← New search

1990 Volkswagen Corrado

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Corrado years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 4 of 39 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

11 reports
Clear category filter
136,000 miles · Dec 7, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 VOLKSWAGEN CORRADO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH WITH THE DEFROSTER ACTIVATED WHEN EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF STEAM BEGAN TO EMIT THROUGH THE VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A SMALL LEAK COMING FROM THE HEATER CORE. THE VEHI…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 VOLKSWAGEN CORRADO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH WITH THE DEFROSTER ACTIVATED WHEN EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF STEAM BEGAN TO EMIT THROUGH THE VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A SMALL LEAK COMING FROM THE HEATER CORE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 96V115000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM) BUT THE CONTACTS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

NHTSA ODI #10369547

150,000 miles · Feb 21, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HEATER CORE LEAKS. THERE IS AN NHTSA RECALL, # 96V115000, REGARDING THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: COOLING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

NHTSA ODI #10150726

Mileage unknown · Feb 9, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED DASHBOARD COOLANT INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING ENGINE OVERHEATED. WINDOWS BECAME STEAMY, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. RECALL 96V115000 WAS ISSUED ON THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10057728

Mileage unknown · Nov 7, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATES COOLIANT IS LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. PROBLEM IS DUE TO A HEATER COIL FAILURE, DEALER AND THE MFR HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE VIN# WAS NOT COVER. TS

NHTSA ODI #8022428

Mileage unknown · Aug 7, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingVisibility

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH, ALL OF SUDDEN THERE WAS SMOKE IN VEHICLE. VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE HEATER CORE WAS CHANGED. VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN 96V115000 VW/ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #866946

Mileage unknown · Mar 11, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingSeat BeltsService Brakes, HydraulicFireInjury

ON JAN. 13, 2000 I CALLED A 1-8OO# TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA TO ASK FOR AN INVESTIGATOR TO COME AND INVESTIGATE[AS A COURTSEY] WHY ON JAN. 6, 2000 MY 1990 CORRADO WITH 39006 MILES STARTED AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE WHILE RUNNING 60 MILES AN HOUR ON AN INTERSTATE. THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN 11 MILES ON THE DAY WHEN THE FIRE STARTED…

Read full complaint

ON JAN. 13, 2000 I CALLED A 1-8OO# TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA TO ASK FOR AN INVESTIGATOR TO COME AND INVESTIGATE[AS A COURTSEY] WHY ON JAN. 6, 2000 MY 1990 CORRADO WITH 39006 MILES STARTED AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE WHILE RUNNING 60 MILES AN HOUR ON AN INTERSTATE. THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN 11 MILES ON THE DAY WHEN THE FIRE STARTED. THE POWER AND BRAKING SYSTEMS WERE GONE. THE RETRACTABLE SHOULDER HARNESS AND SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT RELEASE. THREE FIRE ENGINES FROM THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS RESPONDED, A CHP STOPPED TO HELP. THERE IS A REPORT THAT STATES WELL INVOLVED VEHICLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FIRE WHICH INCLUDED FORM OF HEAT. I WAS TOLD I HAD TO MANY MILES ON MY CAR.I BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON MY CAR FOR SEVEN YEARS OR SEVENTY THOUSAND MILES.ALL RECALLS THAT WE EVER RECEIVED NOTICE OF WERE TAKEN IN FOR RECALL CHECKS. MY WINDSHIELD HAD A FLAT SPOT IN IT THAT I COULD NEVER GET THEM TO EXCHANGE.THE WIPERS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY.JUST BEFORE THIS FIRE . MY CAR HAD BEGAN TO BUCK AND SHUT OFF ONLY TO REFIRE AND START AND CONTINUE RUNNING. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER WOULD NOT LISTEN TO ME ABOUT HAVING AN INVESTIGATION.AS I HAD JUST BURIED A FAMILY ON THE JAN. 3, AND MY SON AND GRANDSON WERE TRAMATIZED BY THE FIRE AND THE HEAT, PLUS BEING UNABLE TO GET THE SEAT BELTS AND HARNESSES RELEASED. I DON'T WANT ANOTHER THREE YEAR OLD CHILD TO EXPERIENCE WHAT NICKOLUS DID.EVERY DAY HE PLAYS OUT THE CARS BURNING AND THE CHILDREN BEING STUCK IN THE CAR. PERSONALLY, I WAS AMAZED BY THE RESPONSE THAT I GOT FROM VOLKSWAGON OF AMERICA. TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS SEEMED ENORMOUS WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR BUT I WAS SOLD ON A VW HAVING OWNED SEVERAL OTHERS OVER THE YEARS. AT PRESENT I OWN A 1990 TOYOTA TRUCK, 1946 FORD SEDAN AND A 1931 MODEL A RODSTER. I NEED SOME HELP AND I NEED THE MESSAGE TO GET OUT TO OTHER CORRADO OWNERS. AS A PREVIOUS BURN SURVIVOR WITH OVER SEVENTY[70] PERCENT SCARING AND DISFIGUREMENT I BELIEVE IN PREVENTION.SHERI THURMAN

NHTSA ODI #719951

Mileage unknown · Dec 7, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

AFTER RECALL REPAIRS COMPLETED (96V-115 AND 92V-058001), SEVERAL FAILURES DUE TO REPAIR PROBLEMS (FUEL SYSTEM,WIRING, SPEAKERS DAMAGED). *MJS

NHTSA ODI #549867

Mileage unknown · Oct 21, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

RECALL 96V- 115 000/ ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WITH HOT COOLANT LEAKING INTO VEHICLE, MAY CAUSE BURNS ONTO THE FOOT OR LEG. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF RECALL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #851456

Mileage unknown · Dec 31, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 96V115000. HAD NOTIFIED THE DEALER. WAS INFORMED NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE TO REPAIR COOLING SYSTEM. CALLED THE MANUFACTURER & INFORMED PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN SEPT. 98. SAID VEHICLE DRIVABLE.. IT HAD OVERHEATED IN TRAFFIC. DEALER STILL HAS NO PARTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #832951

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

RADIATOR FAN MOTOR IS WORN AND HAS BECOME NOISY AND SEIZING.

NHTSA ODI #534538

Official recalls

3

96V115000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System

Jul 1, 1996

IN THE EVENT THE ENGINE OVERHEATS AND THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED CONTINUOUSLY IN THAT CONDITION, THE COOLANT PRESSURE WILL RISE TO A LEVEL AT WHICH THE HEAT EXCHANGER COULD LEAK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A LEAKING HEAT EXCHANGER WILL ALLOW HOT COOLANT TO ESCAPE CAUSING INJURY TO THE DRIVER'S FEET OR COULD STEAM UP THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE TEMPORARILY IMPAIRING THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEAT EXCHANGER ON THESE VEHICLES.

92V058000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Apr 14, 1992

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 & remedy

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.

91V068000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Apr 22, 1991

THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING, WHICH SERVES AS THE BASE FOR THE FUEL PUMP (LOCATED IN THE FUEL TANK) COULD DEFORM, RESULTING IN THE FUEL PUMP BECOMING LOOSE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A LOOSE AND IMPROPERLY SEATED FUEL PUMP CAN CAUSEREDUCED FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE RESULTING IN POSSIBLE DRIVABILITY PROBLEMS ANDSTALLING OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: REPLACE FUEL FILTER.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.