2000 Volkswagen Eurovan

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

I AM AN OWNER OF 2000 VOLKSWAGON CAMPER OWNER. MY ENGINE COOLING FANS CAME APART. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY IT IS NOT RECALLED. IN MAY 2004, I RECEIVED FROM VOLKSWAGEN A STICKER TO PUT AT THE SIDE OF THE HOOD FOR WARNING THE ENGINE COOLING FANS MAY CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY. IT WAS NOT A RECALL NOTICE. ON JULY 4 WEEKEND, I PLANNED WITH THE FAMILY FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA SHAVER LAKE FOR A RETREAT. WE DRIVE UP ON ROUTE 168. SUDDENLY WE HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM OUR 2000 VW CAMPER. WE ASK EACH OTHER WHAT IT WAS. WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE HIT UNDERNEATH THE CAMPER. WE STILL CONTINUED ON OUR WAY. WITHIN FEW MINUTES, ANOTHER LOUD NOISES AGAIN. WE KNOW THAT MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAMPER. WE PULL TO THE SIDE AND I COULD HEAR A HUM SOUND THAT I NEVER HEARD BEFORE. I OPEN THE HOOD AND FOUND SOME HARD-PLASTIC PARTS NEAR THE HOOD. THERE WERE TWO FANS AND THE NOISE WAS COME FROM THE FANS. BOTH FANS WERE INCINERATED EXCEPT THE CENTER HUB STILL SPINNING WE HAVE CAREFULLY WATCHED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND DROVE TO FRESNO, I BROUGHT TO VW DEAL FOR REPAIR IN THE MORNING BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PART. WE DROVE THE CAMPER BACK TO SAN FRANCISCO ON THE FREEWAY WITHOUT STOPPING AND WATCH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. I RAN THE INTERNET TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE VW COOLING FAN. IT HAD HAPPENED BEFORE. A RECALL WAS INITIATED IN APRIL 2004 ON VW WINNEBAGO RIALTA, WHICH IS SIMILAR WITH MY CAMPER WITH EUROVAN CHASSIS EXCEPT WITH WIDER BODY. THE FANS IS ENCLOSED WITH HOOD ON TOP, RADIATOR AT THE FRONT, ENGINE AT THE REAR, PLASTIC PAN AT THE BOTTOM AND BODY CHASSIS ON BOTH SIDE. THERE IS NOT WAY SOMETHING WILL HIT IT AND CAUSE THE DAMAGE TO THE FANS. I GLAD THAT I DID NOT STOP AND OPEN THE HOOD AFTER THE FIRST NOISE. THE SECOND FAN MAY BREAK RIGHT THEN AND THE FRACTURE PARTS MIGHT FLY OUT AND CAUSE ME SERIOUS INJURY. *AK

SIMULTANEOUS FAILURE OF INSULATION ON MANY WIRES IN DRIVER'S DOOR WIRING HARNESS CAUSED SPARKS, AND ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION OF POWER WINDOWS, POWER LOCKS, DASH LIGHTS, AND LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS. HEAT FROM EXCESSIVE CURRENT AND SPARKS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN FIRE. ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY DRIVER LEANING OVER TO PASSENGER SIDE IN ORDER TO OPERATE PASSENGER WINDOW. OTHER PROBLEMS SUCH AS DEAD BATTERY, ENGINE FAILURE, OR SECURITY FAILURE COULD ALSO BE CAUSED BY DEFECT.DEFECT APPEARS TO BE IN DESIGN OF WIRING HARNESS WHICH FLEXES AT THE EXACTLY THE SAME POINT WHEN DOOR IS OPENED AND CLOSED COMBINED WITH POOR QUALITY MATERIAL USED FOR WIRING INSULATION. INSULATION HAS CRACKED AND SPLIT APART ON MANY OF THE WIRES IN THE DOOR WIRING HARNESS ALLOWING BARE COPPER TO COME INTO CONTACT RANDOMLY FROM WIRE TO WIRE.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS DRIVING COOLING FAN DISINTEGRATED AND BROKE INTO A THOUSAND PIECES, AND A PIECE GOT LODGED IN THE POWER STEERING FAN BELT. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE POWER STEERING. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER BUT COULD NOT GET HELP. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHARGE HIM AT THE TUNE OF $1000.00 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM.*AK

