Volkswagen EuroVan Complaints
219 consumer complaints on file.
- #10157920May 20, 2006SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
BOUGHT A USED 2002 EUROVAN WITH SEAT WARMER IN JAN 2006. SEAT WARMERS WORKED INITIALLY, BUT ON PASSENGER SIDE IT OVERHEATED AND MELTED THROUGH THE FACTORY SYNTHETIC CLOTH SEAT COVER CAUSING ABOUT A 1 INCH CHARRED BLACK SPOT AS WELL AS OTHER DISCOLORATION NEARBY. WIFE WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT AND NOTICED THE EXTREMELY HOT SPOT AND TURNED IT OFF BEFORE IT DID MORE DAMAGE OR INJURY. I AM MAKING THIS COMPLAINT AFTER FINDING OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SEAT WARMER PROBLEMS ON THEIR VW MODELS, DOCUMENTED ON A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON EDMUNDS.COM FOR 2002-2003 VW JETTAS AND VWVORTEX.COM INTERNET SITES. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10150334February 15, 2006SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING SMOKE WAS SMELLED. THE SMOKE WAS DISCOVERED COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THEY DETERMINED THE SEAT HEATER BURNED THE SEAT. THE HEATER AND SEAT WERE REPLACED. AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALERSHIP, WHILE DRIVING HOME THE ENGINE BLEW AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED AND DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED; HOWEVER NO ADDITIONAL REPAIRS WERE MADE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10143628November 24, 2005ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
MY WIFE, ON A RECENT DRIVE FROM NO. CALIFORNIA TO SOUTHERN CA NOTED AN UNUSUAL SOUND FROM UNDER THE HOOD. NO OVERHEATING OR OTHER ISSUES THOUGH. WHEN SHE STOPPED SHE NOTED ONE OF THE PLASTIC RADIATOR FANS WAS BROKEN IN MULTIPLE PIECES. SINCE SHE WAS AWAY FROM HOME I TOLD HER TO GO TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THEY DECIDED THE ENTIRE FAN ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND THAT THE RADIATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. THE PARTS ALONE WERE ABOUT $2300 TOTAL REPAIR FOR THIS ABOUT $2900. WHEN THEY RETURNED THE CAR SHE FOUND THAT THE AC WAS NO LONGER WORKING. SO BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY STATED THE AC COMPRESSOR WAS BAD (BTW THE AC WORKED WELL PRIOR TO THE RADIATOR EVENT) SO THE COMPRESSOR AND EVAPORATOR/DRYER WERE REPLACED ANOTHER $1200 APPROX. THEN UPON RETURNING HOME TO NO. CAL. THE AC STILL DIDN'T WORK. NOW WE WENT TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY STATED THE HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE HOSES TO THE AC WERE BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, PARTS ALONE $750 THE DEALER IN LONG BEACH DID KICK IN $300 FOR THE LABOR AND $150 FOR THE FREON RECHARGE. THE STORY CONTINUES... THEN THE AC FAILED AGAIN. THIS TIME I NOTED THAT THE RIGHT FAN WAS REWIRED IMPROPERLY AND RUNNING BACKWARDS. THIS WAS REWIRED BY THE OAKLAND DEALER AND THUS FAR THE AC SEEMS TO BE WORKING THOUGH SOMETIMES IT IS LOUD. THE INITIAL FAN DISINTEGRATION IS A DEFECT AND THIS HAS LEAD TO A CONSTELLATION OF PROBLEMS REQUIRING NEW FAN, NEW RADIATOR, NEW AC. A RADIATOR FAN SHOULD NOT SPONTANEOUSLY DISINTEGRATE AT 60.000 MILES. THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN REPORTED MULTIPLE TIME ON YOUR WEBSITE AND THIS SHOULD BE A COVERED DEFECT IN THESE VEHICLES. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10137776September 21, 2005ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
2000 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN ENGINE COOLING FAN BROKE APART.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE CONSUMER PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION HE NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE COOLING FANS HAD BROKEN. THE CONSUMER DID SOME RESEARCH ABOUT FOUND OUT THAT 1998-2000 EUROVANS HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM BUT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10134495August 19, 2005ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2002 EUROVAN SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. *MR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE BATTERY PROBLEM RETURNED TWICE. *SC
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10132200August 10, 2005ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
THREE TIMES IN THE LAST 3 YEARS (2003-2005) I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY ENGINE COOLING FANS ON A 2000 VW EUROVAN, TWICE BECAUSE THEY EXPLODED. IN EACH CASE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE WAS INCURRED DUE TO THE FLYING PIECES OF FAN. THE VW DEALERS (IN NJ, VA/FL, AND PA) ASSERTED THAT THERE WAS NO HISTORY OF THIS OCCURRING, DESPITE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN VW AND NHTSA IN 2003. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10127173June 30, 2005ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
VEHICLE: 1999 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN CAMPER WITH APPROXIMATELY 34,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAS 2 ELECTRIC RADIATOR FANS. BOTH PLASTIC FAN BLADE ASSEMBLIES FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERWAY, RESULTING IN SEVERE IMBALANCE. MULTIPLE PLASTIC FRAGMENTS WERE SHED, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY IF IT HAD HAPPENED WHILE SERVICING THE VEHICLE WITH THE HOOD OPEN. BOTH FANS WERE REPLACED BY A VW DEALER AT A COST OF $962.69. VW SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INVESTIGATED A POSSIBLE RECALL BUT SAID IT DOESN'T APPLY TO THIS VEHICLE. FAILED PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. NHTSA PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE03015 SEEMS TO DESCRIBE THIS SAME PROBLEM.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10126456June 24, 2005ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
DT: CONTACT STATES A 1993 EURO VAN VOLKSWAGEN BURNED WHILE DRIVING. SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THERE WAS NO ONGOING INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FIRE.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10126268June 22, 2005ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
DT: CONTACT STATES VEHICLE WILL NOT START. HOWEVER, AFTER WRIGGLING THE IGNITION SWITCH THE VEHICLE WILL START. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED IT WOULD BE AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR, THE WRIGGLING OF THE IGNITION MIGHTL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10125079June 13, 2005EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
DT:I BRAKE LIGHT WILL COME ON . WHEN THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON THE HEADLIGHTS GO OFF/THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP FUNCTIONING, AND AIR CONDITIONER (A/C) STOPS. THE NEW DEALER COULD NOT FIND CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, AND CLAIMED THAT IT WAS NORMAL. IT WAS HAPPENING QUITE FREQUENTLY. CONSUMER HAS TEENAGE CHILDREN, AND IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE,ONE OF MY CHILDREN COULD HAVE DIED. IF HEADLIGHTS HAD BEEN TURNED ON, AND IF I CONSUMER PULLED ON THEM HIGH BEAM WOULD STICK AND STAY ON. CONSUMER WOULD ONLY HAVE HIGH BEAMS. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10115165April 6, 2005SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE PLASTIC PIECE ON THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT BELT THAT LATCHES AND UNLATCHES THE BELT BUCKLE BROKE AND THE SPRING POPPED OUT. THE SEAT BELT CANNOT BE USED. *AK *SC
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10114717March 25, 2005EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONING (A/C) FAILURE. THE AC SYSTEM IN MY VOLKS EUROVAN HAS FAILED THREE TIMES OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. EACH TIME IT HAS BEEN $1400 REPAIR. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER EUROVAN OWNERS AND THEY ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. IN FACT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER TOLD ME VW NEEDS TO RECALL THESE VANS BECAUSE IT IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM. I CALLED VW USA AND THEY DIDN'T OFFER ANY SERVICE. THE VAN AC HAS FAILED ON THE FOLLOWING DATES. DEC 02, JUNE 04, AND MAR 2005. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10106858January 5, 2005ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL WIRING PROBLEMS IN FRONT WINDOWS ON BOTH SIDES. WHEN PRESSING THE BUTTON DOWN TO LOWER THE WINDOW SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE DOOR. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, AND REPLACED THE WIRING WHICH CONTROLLED BOTH FRONT WINDOWS. ALSO, THE WIRING BURNED DOWN TO THE CONTROL PANEL.*AK.....CONSUMER PAID $491,98 FOR REPAIRS. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10105760January 4, 2005ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
INTERMEDIATE DRIVE GEAR WHICH CONTROLS CAM SHAFT AND VALVE TRAIN FAILED DUE TO NON HARDENED METAL . TOTAL FAILURE OF ENGINE WAS TO ENSUE, ACCORDING TO VOLKSWAGEN(MAKER OF VEHICLE), IF DRIVEN FURTHER. THE CAR WAS BEING USED TO TRANSPORT MY FAMILY TO SEATTLE ,WA FROM SANTA ROSA,CA. THE FAILURE OCCURRED 500 MILES FROM HOME AND 75 MILES FROM NEAREST DEALER. WAS ADVISED BY VW THAT A VW DEALER MUST SERVE AS THE DIAGNOSTIC CENTER . THE FAILURE OCCURED IN WINTER AND WITH VIRTUALLY NO WARNING--THE "CHECK ENGINE " LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE MADE A GROANING SOUND. THE VAN (EUROVAN 2001) WAS TRANSPORTED BY TRUCK TO CORVALLIS,OR FOR REPAIRS. VEHICLE IS PRRESENTLY STILL THERE AND UNDERGOING GEAR REPLACEMENT. I WAS TOLD BY THE VW SERVICE ADVISOR AT CORVALLIS THAT VW HAD BUILT AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF ENGINES WITH THIS DEFECT BUT DID NOT KNOW IN WHICH VEHICLES THEY WERE PLACED. THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION HAS 27,000+/- ORIGINAL MILES ON ENGINE AND ALL SERVICES RECOMMENDED BY VW WERE MADE AT VW DEALERSHIPS. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10104634December 28, 2004SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
