Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Manufacturer
VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC
Vehicles affected
661,585
Reported to NHTSA
1983-11-09
Owners notified
1984-01-18
Defect description
BRAKE LINES INSTALLED UNDERNEATH THE CARPETING IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT MAY RUST DUE TO THE ENTRY OF WATER AND ROAD SALT. IF RUSTING REMAINS UNCHECKED, IT PRODUCES LEAKS IN THE LINES AND BRAKE FLUID MAY BE LOST.
Manufacturer remedy
THE DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE INTERIOR BRAKE LINES AT NO COST TO OWNER. OWNERS ARE ALSO ADVISED THAT ALL BRAKE LINES SHOULD BE INSPECTED AT TWO-YEAR INTERVALS.
THE FUEL PUMP MAY STOP FUNCTIONING WITHOUT WARNING. THIS CAN OCCUR BECAUSE AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR IN THE FUSE PANEL MAY OVERHEAT AND INTERRUPT THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALER WILL INSPECT THE FUSE BOX AND ITS CONNECTORS FOR CORROSION, AND CORRECT WHERE NECESSARY. A BYPASS ADAPTER TO THE FUEL PUMP ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT WILL BE INSTALLED.
CORROSIVE DAMAGE AND INCREASED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE MAY CAUSE THE FUEL PUMP RELAY TO STOP FUNCTIONING. THE FUEL PUMP RELAY IS ONE OF SEVERAL RELAYS ON A RELAY BOARD LOCATED NEAR THE FIREWALL. CORROSION CAUSED BY RAIN ENTERING AN IMPROPERLY SEALED ANTENNA HOLE HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF PREVIOUS CAMPAIGNS, BUT ADDITIONAL MEASURES ARE REQUIRED TO ENSURE THAT THE PROBLEM IS CORRECTED.
Manufacturer remedy
VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE MODIFICATION HAS BEEN PERFORMED. IF NOT, A BYPASS WILL BE INSTALLED TO LOCATE THE FUEL PUMP RELAY AWAY FROM THE RELAY BOARD. ANY CORRODED RELAY BOARDS OR CONNECTORS WILL ALSO BE REPLACED.
THE ACCELERATOR CABLE WHICH LEADS FROM THE TRANSMISSION LEVER TO THE THROTTLE HOUSING MAY MALFUNCTION. ACCELERATOR CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN BENT DURING INSTALLATION OR DURING SERVICING OF ENGINE COMPONENTS. THIS COULD CAUSE THE STEEL BAND CABLE TO BIND AND CAN RESULT IN DELAYED RESPONSE DURING DECELERATION, HIGH ENGINE IDLE AND HESITATION DURING ACCELERATION.
Manufacturer remedy
THE ACCELERATOR CABLE WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE. IN ADDITION, OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE ACCELERATION SYSTEM WILL BE CHECKED, LUBRICATED, AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACED. THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT CHARGE.
ON SOME VEHICLES, THE FENDER OPENING THROUGH WHICH THE ANTENNA CABLE IS ROUTED MAY NOT BE PROPERLY SEALED. AS A RESULT, SPLASHED WATER FROM THE TIRES COULD ENTER PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THROUGH THE OPENING, ENTER THE FUSE RELAY BOARD AND CAUSE CORROSION OF THE TERMINALS. ALSO, BECAUSE WATER IS A GOOD CONDUCTOR OF ELECTRICITY, THE STARTER CAN BE ACTIVATED ACCIDENTALLY; THE HIGH FLOW OF ELECTRICITY MAY EXHAUST THE BATTERY WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THUS RESTARTING THE ENGINE WOULD BECOME IMPOSSIBLE AND PARKING LIGHTS AND EMERGENCY FLASHERS WOULD BECOME INOPERATIVE.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, SEAL THE RADIO ANTENNA HOLES AND REPLACE CORRODED COMPONENTS WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER..
DUE TO AN IMPROPERLY SEALED ANTENNA MOUNTING HOLE, WATER COULD SEAP INTO THE FUSE RELAY BOARD. THE WATER ENTERING THE FUSE RELAY BOARD ACTS AS A CONDUCTOR OF CURRENT, THEREBY CHARGING THE STARTER.
Manufacturer remedy
THE DEALER WILL SEAL ALL RADIO ANTENNA CABLE HOLES. IN ADDITION, ELECTRICAL PARTS OF THE RELAY/FUSE BOARD WILL BE CHECKED AND REPLACED IN THE CASE OF CORROSION.
Parking brake: conventional: mechanical: linkage and cable
Manufacturer
VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC
Vehicles affected
53
Reported to NHTSA
1978-06-01
Owners notified
1978-06-14
Defect description
THE REAR AXLE BRAKE CABLE BRACKET IS ATTACHED TO THE OUTSIDE OF A FLANGE BOLT OF THE REAR AXLE. THIS BRACKET WAS NOT CORRECTLY INSTALLED DURING ASSEMBLY.
Manufacturer remedy
THE DEALER WILL RELOCATE THE BRACKET AND INSTALL A NEW FLANGE, IF NECESSARY, WITHOUT CHARGE.
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Manufacturer
VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC
Vehicles affected
18,500
Reported to NHTSA
1977-10-18
Owners notified
1977-11-23
Defect description
ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE TWO RUBBER ELBOWS, LOCATED AT EACH END OF THE PLASTIC PIPE LEADING FROM THE THROTTLE VALVE BODY HOUSING TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM PUMP, MAY BE DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER CLAMP INSTALLATION.
Manufacturer remedy
THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE RUBBER ELBOW CONNECTIONS AND INSTALL NEW TYPE CLAMPS, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
220,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
1
220,000 mi
The 1979 model has 2 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.