1993 Volkswagen Corrado Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1993 Volkswagen Corrado, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine2344.2%
- Visibility2038.5%
- Interior & seats35.8%
- Electrical35.8%
- Seat belts11.9%
- Steering11.9%
- Fuel system11.9%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns 1993 Volkswagen Corrado. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, he heard an abnormal popping sound. The contact then saw a significant amount of smoke coming through the front of the dashboard. The contact stated that he lost visibility of the surrounding of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle and noticed that coolant was leaking onto the driver's side floorboard. Additionally, coolant was leaking onto the ground on the passenger's side of the vehicle. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 98V295000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.
MY 1993 VOLKSWAGEN CORRADO SLC OVERHEATS LEAK AND SOMETIMES FULLY EJECTING ALL ITS COOLANT FROM TIME TO TIME. IT HAS DONE THIS FOUR TIMES IN TWO YEARS. *JB I HAVE HAD THE RADIATOR, COOLING FANS AND HOSES REPLACED AS WELL AS MULTIPLE COOLANT SYSTEM TESTS PERFORMED. THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR PRIVATE MECHANICS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE IT. RECALLS REGARDING THIS ISSUES INCLUDE: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 98V295000 AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 95V178000 VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER SERIVCE (1.800.822.8987) VERIFIED THAT BASED ON MY VIN NUMBER, THESE RECALLS APPLY AND THAT THE RECALL WORK HAS BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS IT CAN SUDDENLY INCAPACITATE THE CAR AT ANY TIME. CORRADO USER GROUPS ON LINE CONSISTENTLY REPORT THIS AS A WELL KNOWN RECURRING PROBLEM. WHAT IS THE MANUFACTURER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ITS CUSTOMERS IN THIS SITUATION? THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING VEH AT ON HIGHWAY APPROX 5 MINUTES, HEATER IN DASH STARTED PUTTING HOT STEAM INTO CABIN AND OVER WINDSHIELD. VEHICLE BECAME UNDRIVABLE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY, BUT VISION THROUGH WINDSHIELD WAS AFFECTED AND STEAM CONTACTED MY WIFE AND MY LEGS-NO INJURY DUE TO QUICKLY SHUTTING OFF ENGINE AND PULLING OVER. *AK
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HEATHER CORE FALILURE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL.*AK
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
AFTER REPAIRS ON HEATER CORE RECALL.NOW THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCING INTERMITENT ELECTRICAL FUNCTION IN DASH .*AK
AFTER HEATER CORE FAILURE REPAIRS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED INTERMITENT ELECTRICAL FUNCTION . CHECKED TO FIND COOLANT DAMAGE AND ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE DUE TO THREAT OF ELECTRICIAL SHORT LEADING TO DASH FIRE .*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND ENGINE OVERHEATED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMTON.*AK
THERE HAVE BEEN A SEVERAL SMALL DEFECTS, BUT THE LAST TWO WERE MAJOR. THEY WERE THE FAILURE OF THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE IN OCT 1998 ($1,440), AND THE HEATER CORE RUPTURED IN JAN 1999 ($440). THE COOLING SYSTEM STILL SEEMS NOT TO BE OPERATING CORRECTLY BECAUSE IT OPERATES BETWEEN 215 AND 230 DEG F IN 25 TO 35 DEG F AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. ALSO, THERE IS STILL A SMALL LEAK IN THE COOLING SYSTEM NEAR THE TOP DRIVERS SIDE OF THE RADIATOR WHICH HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED PRECISELY YET. IN SPITE OF THESE NIGGLING PROBLEMS, I STILL GREATLY ENJOY DRIVING MY CORRADO AND WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT FOR ANOTHER 5 YEARS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
ALTHOUGH THE DEALER KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM, THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE IT SINCE IT IS INTERMITTENT. REPAIR HAS BEEN ATTEMPTED BY THE DEALER WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. VWOA HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND THEIR POSITION IS THE CAR MEETS FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS' SINCE THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. TO SAY THAT THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE SAME AS 'MEETING FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS. I HAVE ASKED VWOA TO CONSIDER REPLACING THE MOTORIZED BELT, WHICH HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS BASED ON REPORTS PROVIDED TO CAR ENTHUSIAST LISTS, WITH THE CANADIAN STYLE 3 POINT SYSTEM AND ELIMINATE THE PROBLEMATIC MOTORIZED SYSTEM. THEIR RESPONSE HAS BEEN TO SAY THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM. ANY AND ALL HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU...
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEATER CORE LEAKED ANTI-FREEZE COOLANT AND STEAM THROUGHT VEHICLE'S DUCTWORK. IN ADDITION, PLASTIC HOUSING TO WHICH THE THERMOSTAT ATTACHES WARPED AND WAS LEAKING, AND RADIATOR FAN MOTOR WAS REPLACED WHEN IT STARTED SQUEALING AND SEIZED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
THERE WAS SOME FUEL LEAKAGE COMING FROM VEHICLE, IT WAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL LINES TO THE FUEL RAIL AND CAUSING A FUEL SMELL, DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL LINES. *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .