1987 Volkswagen SCIROCCO: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
9 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
144,023 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1987 model year. Data snapshot: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 9 complaints (66.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 5 | 55.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 33.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly | 6 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 3 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 2 |
| Power Train | 1 |
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly: 6; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 3; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 2; Power Train: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 8 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 8 |
| 2003 | 1 |
2000: 8; 2003: 1
Pattern summary
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 5 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10006998 · 2000-10-14 (October 14, 2000)
CONTACTED VW DEALERSHIP AFTER BEING NOTIFIED REPEATEDLY BY VWOA TO GET THE TANK REPLACED AND THEY REFUSED TO CHANGE IT AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR A DAY AND PUTTING 30 MILES ON IT...AM I GOING TO BLOW UP NOW? ALSO..CIRCLIPS IN TRANSMISSION CASING MADE THE TRANSMISSION GRENADE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *NLM' **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734286
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006998 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10047670 · 2003-11-26 (November 26, 2003)
MY CAR BEGAN LEAKING GAS RECENTLY. WHEN I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR I COULD SEE (AND I HAVE WITNESSES) THAT GAS IS RUNNING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE GAS TANK WHEN I FILL THE TANK UP. I FOUND OUT FROM SPEAKING TO SCIROCCO OWNERS ONLINE THAT MANY EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM, AND SHOWED ME THE RECALL ON THE DEFECTIVE GAS TANK LISTED ON NHTSA.DOT.GOV. I THEN TOOK THE CAR TO A VOLKSWAGEN (VW) DEALER TO INSPECT IT. RICH AT THE VW DEALER IN BURLINGTON, NJ LOOKED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR SAID "THE LEAK COULD BE FROM ANYWHERE SINCE I SEE RUST ON THE BOTTO…
Owner-reported narrative. 144,023 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047670 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 550468 · 2000-01-14 (January 14, 2000)
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE RECALL COMPONENT PRIOR TO NOTICE (91V-201), DEALER REFUSED REPAIR AND CONSUMER HAD TO GO TO OTHER REPAIR SHOP TO REMEDY LEAKAGE. *MJS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 550468 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 551313 · 2000-03-13 (March 13, 2000)
DEALER DENIED THAT THE GAS TANK WAS DEFECTIVE AND STATED THEY WERE TOO BUSY AND TO COME BACK IN A WEEK OR MORE. GAS TANK WAS INDEED LEAKING FUEL. NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 551313 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 734263 · 2000-10-13 (October 13, 2000)
I OWN 2 1987 VW SCIROCCOS, BOTH HAVE HAD SUDDEN AND CATOSTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHICH COMPLETLY DESTROYED THE TRANSMISSIONS, BOTH LOCKED UP ON THE ROAD AND NEARLY CAUSED HORRIFIC ACCIDENTS. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS IN SEVERAL MODELS WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION AND HAS BEEN IGNORED BY VW AND VWOA. THIS CAR ALSO HAS A LEAKING FUEL TANK WHICH I HAVE TRIED TO HAVE REPAIRED BUT THE DEALERS REFUSE TO EVEN CONFIRM THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH LARGE GROUPS OF VW OWNERS WITH THESE PROBLEMS, AND THE RESULTS FROM DEALER INSPECTIONS OR JUST…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 734263 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 734286 · 2000-10-14 (October 14, 2000)
CONTACTED VW DEALERSHIP AFTER BEING NOTIFIED REPEATEDLY BY VWOA TO GET THE TANK REPLACED AND THEY REFUSED TO CHANGE IT AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR A DAY AND PUTTING 30 MILES ON IT...AM I GOING TO BLOW UP NOW?> ALSO... CIRCLIPS IN TRANSMISSION CASING MAKE THE TRANSMISSION GRENADE AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 734286 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 734347 · 2000-10-15 (October 15, 2000)
NO SUMMARY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 734347 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 734375 · 2000-10-15 (October 15, 2000)
ALL THREE OF THESE TRANSMISSION FAILURES COST ME A TOTAL OF $2700 DUE TO THE FACT THAT 2 CLIPS WERE TAKEN OUT OF THE DESIGN. THESE TWO CLIPS WOULD HAVE COST THE MFGR ABOUT $0.50 OR SO AND COST ME ALOT MORE THAN THAT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 734375 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
87V053000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump
Reported: 1987-04-14 (April 14, 1987)
FUEL PUMP, LOCATED INSIDE FUEL TANK, COULD SEIZE DURING HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES BECAUSE OF AN EXTREME FINE MESH FUEL FILTER RESTRICTING THE FUEL FLOW.
Consequence: FUEL SUPPLY TO ENGINE WOULD BE PARTIALLY INTERRUPTED,RESULTING IN STALLING.
Remedy: INSTALL A MODIFIED FUEL PUMP AND FILTER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗91V201000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly
Reported: 1991-11-18 (November 18, 1991)
A CRACK CAN DEVELOP IN THE FUEL TANK ADJACENT TO A SEAM WELD IN THE REAR OF THE TANK.
Consequence: FUEL CAN LEAK FROM THE CRACKED FUEL TANK WHICH COULDCATCH FIRE IN THE PRESENCE OF A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
Remedy: CHECK VEHICLE WITH A SPECIALLY DESIGNED TOOL FOR THE PRESENCE OF A FUEL TANK CRACK, AND REPLACE FUEL TANK IF DEFECT IS FOUND.
NHTSA campaign record ↗