OUR RIALTA 2000 HD HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAN FAILURE ON JUNE 6, 2003. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN LATE AFTERNOON WHILE THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS ABOVE 100 DEGREES. THE A/C WAS RUNNING FULL SPEED AND WE WERE ASCENDING THE SISKIYOU SUMMIT SOUTH OF ASHLAND, OR. THE FIRST SYMPTOM WAS A THUD AS IF WE HAD RUN OVER SOMETHING, BUT THERE HAD BEEN NOTHING IN THE ROAD. I SAW WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A PIECE OF ONE OF THE FANS BOUNCING IN THE ROAD BEHIND US. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NOT A VEHICLE DIRECTLY BEHIND US. ANY SUCH CLOSE FOLLOWING VEHICLE COULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY THIS PIECE OF ENGINE DEBRIS. WITHIN SECONDS WE NOTICED THE A/C FAILING AND THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE CLIMBING. WE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. HOT STEAM WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE STEAM WAS FROM THE COOLANT OVERFLOWING IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR AND CONTACTING THE HOT ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. ONE OR BOTH OF THE FANS HAD FLOWN APART. BOTH FANS HAD LOST ALL BLADES. PIECES OF THE FAN WERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE AND ON TOP OF THE PROTECTIVE PAN. THE FLYING DEBRIS HAD DAMAGED THE RADIATOR AND FAN BRACKET (FAN SHROUD). VW CUSTOMER CARE SAID THERE WERE NO RECORDS OF OTHER RIALTAS OR EURO-VANS EXPERIENCING THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. WE HAVE ALL OUR REPAIR RECEIPTS. WE TOOK PICTURES OF ALL THE DAMAGED PARTS. WE KEPT THE RADIATOR, FAN SHROUD, THE TWO FANS, AND ALL PIECES OF FAN BLADES WE COULD FIND. AT LEAST ONE OF THE PIECES OF FAN BLADE HAS A FRACTURE LINE WHERE IT HAS NOT YET BROKEN. *JB

DRIVING UP THE MOUNTAIN DURING AFTERNOON AND PRIMARY COOLING FAN SELF DISINTEGRATED INTO PIECES WHICH KNOCK OFF SECONDARY A/C FAN AND CAUSED OVERHEAT. AFTER LETTING ENGINE COOL OFF, RECONNECTED SECONDARY FAN AND CONTINUE ON TRIP FOR ANOTHER 30 MILES, THEN AAIR CONDITIONING FAN ALSO SELF DISINTEGRATED. VEHICLE IS A 2000 VW EUROVAN CONVERSION TO WINNEBAGO RIALTA 2001 WITH 15,000 MILES. IF REPLACEMENT ARE DONE BY DEALERSHIP, THE SAME PROBLEM WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN UNLESS THIS FAN PROBLEM ARE INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA AND MANDATORY RECALL ISSUED AND REPLACEMENT WITH BETTER FANS DONE BY DEALERSHIPS. DUE TO MOST OF THIS DISINTEGRATION HAPPENS DURING CLIMBING UPHILL, OVERHEATING, CUTTING OF HOSES AND CUTTING OF WIRING AND LOSS OF VEHICLE ARE POSSIBLE, THUS POSSESS REAL DANGER FOR ANYONE WHICH HAS THESE VEHICLES. SIMPLE REPLACEMENT OF SAME TYPE OF FANS WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM AS IT WILL ONLY HAPPEN AGAIN DOWN THE ROAD. *AK

