The 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 387,500 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the fuel system, gasoline. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
EQUIPMENT93V1750001993-10-2929,500 affected
Defect
THE PLASTIC MATERIAL OF THE CENTER AIR FLOW DUCT, WHICH IS FASTENED BY TWO MOUNTING SCREWS TO THE CEILING OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, CAN CRACK AND EVENTUALLY BREAK.
Consequence
IF THE PLASTIC BREAKS WHERE IT IS HELD AT THE TWOMOUNTING SCREWS, THE CENTER AIR FLOW DUCT CAN SEPARATE FROM ITS SUPPORTS ANDCAUSE INJURY TO THE PASSENGERS SITTING IN THE CENTER SEAT OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT PLATE AT THE CONNECTIONS OF BOTH THE CENTER AND REAR AIR FLOW DUCTS.
THE FUEL HOSE ATTACHED TO THE FUEL DISTRIBUTION RAIL ON THE ENGINE MAY SHRINK BEYOND THE CLAMP FORCE OF THE FUEL HOSE CLAMPS, ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK.
Consequence
FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAN CAUSE AN UNDERHOOD FIRE IF THE FUEL COMES IN CONTACT WITH A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
Remedy
REPLACE THE FUEL HOSE ATTACHED TO THE FUEL RAIL AND INSTALL A NEW SPRING TYPE SELF-TIGHTENING CLAMP.
Complaints by component
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
1
Total complaints16
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Consumer stated that while driving and without warning anti freeze will leak from the engine cause and distraction to the consumer. Dealer notified. Ts”
“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…”
“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”
“Design flaw, causing corrosion of engine parts/loss of coolant.”
“The first bench seatbelt broke in half. Please describe. Tt”
“Michelin tires blew out and exploded. *ak”
“Gas leaked from fuel tank twice. (qcaw)”
“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”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA91026 Opened 1991-06-04 · closed 1992-01-27
SLIDING DOOR LATCH FAILURE
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationPE93043 Opened 1993-05-05 · closed 1993-10-29
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.