1987 Volkswagen Fox: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 1987 Volkswagen Fox. The newest campaign is 95V105000. NHTSA received the report on 23 May 1995. The NHTSA record gives the component Engine and Engine Cooling / Cooling System. NHTSA has 10 complaints on file for this model year. 2 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 95V105000, in the NHTSA record

Dealers will install a bypass valve kit which is designed to route excessively hot coolant to the engine without flowing through the heat exchanger. Dealers will also install a plastic cover underneath the dashboard on the passenger side to ensure that the passenger is not exposed to hot coolant in the event of a leak.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 30 Sep 2026. Recall file through 30 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

3 campaigns, newest first. 268,138 units in total.

95V105000Received 23 May 1995. 164,000 units.
Engine and Engine Cooling / Cooling System
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
A leak or failure of the heat exchanger located under the dashboard can allow hot coolant to escape and cause injury to the feet of a passenger. Hot coolant can also steam up the interior of the vehicle temporarily impairing the driver's visibility, increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will install a bypass valve kit which is designed to route excessively hot coolant to the engine without flowing through the heat exchanger. Dealers will also install a plastic cover underneath the dashboard on the passenger side to ensure that the passenger is not exposed to hot coolant in the event of a leak.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 22 Sep 1995.
88V187000Received 1 Dec 1988. 104,000 units.
Steering / Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Steering wheel/shaft designed to use surface friction may loose this friction if grease or oil is present on the coneshaped surface of the steering shaft.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If the above condition is present and the steering wheelnut is torqued lower than specified, break of the friction lock could result inloosening and separation of the steering wheel.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Remove the steering wheel of vehicles and clean friction surface and install a spring retainer, replace the steering wheel nut with a self locking nut.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 23 Feb 1989.
87V162000Received 20 Oct 1987. 138 units.
Wheels
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Under heavy load conditions, the rear tire sidewalls may chafe against the wheel housing.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Prolonged chafing can cause premature tire wear andcould result in sudden loss of air.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install a different type sport wheels or install standard wheels.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 20 Oct 1988.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

10 complaints, 15 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.

1987 Volkswagen Fox: component mentions in complaints
Component		Mentions
Visibility		7
Engine and Engine Cooling		6
Structure		1
Equipment		1

Complaints that report a crash: 0
Complaints that report a fire: 0
Injuries in the complaints: 0
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 17 Apr 2003

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1987 Volkswagen Fox, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 1996, with 3 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1987 Volkswagen Fox
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
EA91054	Engineering analysis	HEATER CORE FAILURE	Visibility / Defroster/Defogger/HVAC System	9 Dec 1991	12 Jun 1992	92V050000
PE88102	Preliminary evaluation	STEERING WHEEL SEPARATION	Steering	15 Sep 1988	5 Jan 1989	88V187000

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1987 Volkswagen FoxThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1987 Volkswagen Fox: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/volkswagen/fox/1987/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 30 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 30 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 30 Sep 2026
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1987 Volkswagen Fox?: 268,138 units in 3 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Volkswagen Fox have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the Volkswagen Fox, model years 1987 to 1993. 3 of them name the 1987 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1987 Volkswagen Fox name most often?: Visibility: 7 of 15 component mentions.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1987 Volkswagen Fox open?: No. Each of the 2 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.