RoadVitals

1988 Volkswagen Fox Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
23
Latest Jul 8, 2009
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since May 2, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 23 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Volkswagen Fox. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–23 of 23

Brakes
Filed Jul 8, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 VOLKSWAGEN FOX. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST ALL BRAKING FUNCTION. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND CONCLUDED THAT THERE WAS CORROSION FROM THE METAL BRAKE LINE TO THE REAR RIGHT SIDE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 164,955 UPDATED 8/3/09 *CN UPDATED 08/05/09.*JB

NHTSA ID
10276078
Incident
Jul 7, 2009
Mileage
164,955 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 13, 2004

WHILE DRIVING COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH DASHBOARD ON DRIVER'S FEET. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HEATER COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10059130
Incident
Feb 13, 2004
Body & structure
Filed Sep 9, 2002

WHILE DRIVING THE HOOD UNEXPECTEDLY POPPED UP AND BROKE THE WINDSHIELD. *YH BOTH HINGES SECURING THE HOOD HAD BROKEN FROM STRESS. *SCC

NHTSA ID
567359
Incident
Jul 17, 2002
Visibility
Filed Aug 29, 2001

CONSUMER STATES WINDSHILED WAS CRACKED, AS A RESULT OF GRAVEL BEING DUMPED ON THE HIGHWAY.*JB

NHTSA ID
785499
Incident
Jun 29, 2001
Fuel system
Filed Feb 2, 2000

PRESSURE FUEL HOSE WAS CRACKED AND SEEPING GASOLINE. IMMINENT LEAK/FIRE HAZARD. *AK

NHTSA ID
718188
Incident
Jan 20, 2000
Visibility
Filed Oct 4, 1999

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT HEATER CORE BLEW UP, CAUSING ANTI-FREEZE TO SPRAY ON THE CONSUMER AND FAMILY, AND SMOKE SPARKS WERE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
849775
Incident
Oct 1, 1999
Transmission
Filed Sep 24, 1999

THE VEHICLE GEARS WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE INSTEAD IT GOES INTO FIRST GEAR. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. MJS

NHTSA ID
848658
Visibility
Filed May 27, 1999

FRONT WINDSHIELD LEAKS CONTINUALLY CAUSING RUST DAMAGE AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. MJS

NHTSA ID
545786
Engine
Filed Jan 21, 1999

HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL RECALL 95V105000. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & HAD THE COOLING SYSTEM REPAIRED. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SOMETIMES LATER, SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM COOLING SYSTEM AREA. CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. THEN CONTACTED THE DEALER. VEHICLE WILL BE GOING ON JAN. 22, 1999. *AK

NHTSA ID
833838
Interior & seats
Filed Jan 6, 1998

HOOD LATCH FAILED CAUSING HOOD TO FLY UP AND SMASH INTO WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ID
527812
Incident
Dec 28, 1997
Interior & seats
Filed Nov 4, 1997

FRONT HOOD LATCH FAILED AND THE HOOD SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD. YH

NHTSA ID
604502
Heating & air conditioningEngine
Filed Sep 22, 1997

ANTIFREEZE ODOR PRESENT IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, HOWEVER DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO INSTALL HEATER BYPASS VALVE UNDER RECALL DUE TO AN AFTER MARKET AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM BEING INSTALLED ON VEHICLE. CONSUMER INSISTS THE A/C SYSTEM WAS ON THE VEHICLE WHEN PURCHASED. (95V-105)

NHTSA ID
522268
Incident
Aug 1, 1997
Body & structure
Filed Nov 25, 1996
1 injury reported

VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR BY ANOTHER AUTOMOBILE, UPON IMPACT VEHICLE LOSS CONTROL/OVERTURNED, ROOF COLLAPSED ON THE DRIVER SIDE, CAUSING INJURY.

NHTSA ID
511892
Incident
Oct 22, 1996
Visibility
Filed Apr 11, 1996

HEATER CORE FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL.

NHTSA ID
503171
Incident
Nov 19, 1995
Visibility
Filed Jan 14, 1996

HEATER CORE REPLACED AFTER RECALL. *SD

NHTSA ID
500839
Incident
Jan 10, 1996
Visibility
Filed Nov 17, 1995

THE HEATER CORE RUNS HOTTER THAN BEFORE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID
975073
Engine
Filed Nov 17, 1995

RADIATOR LEAK PRIOR TO RECALL. *SD

NHTSA ID
504356
Incident
Nov 17, 1995
Engine
Filed Nov 16, 1995

DEALER DO NOT HAVE THE PART IN STOCK, INSTALL HEATER BYPASS VALVE.

NHTSA ID
487590
Incident
Oct 1, 1995
Engine
Filed Nov 6, 1995

CONSUMER RECEIVE RECALL 95V105000 9/95 LETTER STATES PART WOULD BE IN BY AUG 31,1995 IS HAVING THAT PROBLEM PLUS OTHER PROBLEM WITH CAR . TT

NHTSA ID
974574
Engine
Filed Oct 12, 1995

#95V105000 RECEIVE RECALL CALL DEALER TO MAKE APPT THERE ARE NO PARTS CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEM HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT . TT

NHTSA ID
973297
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 11, 1995
Crash reported

DRIVESHAFT DISCONNECTED FROM TRANSMISSION, RESULTING IN VEHICLE BEING REAR ENDED. *TW

NHTSA ID
488160
Incident
May 1, 1994
Brakes
Filed Aug 13, 1995

BRAKE BOOSTER FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID
483594
Incident
Aug 13, 1995
Body & structure
Filed May 2, 1995

WHILE DRIVING, HOOD FLEW UP THEN BROKE OFF. TT

NHTSA ID
964662
Incident
Apr 29, 1995

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .