- Vehicles
- 650,000
- Built between
- Aug 1984 – Jan 1990
- Models
- 3
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- NHTSA investigation
- Owners notified
- 29 May 1992
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between August 1984 and January 1990. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 1985-1990 Volkswagen GolfBuilt August 1984 to January 1990
- 1985-1990 Volkswagen GTIBuilt August 1984 to January 1990
- 1985-1990 Volkswagen JettaBuilt August 1984 to January 1990
What the defect is
The end cap connecting the heat exchanger's core to the engine cooling system could rupture and allow hot coolant to escape into the passenger compartment.
What could happen
The coolant escaping into the passenger compartment couldcontact the driver's feet and injure the driver. Also, steam from the heatedliquid will cloud on the window surfaces and impair the driver's vision andcould result in a vehicle accident.
What gets fixed
REPLACE THE HEATER CORE WITH AN IMPROVED HEATER CORE.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtAugust 1984 to January 1990
- Recall reported to NHTSA14 April 1992
- Owners notified29 May 1992
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 14 April 1992.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Official source
- Recalling manufacturer
- VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC
- Recall initiated by
- ODI
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Additional notes
System: water heater; heater core.vehicle description: passenger automobiles.
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.