1978 Volkswagen Rabbit: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 1978 Volkswagen Rabbit. The newest campaign is 83V116000. NHTSA received the report on 9 Nov 1983. The NHTSA record gives the component Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings. NHTSA has no complaint on file for this model year. 3 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, 83V116000, in the NHTSA record

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.

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

9 campaigns, newest first. 2,851,305 units in total.

83V1160009 Nov 1983Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
83V1170009 Nov 1983Fuel System, Gasoline / Fuel Injection System
81V11300024 Sep 1981Structure / Body
81V01200028 Jan 1981Vehicle Speed Control / Cables
80V03500026 Mar 1980Structure / Body
79V12000017 May 1979Electrical System / Starter Assembly / Relay
78V1180001 Jun 1978Parking Brake / Conventional / Mechanical / Linkage and Cable
77V2140008 Dec 1977Fuel System, Gasoline / Carburetor System
77V18200018 Oct 1977Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Power Assist / Vacuum / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings

83V116000Received 9 Nov 1983. 661,585 units.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 18 Jan 1984.
83V117000Received 9 Nov 1983. 930,000 units.
Fuel System, Gasoline / Fuel Injection System
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 18 Jan 1984.
81V113000Received 24 Sep 1981. 448,167 units.
Structure / Body
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 22 Oct 1981.
81V012000Received 28 Jan 1981. 110,000 units.
Vehicle Speed Control / Cables
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 13 May 1981.
80V035000Received 26 Mar 1980. 140,000 units.
Structure / Body
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, seal the radio antenna holes and replace corroded components without charge to owner..
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 9 Jun 1980.
79V120000Received 17 May 1979. 540,000 units.
Electrical System / Starter Assembly / Relay
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 20 Aug 1979.
78V118000Received 1 Jun 1978. 53 units.
Parking Brake / Conventional / Mechanical / Linkage and Cable
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
The dealer will relocate the bracket and install a new flange, if necessary, without charge.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 14 Jun 1978.
77V214000Received 8 Dec 1977. 3,000 units.
Fuel System, Gasoline / Carburetor System
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On the involved vehicles, the vacuum line connecting the carburetor and the thermo valve may have been improperly installed. This condition may prevent the throttle linkage plate from returning to its idle position.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
The dealer will replace the vacuum hose with a longer version hose, rerouting and securing it, without charge to owner.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 28 Dec 1977.
77V182000Received 18 Oct 1977. 18,500 units.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Power Assist / Vacuum / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
The dealer will replace the rubber elbow connections and install new type clamps, without charge to owner.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 23 Nov 1977.

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

The NHTSA complaint file has no complaint for this model year.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1978 Volkswagen Rabbit
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed
DP83003	Defect petition	BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE DUE TO CORROSION OF	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	4 Nov 1982	18 Nov 1982
DP82002	Defect petition	REAR VIEW MIRROR	Visibility	17 Nov 1981	2 Feb 1982
DP79041	Defect petition	DIESEL TIMING BELT	Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine / Gasoline	4 Apr 1979	25 Jun 1979

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.

19755
19765
19776
19789
19796
19803
19813
19821
19831
19841
19851
20061
20072
20082
20092

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

Follow by RSS:Volkswagen recallsVehicle recalls

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 1978 Volkswagen RabbitThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1978 Volkswagen Rabbit: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/volkswagen/rabbit/1978/. 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 1978 Volkswagen Rabbit?: 2,851,305 units in 9 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Volkswagen Rabbit have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 20 recall campaigns for the Volkswagen Rabbit, model years 1975 to 2009. 9 of them name the 1978 model year.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1978 Volkswagen Rabbit open?: No. Each of the 3 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.