US vehicle recalls and complaint patterns, explained
Volkswagen Vanagon recall history
Comprehensive recall and complaint data for the Volkswagen Vanagon,
sourced from official National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) records.
Stats focus on model years from 1960 onwards.
Earlier years appear in the detailed table below where data exists.
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Get plain-language explanations of recalls and complaints for the
Volkswagen Vanagon. Powered by AI, backed by NHTSA data.
AI Assistant
Important: This assistant provides context from aggregated NHTSA data.
Always check your specific VIN on
NHTSA.gov
for vehicle-specific recall information.
Key Takeaways
A quick scan of where recalls and complaints concentrate for the Volkswagen Vanagon,
based on aggregated NHTSA counts and campaign metadata.
Coverage spans model years 1980–1991 with 28 recall campaigns and 57 complaints in NHTSA data.
Years with the most recall activity: 1987 (7), 1988 (4), and 1986 (4).
Years with the most complaint volume: 1990 (16), 1987 (14), and 1991 (9).
Top recall themes: Equipment and labeling, Fuel and emissions, and Seats and restraints.
Most reported complaint areas (across all years): Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly, Equipment:appliance:air conditioner, Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline.
Complaints are not proof of a defect, but repeated themes can be useful signals when researching a used vehicle.
Always check your specific VIN for open recalls (open recalls are VIN-specific and can change over time).
Recall Themes
Instead of listing long campaign narratives, this groups recall campaigns into a few recurring areas.
Each theme links back to official notices as evidence.
Equipment and labeling
4 campaigns · Years: 1980–1981, 1986–1991
These campaigns relate to equipment compliance, labeling, or tires.
These campaigns relate to lighting, glass, or visibility components (lamps, wipers, and related systems).
Official notices (evidence):
80V080000
· Visibility: Defroster/defogger/hvac system
Most Reported Issues
Across all model years, the most frequently reported areas for the
Volkswagen Vanagon in NHTSA complaint data are
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly, Equipment:appliance:air conditioner, Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline.
Jump to Model Year
Year-by-Year Overview
Each row shows how often this model appears in NHTSA recalls and consumer
complaints for a given model year. These are counts of campaigns and
complaints, not risk predictions.
Model Year
Recalls
Complaints
Details
1991
2
9
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline, Equipment:appliance:air conditioner, Tires.
1990
2
16
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system, Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly, Engine and engine cooling:engine.
1989
2
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
1988
4
4
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Fuel system, gasoline, Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, Structure.
1987
7
14
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Engine and engine cooling:cooling system, Engine and engine cooling:engine, Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system:injectors.
1986
4
9
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly, Equipment:appliance:air conditioner, Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline.
1985
1
1
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash.
1984
0
2
Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump, Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly.
1982
1
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
1981
2
2
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly, Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system.
1980
3
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
What to Do Next
Check open recalls by VIN on the official NHTSA site (open recalls are VIN-specific).
If buying used, ask for proof of recall remedy completion (dealer paperwork helps).
If symptoms match common complaint themes, consider a mechanic inspection before purchase or long trips.
A compact evidence view of recall campaigns that include this model.
The default text is an original summary line, with official notice text available on demand.
Most common areas involved:
Equipment
, Fuel system
and Vehicle speed control
Show recall evidence by year
1991
Fuel system, gasoline: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings:
Safety recall involving the fuel system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The fuel hose attached to the fuel distribution rail on the engine may shrink beyond the clamp force of the fuel hose clamps, allowing fuel to leak.
Equipment: Air conditioner:
Safety recall involving the equipment area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The plastic material of the center air flow duct, which is fastened by two mounting screws to the ceiling of the passenger compartment, can crack and eventually break.
1990
Fuel system, gasoline: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings:
Safety recall involving the fuel system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The fuel hose attached to the fuel distribution rail on the engine may shrink beyond the clamp force of the fuel hose clamps, allowing fuel to leak.
Equipment: Air conditioner:
Safety recall involving the equipment area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The plastic material of the center air flow duct, which is fastened by two mounting screws to the ceiling of the passenger compartment, can crack and eventually break.
1989
Vehicle speed control:
Safety recall involving the vehicle speed control area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: When using the cruise control the accelerator cable tension may allow the cable to sag and become entangled with the water pipe bracket impeding its return to idle position.
Equipment: Air conditioner:
Safety recall involving the equipment area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The plastic material of the center air flow duct, which is fastened by two mounting screws to the ceiling of the passenger compartment, can crack and eventually break.
1988
Equipment: Integrated jack/leveler/stabilizer:
Safety recall involving the equipment area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: When using the cruise control the accelerator cable tension may allow the cable to sag and become entangled with the water pipe bracket impeding its return to idle position.
Equipment: Air conditioner:
Safety recall involving the equipment area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The plastic material of the center air flow duct, which is fastened by two mounting screws to the ceiling of the passenger compartment, can crack and eventually break.
1987
Fuel system, gasoline: Tank assembly:
Safety recall involving the fuel system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Seat brackets which anchor rearward passenger seats may not engage properly.
Power train: Automatic transmission:
Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Pin in shift locking pawl may not be properly welded to the pawl.
Fuel system, gasoline: Fuel pump:
Safety recall involving the fuel system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: When using the cruise control the accelerator cable tension may allow the cable to sag and become entangled with the water pipe bracket impeding its return to idle position.
Equipment: Air conditioner:
Safety recall involving the equipment area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The plastic material of the center air flow duct, which is fastened by two mounting screws to the ceiling of the passenger compartment, can crack and eventually break.
1986
Fuel system, gasoline: Filler pipe and cap:
Safety recall involving the fuel system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Fuel tank filler neck pipe may not seat properly in the fuel tank opening. Also, the sending unit cover may be deformed.
Fuel system, gasoline: Tank assembly:
Safety recall involving the fuel system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Usage of fuel with reid pressure up to 14 psi could, under high engine load and high ambient temperatures, lead to stalling.
Fuel system, gasoline: Fuel pump:
Safety recall involving the fuel system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The plastic material of the center air flow duct, which is fastened by two mounting screws to the ceiling of the passenger compartment, can crack and eventually break.
1985
Latches/locks/linkages:
Safety recall involving the latches/locks/linkages area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The latch of the passenger side sliding door may become damaged if excessive force is used to close the door. The damaged door lock mechanism will not properly engage and the door could open if vehicle is driven over bumpy roads. Consequence of defect: if this occurs there is a possibility that a
1982
Latches/locks/linkages:
Safety recall involving the latches/locks/linkages area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: During vehicle operation, the pop top could loosen from its anchor due to wind pressure. It could open and separate entirely from the vehicle.
Latches/locks/linkages:
Safety recall involving the latches/locks/linkages area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The bolts which attach each left and right side front ball joint to the upper wishbone, may not have been sufficiently tightened during assembly. This could cause the ball joint to separate from the wishbone.
Visibility: Defroster/defogger/hvac system:
Safety recall involving the visibility area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: During vehicle operation, the pop top could loosen from its anchor due to wind pressure. It could open and separate entirely from the vehicle.
Other Volkswagen Models
Explore recall and complaint data for other Volkswagen models.
Recall Explained provides independent analysis of official NHTSA data.
This site does not replace the official NHTSA VIN lookup and should not be
treated as legal or safety advice for your specific vehicle.
For any safety concerns: Always check your VIN on the official
NHTSA site and contact an authorized dealer.
