NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
39 reports136,000 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…
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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
217,758 miles · Dec 16, 2009
Visibility
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 VOLKSWAGEN CORRADO. THE HEATER CORE FAILED WHILE DRIVING. HE NOTICED STEAM EMITTING FROM THE VENTS AS WELL AS COOLANT ON THE WINDSHIELD. HE REFERENCED RECALL 96V115000 AND WAS TOLD THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BUT THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE IN 1998. HOWEVER, IN 2…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 VOLKSWAGEN CORRADO. THE HEATER CORE FAILED WHILE DRIVING. HE NOTICED STEAM EMITTING FROM THE VENTS AS WELL AS COOLANT ON THE WINDSHIELD. HE REFERENCED RECALL 96V115000 AND WAS TOLD THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BUT THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE IN 1998. HOWEVER, IN 2009, THE PART FAILED AGAIN. HE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE THIS TIME AND REFERRED HIM TO THE MANUFACTURER. WHEN HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, HE WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, NO ASSISTANCE WOULD BE PROVIDED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 217,762. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 217,758.
NHTSA ODI #10296053
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
124,300 miles · Nov 2, 2005
VisibilityInjury
DRIVING ALONG AN INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE HEATER CORE IN MY 1990 VW CORRADO DEVELOPED A MAJOR LEAK ALL OF A SUDDEN, CAUSING VERY HOT COOLANT TO POUR ON MY RIGHT LEG AND FOOT, AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO STEAM UP INSTANTLY, CAUSING LOSS OF OUTWARD VISION AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO …
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DRIVING ALONG AN INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE HEATER CORE IN MY 1990 VW CORRADO DEVELOPED A MAJOR LEAK ALL OF A SUDDEN, CAUSING VERY HOT COOLANT TO POUR ON MY RIGHT LEG AND FOOT, AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO STEAM UP INSTANTLY, CAUSING LOSS OF OUTWARD VISION AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO FIND THE SIDE OF THE ROAD USING THE "RUMBLE STRIPS", AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK. I AM AWARE OF A RECALL ON SOME 1990 VW CORRADOS, BUT ACCORDING TO MY DEALER MY VEHICLE IS NOT WITHIN THE VIN RANGE FOR THIS RECALL, REGARDLESS OF THE FACT MY VEHICLE USES THE SAME FAULTY HEATER CORE AS THE ONES THAT ARE COVERED BY THE RECALL. THE DEALER WILL NOT AGREE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10141520
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 · Oct 2, 2002
Seat Belts
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT STOP WORKING, IT STUCK IN THE OUT POSITION, WILL NOT RETRACT BACK INTO POSITION. LEAVING PASSENGER UN PROTECTED IN AN ACCIDENT. NLM
NHTSA ODI #8020031
Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2002
Seat Belts
VOLKSWAGEN REFUSES TO PAY FOR SEATBELT DUE TO "AGE AND MILES" AND "OUTSIDE INFLUENCES." THERE ARE SEVERAL CORRADO OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, THEREFORE SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE EXISTS THAT INDICATES A DEFECT. I AM REQUESTING BOTH DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELTS TO BE REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER, FREE OF CHARGE.…
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VOLKSWAGEN REFUSES TO PAY FOR SEATBELT DUE TO "AGE AND MILES" AND "OUTSIDE INFLUENCES." THERE ARE SEVERAL CORRADO OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, THEREFORE SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE EXISTS THAT INDICATES A DEFECT. I AM REQUESTING BOTH DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELTS TO BE REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER, FREE OF CHARGE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #756434
Mileage unknown · May 26, 2001
Electrical System
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #745963
Mileage unknown · May 17, 2001
Visibility
HEATER CORE FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN STEAM INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD, BLOCKING VISIBILITY. CONTACTED LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. WAS QUOTED $680.00 TO REPAIR.*AK
NHTSA ODI #745471
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