Owners filed 10 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the seat belts › front. It has been recalled 5 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Seat Belts › Front
3
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control
2
1
0
0
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core
1
0
0
0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor
1
0
0
0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
1
0
0
0
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
1
0
1
0
Electrical System › Wiring › Rear Compartment/Trunk
1
0
1
0
5 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic06E018000
Filed Mar 1, 2006266 vehiclesForeign Parts Distributors, Inc.
Defect. CERTAIN HYDRAULIC BRAKE HOSES, P/N 171.611.107B, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR 1975-1985 VOLKSWAGEN (VW) RABBIT; 1985-1992 VW GOLF; AND 1980-1992 VW JETTA PASSENGER VEHICLES. POSSIBLE BRAKE HOSE RUPTURE COULD OCCUR WHICH FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 106, "BRAKE HOSES."
Risk. BRAKE HOSE RUPTURE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy. FOREIGN PARTS DISTRIBUTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE BRAKE HOSES WITH COMPLIANT BRAKE HOSES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 30, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FOREIGN PARTS DISTRIBUTORS AT 305-885-8646 EXT. 11.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings93V129000
Filed Aug 2, 199376,000 vehiclesVolkswagen Of America,inc
Defect. AN ENGINE PREHEATING TUBE MAY NOT BE PROPERLY SUPPORTED DUE TO A MISSING SUPPORT BRACKET, CAUSING THE PREHEATING TUBE TO CHAFE AGAINST THE RIGHT FRONT METAL BRAKE LINE. THIS CAN DAMAGE THE HYDRAULIC LINE, CAUSING BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE AND DIMINISHED BRAKING IN ONE BRAKE CIRCUIT.
Risk. DIMINISHED BRAKING CAN RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPINGDISTANCES AND A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PREHEATING TUBE SUPPORT BRACKET TO ENSURE PROPER POSITIONING RELATIVE TO THE RIGHT FRONT METAL BRAKE LINE.
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core92V050000
Filed Apr 14, 1992650,000 vehiclesVolkswagen Of America,inc
Defect. THE END CAP CONNECTING THE HEAT EXCHANGER'S CORE TO THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM COULD RUPTURE AND ALLOW HOT COOLANT TO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
Risk. THE COOLANT ESCAPING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT COULDCONTACT THE DRIVER'S FEET AND INJURE THE DRIVER. ALSO, STEAM FROM THE HEATEDLIQUID WILL CLOUD ON THE WINDOW SURFACES AND IMPAIR THE DRIVER'S VISION ANDCOULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy. REPLACE THE HEATER CORE WITH AN IMPROVED HEATER CORE.
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings92V058000
Filed Apr 14, 1992358,000 vehiclesVolkswagen Of America,inc
Defect. THE FUEL HOSE ATTACHED TO THE FUEL DISTRIBUTION RAIL ON THE ENGINE MAY SHRINK BEYOND THE CLAMP FORCE OF THE FUEL HOSE CLAMPS, ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK.
Risk. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAN CAUSE AN UNDERHOOD FIRE IF THE FUEL COMES IN CONTACT WITH A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
Remedy. REPLACE THE FUEL HOSE ATTACHED TO THE FUEL RAIL AND INSTALL A NEW SPRING TYPE SELF-TIGHTENING CLAMP.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper90V142000
Filed Aug 6, 199011,000 vehiclesVolkswagen Of America,inc
Defect. OMISSION OF AIR DUCTS INTENDED TO GUIDE FLOW OF COOLING AIR TO LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS COULD ALLOW BRAKE FLUID TO EXCEED ALLOWABLE OPERATING TEMPERATURE UNDER CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS.
Risk. IF BRAKE FLUID BOILS, THIS COULD RESULT IN REDUCEDBRAKING PRESSURE WITH POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy. INSTALL MISSING LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT AIR DUCTS.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Electrical System › Wiring › Rear Compartment/TrunkFire
Filed Oct 24, 200283,000 milesMA
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING THE WIRING IN THE TRUNK CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS CONSUMER HAD TURNED ON THE REAR DEFROST FOR THE FIRST TIME. THERE WAS A CRACKING SOUND AND A STREAM OF SMOKE CAME UP FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR HATCH AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *JG *JB
Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed Feb 12, 2001VA
WHILE DRIVING COULD SEE A LIGHT BURNING ON FLOOR OF VEHICLE . CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND SAW U A BLUE FLAME. VEHICLE STARTED FILLING UP WITH SMOKE. FIRE COULD NOT BE PUT OUT. FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT FIRE STARTED FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO TRUNK. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor
Filed Nov 7, 2000CA
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 TO 45 MPH HEARD A SNAP AND THAT WAS ROTORS SNAPPING IN HALF, LOST ALL BRAKES AND STEERING. THERE WERE FIVE RECALLS ON VEHICLE THAT HAD NEVER BEEN DONE.*AK
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core
Filed Apr 11, 2000AZ
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF MY CAR SUDDENLY BEGIN TO FOG UP. I WAS COASTING TOWARD A STOP LIGHT AND AS SOON AS I STOPPED I NOTICED ANTIFREEZE POURING IN FROM AROUND THE FIREWALL AREA. I WAS ONLY A FEW BLOCKS FROM HOME SO I WATCHED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND PROCEEDED SLOWLY- SOMEHOW KEEPING MY FEET SUSPENDED OFF OF THE FLOOR TO AVOID THE HOT ANTIFREEZE. I SUSPECTED THE HEATER CORE BECAUSE I KNEW THAT IT WAS INTERNAL TO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I REPLACED THIS MYSELF BECAUSE THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD CHARGE BETWEEN 600-800.00 FOR THIS REPAIR. THIS WAS THE BIGGEST PAIN THE NECK TO REPAIR BECAUSE I HAD TO REMOVE THE DASHBOARD TO ACCESS THE HEATER CORE. PLUS I HAD TO REPLACE THE CARPET BECAUSE IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANTIFREEZE OUT OF CARPET. NOW I KNOW WHY THE DEALER CHARGES SO MUCH! *AK
Seat Belts › Front
Filed Jun 7, 1999WV
THIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WITHOUT FRONT LAP BELTS, BUT DO HAVE SHOULDER BELTS. DEALER SAYS VEHICLE IS SAFE. *AK
Seat Belts › Front
Filed Nov 13, 1998NY
THE VEHICLE ISN'T SAFE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE LAP BELTS. *AK
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Nov 4, 1998NY
CONSUMER HAS RECEIVED A RECALL LETER, AND HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.
Seat Belts › Front
Filed Jul 13, 1998MA
SEAT BELT FAILURE.
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
Filed Sep 27, 1995OH
CAR WAS PUT INTO DRIVE DIDN'T PRESS ON THE GAS CAR ACCELERATE AND HIT A PARK CAR NO INJURY . TT
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Mar 1, 2006. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.