MY BRAKES ARE SOFT AND FAIL TO KEEP THE CAR AT REST. THE PROBLEM STARTED ON 09/29/2004. SINCE THEN THE VW DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH MANY PARTS WERE REPLACED. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10102633December 10, 2004SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
WE HAVE EXPERIENCED REPEATED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH 2002 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN. MANY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, INCLUDING GENERATOR, BATTERY, THROTTLE CONTROLS, AND AN ABS SENSOR. THE PROBLEMS PERSISTS. *AK THE MOST DANGEROUS IS THAT THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON RANDOMLY, APPARENTLY FOR NO REASON. WE CANNOT TELL WHETHER THERE IS A BRAKE FAILURE, OR ERRONEOUS WARNING. THE DEALER HAS LOOKED AT THIS PROBLEM MORE THAN FIVE TIMES, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT. TODAY THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, AND AT THE SAME TIME BOTH WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. WE HAD TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, DURING A HEAVY RAINSTORM, TURN THE CAR "OFF", THEN RESTART TO GET THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT TO GO OFF AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO RUN. OBVIOUSLY IT IS DANGEROUS TO BE DRIVING WITH ZERO VISIBILITY, AND THEN TO HAVE TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC TO RESTART THE CAR. VW NEEDS TO CORRECT SYSTEMWIDE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE 2002 VW EUROVAN.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10093043September 22, 2004SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS, SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER, TIRES, SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT
I PURCHASED, NEW, A 2001 VW EUROVAN WINNEBAGO CAMPER. IN 31,000 MILES, THE VEHICLE IS NOW ON ITS' THIRD SET OF BRAKES. MY LAST VEHICLE, A 1992 MAZDA NAVAJO; I FINALLY REPLACED BRAKES AT APPROXIMATELY 72,000 MILES. MY DRIVING IS NOT AN ISSUE WITH THE VW. EACH SET OF CAMPER BRAKES COSTS, RIGHT AT $1,500.00. VW PICKED-UP THE COST OF BRAKE SET #2 AT 17,000 MILES. AN AWA, AS THEY ARE ONLY WARRANTEED FOR 12,000 MILES. RIDICULOUS, TO BE SURE. WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING THAT THE BRAKES ARE "GOING OUT". ONCE THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON - YOU MUST REPLACE THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM, NOT JUST PADS. AT 3 SETS IN 31,000 MILES; BRAKES ALONE ARE COSTING $150.00 FOR EVERY 1,000 MILES DRIVEN. ALSO, THIS VEHICLE HAS GONE THROUGH ELEVEN TIRES IN THIS SAME TIME FRAME, DUE TO INAPPROPRIATE SHOCKS (NOT HEAVY DUTY), AND THE COLLAPSE OF A MAJOR SPRING WHICH SUPPORTS THE CAMPER IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ON THE LEFT SIDE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY OTHER VW CAMPER OWNERS WITH 2001 MODELS AND THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THINGS WITH BRAKES AND TIRES. VW AND WINNEBAGO DO NOT CARE AND WILL NOT LOWER THE PRICE OF THEIR BRAKE SYSTEMS, NOR EVEN PROVIDE THE PART NUMBERS FOR ANY HEAVY DUTY SHOCKS THAT CAN BE PUT ON THIS VEHICLE, NOT ABSORB THE COSTS OF THE VERY EXPENSIVE AND UNIQUE TIRE THAT MUST BE PUT ON THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE LOAD BEARING OF THE CAMPER PORTION. NO BRAKES SHOULD COST THIS MUCH, NO VEHICLE SHOULD GO THROUGH 11 TIRES IN 31,000 MILES. PLEASE HELP.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10091862September 10, 2004VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND VEHICLE WAS NOT ON A RECALL. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10088898August 31, 2004ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS, STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILURE AT JUST OVER 25,000 MILES. OTHER VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN DRIVERS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR FAILURES, INCLUDING SEIZING OF THE COMPRESSOR, IMMEDIATE LOSS OF THE COMPRESSOR DRIVE BELT, AND A RESULTING LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10088781August 29, 2004ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VW USED PLASTIC IN THE EUROVAN'S OIL FILTER HOUSING. DURING TWO OIL CHANGES (5,000 MILES AND THEN AT 64,000 MILES) THE PLASTIC OIL FILTER HOUSING WAS CRACKED DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGES WHICH THEN CAUSED OIL LOSS AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE DAMAGE/FAILURES. AS A RESULT OUR EUROVAN HAS SPENT 5 MONTHS IN THE SHOP FOR ONE ENGINE REBUILD AND THEN ONE ENGINE REPLACEMENT!*JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0