Total Complaints
15 filings
VOLKSWAGEN FOX · model year
1987 VOLKSWAGEN FOX
15 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987VOLKSWAGENFOX carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1987 FOX is visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core with 6 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:cooling system (4) and visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:windshield:electrical heating element (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 1987 FOX, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
15
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 6 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 4 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030417ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SYMPTOMS OF RECALL #95-V-10-5000 BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. RECALL DESCRIPTION: IN THE EVENT OF A COOLING SYSTEM COMPONENT FAILURE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN, THE COOLANT CAN OVERHEAT CAUSING THE COOLING SYSTEM PRESSURE TO RISE TO A LEVEL WHERE A LEAK IN THE HEAT EXCHANGER CAN OCCUR. *NLM
20030202ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
I OWN AN '87 VOLKSWAGEN FOX. I'M TOLD BY MANY PEOPLE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE COOLANT BYPASS VALVE. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO A COUPLE VW DEALERSHIPS AND ALSO CALLED VWOA AND THEY TELL ME MY CAR WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THE RECALL. I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL OTHER VW FOX OWNERS AND I'M TOLD OTHERS HAVE ALSO GOTTEN THE RUN-AROUND WHEN TRYING TO GET THE RECALL WORK DONE. *JB
19991029VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
DEALER WILL NOT PERFORM RECALL (95V105) WORK FOR THE HEATER CORE VALVE BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HAS A/C SYSTEM THAT DID NOT COME FROM THE FACTORY AND IT IS BLOCKING ACCESS TO THE VALVE. NLM
19991029VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
DEALER WILL NOT PERFORM RECALL (95V105) WORK FOR THE HEATER CORE VALVE BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HAS A/C SYSTEM THAT DID NOT COME FROM THE FACTORY AND IT IS BLOCKING ACCESS TO THE VALVE. NLM
19991029VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
DEALER WILL NOT PERFORM RECALL (95V105) WORK FOR THE HEATER CORE VALVE BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HAS A/C SYSTEM THAT DID NOT COME FROM THE FACTORY AND IT IS BLOCKING ACCESS TO THE VALVE. NLM
19990621EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AFTER A/C IS ON AFTER 10 MILES IT START GETTING WARM
19970801ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
RECALL # 95V105000, RECALL CORRECTION, CAUSED AN INCREASE IN PRESSURE IN THE COOLING SYSTEM, CAUSING RADIATOR TO BURST. DEALER OR MANUFACTURER WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. *AK
19970527VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
POOR HEATER CORE BYPASS RECALL REPAIR.
19970505ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER RECALL WORK WAS DONE OTHER PROBLEMS OCCURRED WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK
19970122ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS
ENGINE HOSES TOO SMALL FOR ENGINE VALVES, CAUSING HOSES TO SPLIT/BULGE.
19970122STRUCTURE:BODY
INTERIOR COMPARTMENT VALVE LEAKING.
19970122VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
HEATER CORE FAILED AND REPLACED DUE TO SOLDER.
19970122VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
SPLIT DEFOGGER HOSES 2 INCHES LONG.
19961126ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
DEMONTROND AUTOMATIVE 96V105/TD. AFTER RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED VEHICLE OVERHEATED ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS, 11-2-96 AND 11-23-96. *AK
19960601VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
HEATER BYPASS VALVE FAILED. *DSH
Compare 1987VOLKSWAGENFOX to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA24004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
RQ24010Recall QueryClosed
Inadvertent Door Opening
RQ23007Recall QueryClosed
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
PE23017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
EQ22001EQClosed
LGES High Voltage Battery Failures
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 VOLKSWAGEN FOX have?▼
The 1987 VOLKSWAGEN FOX has 15 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 VOLKSWAGEN FOX?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 VOLKSWAGEN FOX is VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM and VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT.
Is the 1987 VOLKSWAGEN FOX safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.