Owners have filed 15 complaints
about the 1987 Volkswagen FOX with NHTSA between 1996 and 2003.
The largest single group is the windows, mirrors & wipers.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1987 Volkswagen FOX
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
746.7%
Engine & Cooling
640.0%
Equipment & Accessories
16.7%
Body & Structure
16.7%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Jun 1996peak 4Apr 2003
NHTSA investigations into the 1987 Volkswagen FOX
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA91054Opened 9 Dec 1991Closed 12 Jun 1992VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
HEATER CORE FAILURE
PE88102Opened 15 Sep 1988Closed 5 Jan 1989STEERING
STEERING WHEEL SEPARATION
Recalls on the 1987 Volkswagen FOX
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 199509436,785 units in Canada
Heater And Defroster
DEFECT: IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED AFTER A COOLING SYSTEM COMPONENT HAS FAILED, THE COOLANT COULD OVERHEAT CAUSING THE COOLING SYSTEM'S PRESSURE TO RISE TO A LEVEL WHERE A LEAK IN THE HEAT EXCHANGER COULD OCCUR. THIS COULD ALLOW HOT COOLANT TO ESCAPE AND CAUSE INJURY TO THE FEET OF A PASSENGER OR STEAM UP THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. CORRECTION: A BYPASS VALVE KIT AND A PLASTIC COVER UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WILL BE INSTALLED.
Recall 199114835,720 units in Canada
Structure
THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MECHANISM MAY CORRODE AND SEIZE DUE TO IMPROPER LUBRICATION. IF THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH WAS NOT PROPERLY ENGAGED AND THE PRIMARY HOOD LATCH WAS ALSO NOT ENGAGED, THE HOOD COULD FLY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION RESULTING IN IMPAIRED DRIVER VISION AND A POSSIBLE CRASH. CORRECTION: OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL BE ADVISED BY MAIL OF CORRECT MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES FOR THE HOOD LATCH MECHANISM.
Recall 198816129,784 units in Canada
Steering
THE STEERING WHEEL ON THESE VEHICLES MAY LOOSEN ON THE STEERING SHAFT. WHEN A STEERING WHEEL IS REMOVED AFTER ASSEMBLY AND REINSTALLED, GREASE OR OIL MAY HAVE BEEN INADVERTENTLY APPLIED TO THE CONE-SHAPED FRICTION SURFACE OF THE STEERING SHAFT. GREASE OF OIL ON THIS SURFACE MAY BREAK THE FRICTION LOCK IF AFTER REWORK THE TORQUE APPLIED TO THE NUT IS LOWER THAN SPECIFIED. A LOOSE STEERING WHEEL COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH. CORRECTION: FRICTION SURFACES WILL BE CLEANED, A SPRING RETAINER WILL BE INSTALLED AND THE STEERING WHEEL NUT WILL BE REPLACED WITH A SELF LOCKING NUT. VIN RANGE: 9BW*A030*HP000001 TO KP009988
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Daly City, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SYMPTOMS OF RECALL #95-V-10-5000 BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. RECALL DESCRIPTION: IN THE EVENT OF A COOLING SYSTEM COMPONENT FAILURE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN, THE COOLANT CAN OVERHEAT CAUSING THE COOLING SYSTEM PRESSURE TO RISE TO A LEVEL WHERE A LEAK IN THE HEAT EXCHANGER CAN OCCUR. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10016121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Port Angeles, WA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
I OWN AN '87 VOLKSWAGEN FOX. I'M TOLD BY MANY PEOPLE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE COOLANT BYPASS VALVE. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO A COUPLE VW DEALERSHIPS AND ALSO CALLED VWOA AND THEY TELL ME MY CAR WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THE RECALL. I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL OTHER VW FOX OWNERS AND I'M TOLD OTHERS HAVE ALSO GOTTEN THE RUN-AROUND WHEN TRYING TO GET THE RECALL WORK DONE.
NHTSA complaint #10005099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DEALER WILL NOT PERFORM RECALL (95V105) WORK FOR THE HEATER CORE VALVE BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HAS A/C SYSTEM THAT DID NOT COME FROM THE FACTORY AND IT IS BLOCKING ACCESS TO THE VALVE. NLM
NHTSA complaint #549561 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DEALER WILL NOT PERFORM RECALL (95V105) WORK FOR THE HEATER CORE VALVE BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HAS A/C SYSTEM THAT DID NOT COME FROM THE FACTORY AND IT IS BLOCKING ACCESS TO THE VALVE. NLM
NHTSA complaint #549561 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DEALER WILL NOT PERFORM RECALL (95V105) WORK FOR THE HEATER CORE VALVE BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HAS A/C SYSTEM THAT DID NOT COME FROM THE FACTORY AND IT IS BLOCKING ACCESS TO THE VALVE. NLM
NHTSA complaint #549561 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Stone Mountain, GA
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AFTER A/C IS ON AFTER 10 MILES IT START GETTING WARM
NHTSA complaint #707712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Boulder, CO
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
RECALL # 95V105000, RECALL CORRECTION, CAUSED AN INCREASE IN PRESSURE IN THE COOLING SYSTEM, CAUSING RADIATOR TO BURST. DEALER OR MANUFACTURER WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #814655 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.