2000 Volkswagen Eurovan Problems

FAN FOR COOLING THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT (IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT) BLEW APART, DAMAGING ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS ADJACENT TO IT. THE OTHER FAN (FOR ENGINE COOLING) FAILED LAST YEAR. *TR

ENGINE COOLING FAN ON DRIVER'S (LEFT) SIDE BROKE AND LOST A PIECE, CAUSING THE FAN TO BECOME UNBALANCED. THE LACK OF BALANCE CAUSED SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE CAR. CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIR (REPLACEMENT) OF THE FAN. *TR

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

POWER WINDOWS FAILED TO OPERATE. THIS WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FIRE IN THE WIRING HARNESS THAT BURNT THE INSULATION.*AK

I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN ON A CITY STREET ON MY WAY TO CHURCH AND THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER BURNED THROUGH AND MELTED MY COAT A LITTLE BIT. MY BACK FELT BURNED A LITTLE BIT BUT WENT AWAY AFTER AWHILE SO I DID NOT HAVE ANY LASTING PAIN. BUT MY GOOD CHURCH COAT WAS LEFT WITH A SLIGHTY MELTED AREA ON IT. THE PASSENGER SIDE DID NOT BURN BECAUSE THE HEATER DOESNT WORK ANYMORE.

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

I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN ON A CITY STREET ON MY WAY TO CHURCH AND THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER BURNED THROUGH AND MELTED MY COAT A LITTLE BIT. MY BACK FELT BURNED A LITTLE BIT BUT WENT AWAY AFTER AWHILE SO I DID NOT HAVE ANY LASTING PAIN. BUT MY GOOD CHURCH COAT WAS LEFT WITH A SLIGHTY MELTED AREA ON IT. THE PASSENGER SIDE DID NOT BURN BECAUSE THE HEATER DOESNT WORK ANYMORE.

MY KID PULLED ON HIS SEAT BELT TO FASTEN IT, AND THE MALE LATCH CAME DETACHED FROM THE BELT. THE LATCH IS MADE BY TRW-AUTOMOTIVE, THE WORLD'S LARGEST PROVIDER OF SEAT BELT SYSTEMS. IT HAS THE FOLLOWING IDENTIFICATION: 0006 5980 TRW. THE SEAT BELT THAT FAILED IS A LAP-BELT ONLY (CENTER-SEAT). THE LATCH CONSISTS OF TWO SLIDING METAL PARTS AND A PLASTIC COVER. WHEN THE PLASTIC COVER BREAKS, THE BELT COMES LOOSE FROM THE MALE LATCH. THE SEAT BELT CAN FAIL IN A CRASH RESULTING IN INJURY FROM THE CRASH. I REPORTED THIS TO VW CUSTOMER CARE, 800-822-8987. THEY ENTERED IT INTO THEIR DATABASE, AND TOLD ME TO GO TO A VW DEALER TO GET A REPAIR. *NM

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

THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 71,000 MILES. ON 10-9-01, IT WAS INSPECTED BY MCNEVIN VW IN BERKELEY, CA AT 65,456 MILES. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE SAID TO HAVE 80% REMAINING AND THE REARS HAD 70% REMAINING. I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AT 70,558 MILES AND HE SAID THE FRONT HAD LESS THAN 50% AND THE REARS WERE AT 20%. SINCE I'VE OWNED THE VAN I'VE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED TWICE WITH THE THIRD TODAY, 11-29-01. I CALLED THE BERKELEY DEALER AND HE REFERRED ME TO VW OF AMERICA. THE LATTER REFUSED ANY ASSISTENCE OR INFORMATION WHY THIS HAS HAPPENED SO OFTEN. WHEN I WAS NOTIFIED THE CAR NEEDED NEW BRAKES AT 27,866, I ASKED WHY SO SOON. THE ANSWER WAS THAT THE CAMPER CONVERSION WAS TOO HEAVY FOR THE EXISTING BRAKES AND I SHOULD EXPECT TO REPLACE THEM AT LEAST EVERY 30,000 MILES. THIS WASN'T REVEALED TO ME WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE NEXT CHANGE WAS 26,030 MILE LATER. NOW THEY NEED REPLACEMENT AT 16,800 MILES LATER. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HAS USED ALL CERTIFIED VW PARTS. APPROXIMATELY 60% OF MY DRIVING IS LONG DISTANCE FREEWAY WITH LITTLE BRAKING. ABOUT 40% IS CITY DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS WITH NO PANIC BRAKING. I DO NOT DRIVE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND AM VERY CONSCIOUS OF USING THE BRAKES BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. I HOPE YOU CAN GIVE ME SOME DIRECTION IN TRYING TO FIND A REASONABLE SOLUTION WITH THIS OTHER THAN SELLING THE VEHICLE. IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS I WILL HAVE SPENT APPROXIMATELY $1,800 FOR NEW BRAKES. THANKYOU FOR YOUR HELP. *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

POWER WINDOWS FAILED TO OPERATE. THIS WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FIRE IN THE WIRING HARNESS THAT BURNT THE INSULATION.*AK

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

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE METAL BRACKET, WHICH HOLDS THE LUGGAGE RACK ONTO THE VEHICLE, WAS RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE WEATHER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 10/18/07 *TR

THE ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE IS THAT AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE AND HEAT BUILDS UP INSIDE THE GAS TANK WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND TO EVEN A GREATER EXTENT WHEN IN STOP-N-GO TRAFFIC OR SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT IDLING. THE RESULT IS THAT WHEN OPENING THE GAS CAP FROM HOT FUMES AND FUEL SPRAY OUT AFTER RUNNING THE VEHICLE FOR LESS THAN AN HOUR. THERE ARE NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS OR CHECKS IN PLACE TO WARN OR PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN! I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE VW DEALER FOR OVER ONE YEAR NOW BUT STILL NO RESOLVE. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF VW OF AMERICA THEIR CERTIFIED MECHANICS HAVE SYSTEMATICALLY REPLACED ALMOST ALL OF THE COMPONENTS RELATING TO THE FUEL SYSTEM BUT TO NO RESOLVE. AT THIS POINT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSIST AND THE DEALERSHIP IS RELUCTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE GAS TANK IS ACTUALLY HEATING UP EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE REPRODUCED THE RESULTS IN THEIR SHOP. I DO HAVE A VIDEO OF THE PROBLEM IN ACTION BUT AM UNABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU THROUGH THE DOCUMENT UPLOADING SYSTEM. BY THE WAY I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD IT SERVICED AT THE CERTIFIED VW DEALERSHIP.

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