RoadVitals

1997 Volkswagen Eurovan Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Jun 27, 2007
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jul 24, 1997

What this page shows

Our database holds 14 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1997 Volkswagen Eurovan. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–14 of 14

Fuel system
Filed Jun 27, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE CONNECTING ENDS OF THE FUEL LINE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE REPAIR SHOP. THE VIN AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 62,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

NHTSA ID
10194751
Incident
May 14, 2007
Mileage
61,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 6, 2005

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

NHTSA ID
10115165
Incident
Mar 13, 2005
Electrical
Filed Dec 19, 2002
Fire reported

MY 1997 VW EUROVAN CAMPER CAUGHT FIRE ON DECEMBER 8, 2002 AS IT WAS BEING DRIVEN ON INTERSTATE 10 NEAR REDLANDS, CA. IT WAS TOTALLY LOST. APPARENTLY THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE DASH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. VW, AFTER INSPECTION, DENIES RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE AN AFTER MARKET RADIO WAS INSTALLED. THE FIRM WHICH INSTALLED THE RADIO HAS INSPECTED THE CAR AND REPORTS THAT THE FIRE WAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THERE IS GOOD EVIDENCE OF MUCH MORE HEAT ON THE RIGHT SIDE. WIRE INSULATION JACKETS ARE BURNED OFF THERE AND NOT NEAR THE RADIO. NO WIRES WERE CUT DURING THE RADIO INSTALLATION, BUT RATHER THE RADIO PLUG WAS CONNECTED TO THE VW PLUG. THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 45,000 MILES ON IT. ON NOV. 6, 1998, THE DEALER REPLACED THE REGULATOR MOTOR AND THE WINDOW MOTOR IN THE PASSENGER DOOR. ON JUNE 19, 2000, THE DEALER REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW MOTOR. ON JULY 17, 2000, THE DEALER FOUND A LOOSE WIRE CONNECTION WHEN I REPORTED THAT THE SPEAKERS WERE NOT WORKING SINCE THE JUNE 19 REPAIR.

NHTSA ID
10000297
Incident
Dec 8, 2002
Mileage
45,500 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 26, 2001

PROBLEM IS AN INTERMITTENT, UNNESCESSARY, SUDDEN DOWNSHIFT OF TRANSMISSION WHEN ASCENDING A STEEP, LONG GRADE. AFTER DOWNSHIFTING, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT UPSHIFT EVEN WHEN RPM'S APPROACH 5000, FORCING ME TO SLOW DOWN. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ID
756026
Incident
May 25, 1998
Brakes
Filed May 18, 2001

PREMATURE WEAR OF THE BRAKE ROTORS.*AK CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT FRONT AND REAR BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPALCED CONSUMER WAS COMPLAING OF BRAKES BEING NOISY WHEN BRAKING. *JB

NHTSA ID
888575
Incident
May 1, 2001
BrakesElectricalEngine+3 more
Filed Feb 7, 2001

REFRIFERATOR STOPPED WORKING. CJ

NHTSA ID
559523
Body & structure
Filed Apr 17, 2000

DOOR RELEASE LEVER BROKE DUE TO POOR CONSTRUCTION, THIS MEANS THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE, THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR RELEASE NO LONGER OPERATES "CLEANLY" AS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. NLM

NHTSA ID
551937
Filed Jan 31, 2000

WE HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. WE WROTE A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MANY OF THE PROBLEMS AND SENT IT TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA CONSUMER RELATIONS. THEY WERE NOT THE LEAST BIT INTERESTED IN ANY OF OUR PROBLEMS. WE CALLED THEM SEVERAL TIMES AFTER SENDING THE DETAILED LETTER AND THEY SAID "TOO BAD, NOT OUR PROBLEM." NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID
718113
Incident
Apr 15, 1998
Tires & wheels
Filed Oct 4, 1999

GOODYEAR NO LONGER MAKES A TIRE THAT WILL HANDLE THE MAXIMUM LOAD CAPACITY THAT IS NEEDED FOR THIS VAN. THE GVW IS APPROXIMATELY 5000. ONCE WATER, PROPANE, PASSENGERS, LUGGAGE, CAMPING EQUIPMENT IS ADDED, ANY CURRENT BRAND OF TIRE IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN WEIGHT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SOMEONE SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE, AND I BELIEVE IT IS VOLKSWAGEN MANUFACTURER. I'VE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO FIND A MAXIMUM LOAD OF 1500 POUNDS PER TIRE (6,000 TOTAL) WHICH IS NOT SUFFICIENT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 1957015G64 )

NHTSA ID
712796
Suspension
Filed Sep 20, 1999

THE REAR TIRES WEAR OUT BEFORE THE MILEAGE IS EXCEEDED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
848133
Visibility
Filed Sep 9, 1999

THE POWER WINDOWS WOULD GO UP & THEN COME BACK DOWN WITHOUT THE POWER BUTTON BEING PRESSED. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE 1998. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES & PROBLEM COULD NOT BE SOLVED. *AK

NHTSA ID
847433
Incident
May 13, 1998
ElectricalSeat beltsTires & wheels
Filed Feb 1, 1999

SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
606560
Incident
Nov 1, 1997
Other / unspecified
Filed Aug 4, 1997

THE PROPANE GAS COMPONENT OF THE NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR DOES NOT FUNCTION IN HIGH ALTITUDE AREAS.

NHTSA ID
520555
Fuel system
Filed Jul 24, 1997

FUEL LEAK FROM KINKED FUEL LINE.

NHTSA ID
520200
Incident
Jul 4, 1997

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .