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1981 Volkswagen RabbitProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls3Free fix at dealersOwner complaints12 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem1Seat belts

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 13, 1998. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit has problems

1 complaint grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Seat belts11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

1981 Volkswagen Rabbit recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Volkswagen.

Best & worst years

1981 vs. every other Rabbit year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Rabbit median. How we score

'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'06'07'08'09
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit, and the recalls they led to.

  1. REAR VIEW MIRRORDP82002 · closed Feb 2, 1982
    No recall

Own a 1981 Rabbit?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.