Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Fuel & Propulsion
637.5%
Engine & Cooling
425.0%
Electrical System
318.8%
Seat Belts
16.3%
Tires
16.3%
Lights
16.3%
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.
Apr 1995peak 3Dec 2002
NHTSA investigations into the 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon
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.
PE93043Opened 5 May 1993Closed 29 Oct 1993VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
OVERHEAD A/C SEPARATION
EA91026Opened 4 Jun 1991Closed 27 Jan 1992STRUCTURE
SLIDING DOOR LATCH FAILURE
Recalls on the 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon
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 19901058,911 units in Canada
Lights And Instruments
THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 108 - LIGHTING. DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WILL NOT OPERATE WITH THE THREE POSITION LIGHT SWITCH IN THE SECOND POSITION. CORRECTION: MAIN LIGHT SWITCH WILL BE REPLACED ON JETTA, CORRADO AND PASSAT AND A RELAY WITH WIRING HARNESS WILL BE INSTALLED.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Denver, CO
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING ANTI FREEZE WILL LEAK FROM THE ENGINE CAUSE AND DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
NHTSA complaint #10001290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pearland, TX
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
WHEN THE WEATHER TURNED COLD THE JUNCTION OF A SMALL, PLASTIC FUEL LINE WITH AN OVERLAPPING RUBBER FUEL LINE (HELD TOGETHER WITH A LARGE CRIMP CONNECTOR) STARTED TO LEAK DIRECTLY ON THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP. THE RUBBER IN THE FUEL LINE HAD DEGRADED AND CRACKED. THIS CRIMP CONNECTOR COULD NOT BE TIGHTENED OR EASILY REPLACED TO ELIMINATE THE LEAK. MANY EUROVAN OWNERS ON THE INTERNET HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR FUEL LEAKS. I COULDN'T AFFORD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR SO I REPLACED THE DEGRADED RUBBER HOSE MYSELF, USING RUBBER HOSE FROM AN AUTO PARTS STORE AND SCREW-TYPE STAINLESS STEEL HOSE CLAMPS.
NHTSA complaint #715472 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PLASTIC CROSSOVER HOSE ON TOP OF FUEL WAS CRACKED & LEAKED FLUID. THE FUEL TANK IS LOCATED IN FRONT OF ENGINE. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #847707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ojai, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
MY 1990 VW VANAGON HAD NUMEROUS OCCASIONS OF INTERMITTENT POWER LOSSES FROM THE TIME OF PURCHASE IN 1990 UNTIL DECEMBER 1998 WHEN VW PART NUMBER 025906302A WAS INSTALLED. SEVERAL OF THESE POWER LOSSES RESULTED IN NEAR ACCIDENTS, ONCE WHEN PASSING A SLOW MOVING TRUCK ON A TWO LANE INTERSTATE WITH ANOTHER TRUCK RIGHT BEHIND ME, SUDDENLY THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STOPPED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. ONLY THE ALERTNESS OF THE TRUCK DRIVER BEHIND ME IN SLOWING QUICKLY PREVENTED AN ACCIDENT. THE JACKSON WY DEALER COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. ON A RECENT TRIP TO WYOMING FROM CALIFORNIA THE INTERMITTENT POWER LOSSES REOCCURRED. AN INDEPENDENT (VW TRAINED) MECHANIC IN JACKSON INFORMED ME THAT A DESIGN DEFECT WHICH AFFECTED ALL VW VANAGONS FROM 1985 ON REQUIRED A NEW WIRING HARNESS TO THE ENGINE AIR CONTROL SYSTEM. THE VW DEALER IN IDAHO FALLS CONFIRMED THAT ALL SUCH WIRING HARNESSES SHOULD BE REPLACED, BUT STATED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT AS THERE WAS NO RECALL BY VW. THE PROBLEM IS EXPLAINED IN THE VW TECHNICAL BULLETIN 24 93-07 DATED NOVEMBER 15, 1993. VW HAS REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE PART (APPROXIMATELY $140) ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT THERE WAS NO GOVERNMENT MANDATED RECALL. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER VW'S WHICH ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN HAVE THIS SAME DEFECT. VW SHOULD INFORM ALL OF THOSE OWNERS AS THEY SHOULD HAVE INFORMED ME AND VW SHOULD REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESSES AT NO COST TO THOSE OWNERS. SINCE THIS DESIGN DEFECT IS ADMITTED BY VW TO CAUSE INTERMITTENT POWER LOSSES WHICH OBVIOUSLY CAN LEAD TO ACCIDENTS IN MANY SITUATIONS, IT WOULD SEEM MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THE DOT TO ORDER THIS RECALL. IF DOT CONSIDERS THAT THIS IS JUST AN ECONOMIC PROBLEM AFFECTING A CLASS OF CONSUMERS AND NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM NECESSITATING A RECALL THEN PLEASE INFORM ME OF THIS DECISION.
NHTSA complaint #705176 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Salem, VA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION COIL AND WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR CAR AND ROTOR AND OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #543056 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Salem, VA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
IGNITION COIL AND WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR CAR AND ROTOR AND OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #543056 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Salem, VA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ENGINE MISS DUE TO DESIGN FLAW, INSTALLATION OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENT WITH A PLUG ON EITHER END WHICH FITTED BETWEEN THE INTAKE AIR SENSOR AND THE LEAD FROM THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT COMPUTER SOLVED MISSING PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #543056 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kensington, CA
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
WHEN DRIVING THROUGH HIGH ALTITUDE AREAS THE VEHICLE MAY START RUNNING LIKE IT IS OUT OF GAS, BUT IT REALLY ISN'T. THE FUEL INJECTION COMPUTER DOSEN'T ADJUST TO THE SITUATION. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #831182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kensington, CA
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
WHEN DRIVING THROUGH HIGH ALTITUDE AREAS THE VEHICLE MAY START RUNNING LIKE IT IS OUT OF GAS, BUT IT REALLY ISN'T. THE FUEL INJECTION COMPUTER DOSEN'T ADJUST TO THE SITUATION. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #831182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Davie, FL
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
GAS LEAKED FROM FUEL TANK TWICE. (QCAW)
NHTSA complaint #538555 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tucson, AZ
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
CONSUMER IS COMPLAINING OF A PLASTIC DELIVERING PIPE FOR COOLING WATER FROM THE ENGINE TO THE RADIATOR , THE END PULLED OFF WHICH DUMPED ALL OF THE WATER OUT OF VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST IS TO THE CONSUMER.
NHTSA complaint #826267 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bridgeport, WV
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT LIGHT WHILE ON LOW BEAM.
NHTSA complaint #527567 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Petaluma, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DESIGN FLAW, CAUSING CORROSION OF ENGINE PARTS/LOSS OF COOLANT.
NHTSA complaint #506959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Provo, UT
TIRES
MICHELIN TIRES BLEW OUT AND EXPLODED.
NHTSA complaint #968419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Woodstock, GA
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
THE FIRST BENCH SEATBELT BROKE IN HALF. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
NHTSA complaint #967630 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Danvers, MA
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
MFG., RECALL #RV; AIR GETTING INTO FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM CAUSES VEHICLE TO SKIP, IN COLD CONDITIONS. DEALER REPLACED, JEEP STILL SKIPS WHEN WEATHER IS COLD. TT
NHTSA complaint #963320 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.