Total Complaints
16 filings
VOLKSWAGEN VANAGON · model year
1990 VOLKSWAGEN VANAGON
16 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990VOLKSWAGENVANAGON carries 16 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 1990 VANAGON is fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system with 2 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly (2) and seat belts:rear/other (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 1990 VANAGON, 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.
16
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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20021220ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING ANTI FREEZE WILL LEAK FROM THE ENGINE CAUSE AND DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
19991201FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
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
19990914FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING
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
19990401ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
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 EX
19981221ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION COIL AND WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR CAR AND ROTOR AND OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED.
19981221ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
IGNITION COIL AND WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR CAR AND ROTOR AND OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED.
19981221ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ENGINE MISS DUE TO DESIGN FLAW, INSTALLATION OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENT WITH A PLUG ON EITHER END WHICH FITTED BETWEEN THE INTAKE AIR SENSOR AND THE LEAD FROM THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT COMPUTER SOLVED MISSING PROBLEMS.
19981123FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
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
19981123FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
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
19980917FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
GAS LEAKED FROM FUEL TANK TWICE. (QCAW)
19980820ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
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
19971227EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT LIGHT WHILE ON LOW BEAM.
19960815ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DESIGN FLAW, CAUSING CORROSION OF ENGINE PARTS/LOSS OF COOLANT.
19950707TIRES
MICHELIN TIRES BLEW OUT AND EXPLODED. *AK
19950623SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
THE FIRST BENCH SEATBELT BROKE IN HALF. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950405FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
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
Compare 1990VOLKSWAGENVANAGON 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 1990 VOLKSWAGEN VANAGON have?▼
The 1990 VOLKSWAGEN VANAGON has 16 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 VOLKSWAGEN VANAGON?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 VOLKSWAGEN VANAGON is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY and SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER.
Is the 1990 VOLKSWAGEN VANAGON 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.