TOP WOULD BE GOOD FOR OVER 150,000 MILES AND I WAS RECENTLY TOLD MY A VINYL MANUFACTURER THAT THE MATERIAL VW USES ON THE CABRIOS SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 10 YEARS. THE POBRLEM IS NOT SIMPLY AN AESTHETIC ISSUE. MANY OWNERS TOPS HAVE BEGUN TO RIP AND THE GLASS IN THE BACK OF THE TOP IS COMING OUT. EVEN MY TOP HAS BEGUN TO TEAR. CHEMICAL EXPERTS SAY SOMETHING THAT WAS USED ON THE TOP DURING PRODUCTION HAS CAUSED THE POLYMERS TO LEECH OUT OF THE PVC IN THE VINYL WITH...

AIR CONDITIONER FAILED, DEALER STATED THAT THE CLUTCH RELAY UNIT WAS THE PROBLEM. *SLC

ALARM SYSTEM DOES NOT ACTIVATE ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, CONSUMER HAS TO LOCK THE VEHICLE AT THE PASSENGER SIDE, DRIVER SIDE WINDOW DOES NOT ALWAYS GO UP HALF THE TIME. *SLC

AFTER ONE YEAR, THE TOP STARTED DEVELOPING BLACK MARKS, THE MARKS DO NOT COME OFF WITH SOAP AND WATER, THE TOP ALSO STARTED TURNING ORANGE AND BECAME STICKY, THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS SUN DAMAGE, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS MOSTLY KEPT IN A GARAGE, THE TOP IS NOW RIPPING NEAR THE BACK WINDOW, VW STATED THEY WILL PAY FOR HALF OF THE REPAIR COSTS, CONSUMER FEELS THEY SHOULD BE FOR 100 PERCENT. *SLC

VEHICLE WOULD NOT CRANK, DEALER STATED THE BATTERY HAD FAILED. *SLC