RoadVitals

1987 Volkswagen Vanagon 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.
13
Latest Mar 15, 2012
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.
2
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 Apr 25, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1987 Volkswagen Vanagon. 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 1–13 of 13

Tires & wheels
Filed Mar 15, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1987 VOLKSWAGEN VANAGON, EQUIPPED WITH MASTER CRAFT GLACIER GRIP TIRES SIZE: 185/70/ R14. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AND REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEELS BEGAN SHAKING ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE CHORDS WERE DETACHED FROM THE TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
10451794
Incident
Jun 15, 2011
Fuel system
Filed Aug 17, 2006

I BELIEVE AN AGENT OF VOLKSWAGEN FALSIFIED DOCUMENTS PERTAINING TO THE RECALL CLOSING AND REPAIR OF MY FATHER'S VW VAN VIN [XXX] . RECALL CAMPAIGN NHTSA #88V-038 AND POSSIBLY 87V-052. THESE ARE PRESENTLY BEING FIXED BY SOUTHTOWNE VW IN SOUTH JORDAN UTAH TO THE TUNE OF ALMOST 3000.00 AT OUR EXPENSE. VOLKSWAGON NEVER SENT MY FATHER, THE ONLY OWNER OF THE VEHICLE ANY RECALL LETTERS, AND IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME THEY ARE NOW FIXING THE RECALLS BUT CHARGING US. THEY SAY THE RECALLS ARE CLOSED AND CANNOT PROVE TO ME THEY WERE FIXED (BECAUSE THEY NEVER WERE) I AND MY FATHER WERE LIED TO ABOUT THIS RIGHT ABOUT THE TIME OF THE RECALLS, BY VOLKSWAGEN INTERMOUNTAIN, THE DEALER HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM. WE WERE TOLD NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE LEAKING GAS, THAT IT WASN'T DANGEROUS, WHEN WE ASKED THEM ABOUT LEAKING GAS. THEY ALSO TOLD MY FATHER NOT TO GO ABOVE 30 RPM'S WHICH IS VERY STRANGE. I WANT AN INVESTIGATION DONE. I WANT EITHER PROOF OF THE VEHICLE BEING REPAIRED (WHICH I KNOW IT WASN'T) FOR FREE BY THE DEALER, OR OUR MONEY BACK FOR THE REPAIRS CURRENTLY BEING DONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY MORE COMPLAINTS FILED ABOUT THIS. *NM UPDATED 07/12/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
10165800
Incident
Aug 9, 2006
Mileage
40,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Oct 24, 2003

FUEL TANK LEAKS OUT OF THE FILLER NECK. *AK WHEN THE ENGINE WAS UNDER HIGH LOAD AND HOT, IT STALLED. (FUEL STARVATION DUE TO RESTRICTION) THE FUEL KEPT DROPPING UNTIL THE 3/6 LEVEL RUBBER GROMMETS WERE CHANGED. THE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING UNDER A HEAVY LOAD AND CLIMBING ON A HOT DAY, IT STARVED FOR FUEL AND LOST POWER. *SCC THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE TANK WAS FILLED, THERE WAS SEEPAGE FROM THE FILLER PIPE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10038083
Incident
Aug 17, 2003
Mileage
96,000 mi
Heating & air conditioning
Filed Oct 29, 2001

RECALL 93 V 175 000/AIR CONDITION:HOSE:DUCT:AIR: DEALER;EGC VOLKSWAGEN; NEW HYDE PARK,NY, PHONE# 516/488-2420REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
898395
Incident
Jul 19, 2001
Interior & seats
Filed May 14, 2001
1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER WAS THROWN OUT OF DRIVER'S SEAT, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS THROWN BACKWARDS CAUSING MINOR INJURIES, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO HOLD ON TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND MANAGED TO GET VEHICLE BACK UNDER CONTROL, THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED WITH PASSENGER SEAT AS WELL. *JB

NHTSA ID
561195
Fuel system
Filed Aug 31, 2000

PUMP CORROSION DUE TO STEEL/ALUMINUM INTERATION. STEEL BRACKET CLAMPING ALUMINUM FUEL PUMP CAUSED PUMP CORROSION TO THE EXTENT THAT FUEL LEAKED FROM PUMP CASE

NHTSA ID
729670
Incident
Aug 23, 2000
Engine
Filed Jan 3, 2000
Fire reported

FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED A CHANGE IN THE VEHICLE AFTER PULLING OVER ON THE SHOULDER. VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. VEHICLE TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK *YC

NHTSA ID
853968
Incident
Dec 8, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed May 13, 1997

OWNER STATES THAT THE THROTTLE STICKS,AND THAT WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. DRIVER MUST USE CLUTCH TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
812209
Engine
Filed Nov 26, 1996

DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE HEAD GASKET , THE GASKET IS LEAKING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THE CONSUMER ALSO NEEDS TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP, CONSUMER CONTINUED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID
805589
Incident
Oct 4, 1996
Fuel system
Filed Oct 29, 1996

DEFECTIVE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEED.

NHTSA ID
510722
Incident
Oct 22, 1996
Fuel system
Filed Sep 1, 1996
Fire reported

FIRE OCCURED AS A RESULT FROM A GASOLINE LEAK IN THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM.

NHTSA ID
508777
Incident
Jan 12, 1996
Fuel system
Filed Nov 13, 1995

FUEL FILLER TUBE FAILED. *SD

NHTSA ID
487532
Incident
Aug 31, 1995
Powertrain (other)
Filed Apr 25, 1995

ALTERED ODOMETER. *SKD

NHTSA ID
489883
Incident
Jan 26, 1992

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 .