ON JUNE 13, 2003 BOTH OF OUR RIALTAS ELECTRIC COOLING FANS SELF DESTRUCTED AFTER STARING THE DESCEND DOWN EAGLE RIDGE MOUNTAIN IN TN. AFTER A FEW SCARY MINUTES MY WIFE SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATED THE RV TO SAFETY WITH MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND SISTER ABOARD. BECAUSE OF THE MISSING BLADES THE UNIT CONTINUED TO VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY FOR FIVE MINUTES UNTIL IT COOLED DOWN. TWENTY MINUTES LATER MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE WORKING IN IDLE UNTIL THE COOLING FAN ATTEMPTED TO START ITS COOLING FUNCTION AGAIN. MY WIFE CALLED A TENNESSEE HIGHWAY HELPER WHO STOPPED TO LOOK AT THE UNIT AND IMMEDIATELY NOTED THE MISSING FAN BLADES AND CALLED FOR A TOW. THE RIG WAS TOWED TO VW OF CHATTANOOGA TENNESSEE WHO UPON INSPECTION DETERMINED IT NEEDED NEW FAN BLADES WHICH THEY DID NOT HAVE IN STOCK. TO HELP EXPEDITE THE PARTS I ALSO CALLED DEALERS LOOKING FOR PARTS. AFTER CONTACTING 5 VW DEALERS AND SALLY EBERLE AT VW; PER YOUR WINNEBAGO'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT NEITHER COMPANY ACKNOWLEDGED A HISTORICAL PROBLEM WITH THAT ENGINES DESIGNED COOLING SYSTEM. MRS. EBERLE MENTIONED THAT THE ENGINE IS DESIGNED TO AUTOMATICALLY SHUT DOWN DURING A COOLING FAN FAILURE. LUCKILY THIS WAS NOT THE CASE DURING OUR DESCEND DOWN MT EAGLE. AFTER CONTACTING MANY VW PARTS DEPARTMENTS I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT THEY NORMALLY STOCK A REPLACEMENT FAN ASSEMBLY FOR MY PARTICULAR VIN NUMBER. OFF THE WEB I HAVE ALSO MADE CONTACT TO DATE WITH TWO OTHER RIALTA OWNERS OUT OF SIX WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. TWO OF THEM HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR REPAIRED RIALTA. 1.) IS MY UNIT SAFE? 2.) MOST IMPORTANT - HAS THE PROBLEM BEEN FIXED??? *JB

THE VEHICILE WAS BEING DRIVEN UP A HILL ON A TYPICAL AUGUST DAY HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, WHEN THE RIGHT COOLANT FAN BLADES DISINTEGRATED. THE FAN AND MOTOR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THEN 97 MILES LATER THE LEFT COLLANT FAN BLADES DISINTERGRATED WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT 5 MILES PER HOUR OR LESS. THE SECOND FAN AND MOTOR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THEN I DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT COOLANT FAN WAS RUNNING COUNTER TO ITS CORRECT OPERATING DIRECTION. THE MOTOR DIRECTION WAS CORRECTED BY REVERSING THE ELECTICAL CONNECTOR ON THE RIGHT COOLANT FAN, THUS CORRECTING THE POLARITY OF THE MOTOR, BUT ONLY AFTER HOURS AND MILES OF DRIVING TO FIND THE SOLUTION. I BELIEVE THAT THE COOLANT FANS ARE DEFECTIVE AS TO DESIGN, MANUFACTURE, AND MATERIALS AND HERE IS WHY: 1. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO DESIGN THE ELECTRICAL PLUG SO THAT IT WOULD JOIN ITS RECEPTOR IN ONLY THE CORRECT POLARITY DIRECTION, BUT THE PRESENT DESIGN IS INSUFFICIENT FOR THE PLUG CAN BE FORCED TO CONNECT WITH THE INCORRECT POLARITY. SEVERAL DESIGN CHANGES WOULD INDIVIULALLY OR COLLECTIVELY MAKE AN INCORRECT CONNECTION IMPOSSIBLE. 2. THERE IS NO SEPARATON BARRIER BETWEEN THE TWO COOLANT FANS SUCH THAT DEBRIS FROM ONE FAN BLADE FAILURE CAN IMPACT THE ADJACENT FAN BLADE PROBABLY CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE SECOND FAN BALDE. THE LACK OF SUCH A BARRIER IS A DEFECT IN DESIGN. 3. THE FAN DESIGN OF SEVEN BLADES WITH AN INTEGRAL MOLDED PERIMETER SHROUD, THE SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THE FAN BLADES AND SHROUD TO-WIT, PLASTIC, AND THE MANUFACTURE OF THE FAN PART ARE ALL DEFECTIVE FOR COOLANT FANS SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE SO LONG AS THERE IS NO PHYSICAL INJURY TO THE BLADES. THERE WAS NONE IN THIS CASE. THESE COOLANT FANS DISINTEGRATED IN THE COURSE OF NORMAL OPERATIONS AND UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. DT