VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO · model year

1986 VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO

2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1986VOLKSWAGENSCIROCCO carries 2 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 1986 SCIROCCO is fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly with 2 filings. 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 1986 SCIROCCO, 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.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

2 filings

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

ComponentCount
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY2

Recent Complaints

20000117FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

REFERENCE RECALL 91V201000: A RECALL ON 1987 VW 16V SCIROCCOS' FUEL TANK. MY 1986 16 V SCIROCCO WAS AN EARLY RELEASE OF THE 16V SCIROCCO MODEL; IT IS ACTUALLY A 1986 1/2. IT IS EXACTLY LIKE THE 1987 MODEL. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY MY CAR IS NOT COVERED BY THIS RECALL. I HAVE TRIED TO CONTACT THE MANUF. AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY LUCK, SAME WITH DEALER SO FAR. *AK

19980529FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

FUEL TANK HAS A CRACK IN IT. ALSO MANY OF THE SCIROCCOS WERE RECALLED, BUT OWNER'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. *AK

Compare 1986VOLKSWAGENSCIROCCO to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1986 VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO have?
The 1986 VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO?
The most-complained component for the 1986 VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 1986 VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO 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.