Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1979 Scirocco.
The 1979 Volkswagen Scirocco is a compact, sport‑styled hatchback that exemplifies the era’s VW engineering, and its record for the model year is marked by a remarkably low total of just one owner complaint, centered on seat‑belt issues, alongside seven manufacturer recalls. This modest level of reported trouble places the 1979 Scirocco toward the more reliable end of the model’s historical spectrum, indicating that, despite the isolated safety‑related concern, the vehicle’s overall durability remains comparatively strong for researchers assessing long‑term dependability.
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the Scirocco of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Limited Edition Coupe 1.6L I-4 | 11.20 sec | 18.40 sec | 71 hp | FWD |
| 1977 | Super Coupe 1.6L I-4 | 10.50 sec | 17.70 sec | 71 hp | FWD |
| 1977 | Coupe 1.6L I-4 | 12.20 sec | 18.50 sec | 71 hp | FWD |
| 1975 | Coupe 1.5L I-4 | 11.20 sec | 18.10 sec | 70 hp | FWD |
| 1975 | Coupe 1.5L I-4 | 12.70 sec | 19.40 sec | 70 hp | FWD |
| 1975 | Coupe 1.5L I-4 | 13.60 sec | 19.70 sec | 70 hp | FWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1979 Volkswagen Scirocco dominate in one area — the seat belts, 1 of 1 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 7 recall campaigns target the seat belts, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the seat belts pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.
All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 7 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
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. 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.
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. 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…
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.