1996 Audi Cabriolet Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 1996 Audi Cabriolet, and owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
2 safety recalls for the 1996 Audi Cabriolet
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Air bags: frontal
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The discharge of static electricity under low humidity conditions can activate the driver side air bag when the driver enters or exits the vehicle and forms an electrical circuit by touching certain areas of the steering wheel.
Remedy: Dealers will install a ground wire on the driver side air bag.
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Switch (electrical system)
Defective ignition switches were improperly manufactured and can cause some electrical accessories to malfunction.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ignition switch.
8 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1996 Audi Cabriolet have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 76,304 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 3 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Ignition switch is bad. Causing electrical problems: turn signal failure, a/c failure, power windows failure, headlight failure. These occur when car is started. *tr”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 20, 2007 · Electrical system
“Dt: the front passenger door will not open. The latch broke inside the door. All the other mechanisms worked. The problem occurred on april of 2005. They were unable to repair the latch without causin”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 4, 2005 · Structure
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1996 Audi Cabriolet. Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 19 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 17 / 22 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Minicompact Cars |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 2.8 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
Compare Audi Cabriolet model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Audi Cabriolet model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 Audi Cabriolet | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 Audi Cabriolet | 2 | 2 |
| 1995 Audi Cabriolet | 3 | 3 |
| 1996 Audi Cabriolet | 2 | 8 |
| 1997 Audi Cabriolet | 1 | 2 |
| 1998 Audi Cabriolet | 0 | 1 |
| 2000 Audi Cabriolet | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 Audi Cabriolet | 0 | 5 |
Checking a specific 1996 Audi Cabriolet
How do I know if my 1996 Audi Cabriolet has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 1996 Audi Cabriolet; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Audi dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 96V017000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Audi models
- A42,895 complaints
- A61,658 complaints
- Q51,342 complaints
- Q71,047 complaints
- A3731 complaints
- S4588 complaints
- A5325 complaints
- TT319 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.