Owners have filed 23 complaints
about the 1988 Volkswagen Jetta with NHTSA between 1995 and 1999.
The largest single group is the acceleration & cruise control.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1988 Volkswagen Jetta
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Seat Belts
417.4%
Acceleration & Cruise Control
417.4%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
313.0%
Body & Structure
313.0%
Brakes
313.0%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Doors, Latches & Locks
28.7%
Tires
14.3%
Fuel & Propulsion
14.3%
Lights
14.3%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Electrical System
14.3%
0 crashes, 1 fires
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.
Mar 1995peak 6Oct 1999
NHTSA investigations into the 1988 Volkswagen Jetta
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
Recalls on the 1988 Volkswagen Jetta
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 199703866,404 units in Canada
Engine
NOTE: GASOLINE POWERED FUEL INJECTED VEHICLES. DURING WINTER PERIODS OF LOW TEMPERATURE WITH HIGH HUMIDITY, THE AIR PRE-HEATING SYSTEM MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT THROTTLE ICING DURING LONG DISTANCE DRIVING DUE TO PRE-HEATER VACUUM SWITCH CONTAMINATION. THIS COULD PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. CORRECTION: A DE-ICING KIT WILL BE INSTALLED IN AFFECTED VEHICLES.
Recall 199313264,265 units in Canada
Fuel System
FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR AT THE FUEL HOSE TO FUEL RAIL CONNECTION. ESCAPING FUEL COULD COME INTO CONTACT WITH HOT ENGINE COMPONENTS AND POSSIBLY CAUSE AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. CORRECTION: FUEL HOSE WHICH ATTACHES TO THE FUEL RAIL WILL BE REPLACED AND NEW SPRING TYPE HOSE CLAMPS WILL BE INSTALLED.
Recall 1992149300,000 units in Canada
Structure
CORROSION DUE TO ROAD SALT MAY PREVENT THE HOOD LATCH AND THE SAFETY CATCH FROM WORKING PROPERLY. THIS COULD RESULT IN HOOD FLY-UP WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION RESULTING IN OBSCURED DRIVER VISION AND A POSSIBLE CRASH. CORRECTION: OWNERS OF AFFECTED VEHICLES WILL BE ADVISED BY MAIL REGARDING THE NECESSITY FOR PERIODIC LUBRICATION OF THE ENGINE HOOD LATCH MECHANISM. DEALERS WILL BE ADVISED TO LUBRICATE THE ENGINE HOOD MECHANISM WHENEVER AN AFFECTED VEHICLE IS BEING SERVICED.
Recall 1992057145,236 units in Canada
Heater And Defroster
IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATS, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE WALL OF THE END CAP CONNECTING THE HEAT EXCHANGER'S CORE TO THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM COULD RUPTURE AND ALLOW HOT COOLANT TO ESCAPE. SHOULD THIS HAPPEN, SOME OF THE COOLANT COULD CONTACT THE DRIVER'S FEET, CAUSING INJURY AND STEAM UP THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE, IMPAIRING VISIBILITY. CORRECTION: HEAT EXCHANGER WILL BE REPLACED.
Recall 1989167625 units in Canada
Brakes
A CONTOUR DEVIATION IN THE BRAKE LINE COULD CAUSE THE BRAKE LINE TO CHAFE AGAINST A PREHEATING TUBE. PROLONGED CHAFING COULD LEAD TO BRAKE LINE LEAKAGE AND A POSSIBLE PARTIAL BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE WHICH COULD RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES AND A POSSIBLE VEHICLE CRASH. CORRECTION: VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED AND BRAKE LINES WILL BE RE-CONTOURED OR REPLACED IF NECESSARY. V.I.N. RANGE - WVW..O16.JW015810 TO WVW..016.JW769065 WVW..016.KW000084 TO WVW..016.KW121988
Recall 1988127660 units in Canada
Brakes
THE TWO HALVES OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY JOINED DURING MANUFACTURE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THESE HALVES COULD SEPARATE UNDER A HEAVY BRAKE APPLICATION, RESULTING IN DIMINISHED BRAKING POWER WITH THE RISK OF AN ACCIDENT. CORRECTION: VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED AND BRAKE BOOSTER UNITS WILL BE REPLACED IF NECESSARY.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Washington, DCFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE TRAVELING CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE HOOD. CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER HOOD, AND VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. ALSO DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #852213 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Charlotte, NCFire
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
EXPERIENCED FIRE IN TRUCK FROM LIGHT BULB THAT MALFUNCTIONED. TT
NHTSA complaint #976219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cheyenne, WYCrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
#93V129000 RECEIVE RECALL PICK UP CAR FROM DEALER WAS DRIVING HOME TRY TO STOP THERE WAS NO BRAKE CONSUMER HIT A GOVERNMENT VEHICLE. TT
NHTSA complaint #966405 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Washington, DCFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE TRAVELING CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE HOOD. CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER HOOD, AND VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. ALSO DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #852213 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Falls Church, VA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED WITHOUT FRONT LAP BELTS . VOLKSWAGEN SAYS THAT THE CAR MEETS ALL STANDARDS.
NHTSA complaint #837156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Arlington, IL
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
LEFT REAR DOOR LATCH STICKS, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN DOOR FROM INSIDE OR OUT.
NHTSA complaint #604819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Baton Rouge, LA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #513556 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.