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When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 1 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.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 1 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 reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
1 reports
220,000 miles · Jul 25, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
VIN NUMBER = [XXX] VW DEALER 4724 ROOSEVELT WAY NORTHEAST, SEATTLE, WA (206) 634-3322 HAS NOT BEING HELPFUL WITH 1978 VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC RECALL 83V116000. MY BRAKES FAILED GOING DOWN A HILL IN OCT 2010 FORTUNATELY I DOWNSHIFTED AND USE THE HANDBRAKES TO COME TO A STOP. I HAD TRULINE POINTED OUT T…
Read full complaint
VIN NUMBER = [XXX] VW DEALER 4724 ROOSEVELT WAY NORTHEAST, SEATTLE, WA (206) 634-3322 HAS NOT BEING HELPFUL WITH 1978 VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC RECALL 83V116000. MY BRAKES FAILED GOING DOWN A HILL IN OCT 2010 FORTUNATELY I DOWNSHIFTED AND USE THE HANDBRAKES TO COME TO A STOP. I HAD TRULINE POINTED OUT TO ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL IN 1983 AND I MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE VW MAKE THE REPAIR SINCE SAFETY RECALLS AE FOREVER. UNIVERSITY VW HAS NOT BEEN HELPFUL WITH MY PROBLEM AS I LEFT MY CAR THERE FOR NEARLY A MONTH AND ALL THEY COULD SAY WAS THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PARTS OR THEY ARE WAITING FOR FEEDBACK FROM VW HEADQUARTERS. I'D TRIED EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS TO UNIVERSITY VW AND STILL GETTING THE SAME REPLY. *TR
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: 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.
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: 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.
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: 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.
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: 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.
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, SEAL THE RADIO ANTENNA HOLES AND REPLACE CORRODED COMPONENTS WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER..
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: 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.
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: THE DEALER WILL RELOCATE THE BRACKET AND INSTALL A NEW FLANGE, IF NECESSARY, WITHOUT CHARGE.
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE RUBBER ELBOW CONNECTIONS AND INSTALL NEW TYPE CLAMPS, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
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.
1978 Volkswagen Scirocco Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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