RoadVitals

1990 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 Dec 20, 2002
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.
0
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 5, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1990 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

Engine
Filed Dec 20, 2002

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 ID
10001290
Incident
Nov 29, 2002
Fuel system
Filed Dec 1, 1999

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. *AK

NHTSA ID
715472
Incident
Nov 5, 1999
Fuel system
Filed Sep 14, 1999

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. *AK

NHTSA ID
847707
Electrical
Filed Apr 1, 1999

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. *AK

NHTSA ID
705176
ElectricalEngine
Filed Dec 9, 1998

IGNITION COIL AND WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR CAR AND ROTOR AND OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED.

NHTSA ID
543056
Fuel system
Filed Nov 23, 1998

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. *AK

NHTSA ID
831182
Engine
Filed Aug 20, 1998

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.*AK

NHTSA ID
826267
Incident
May 26, 1998
Fuel system
Filed Jul 29, 1998

GAS LEAKED FROM FUEL TANK TWICE. (QCAW)

NHTSA ID
538555
Incident
Jun 15, 1993
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 27, 1997

HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT LIGHT WHILE ON LOW BEAM.

NHTSA ID
527567
Engine
Filed Aug 1, 1996

DESIGN FLAW, CAUSING CORROSION OF ENGINE PARTS/LOSS OF COOLANT.

NHTSA ID
506959
Incident
May 1, 1996
Tires & wheels
Filed Jul 7, 1995

MICHELIN TIRES BLEW OUT AND EXPLODED. *AK

NHTSA ID
968419
Incident
Jun 17, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Jun 23, 1995

THE FIRST BENCH SEATBELT BROKE IN HALF. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID
967630
Incident
Jun 22, 1995
Fuel system
Filed Apr 5, 1995

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 ID
963320

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 .