Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 15 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 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.
Showing 1–15 of 15
HIT A POT HOLE ON HI-WAY AT APPROX. 70 MPH CAUSING RIGHT REAR WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY DAMAGE. THE WHEEL BEARING OVERHEATED AND STARTED FIRE ALONG SIDE OF ROAD. THE REAR HUB ASSY. AND WHEEL WHERE NEVER RECOVERED. CLARE FIRE DEPT. AT 207 W. FIFTH ST., CLARE, MICHIGAN 48617 INCIDENT REPORT #19-000168 WAS FILED ABOUT AUGUST 22 2019
THE HEATING ELEMENTS IN THE SEAT WHICH HEAT THE SEAT WHEN TURNED ON (SEAT HEATERS) CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT, ALMOST BURNING MY BACKSIDE. CAR WAS STATIONARY. WARMING UP THE ENGINE FOR ABOUT 8 MINUTES IN THE MORNING BEFORE DRIVING TO WORK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OR IDLING, THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A LEAK IN THE MANIFOLD, WHICH CAUSED EXHAUST FUMES TO ENTER THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE AIR INTAKE. THE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. ..UPDATED 08/22/17 *BF *TR
DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH, STRAIGHT AND LEVEL DOWN MAIN STREET IN WOODLAND PARK , CO AND EXPERIENCED A LOUD POP, NOISE AND VIBRATION. ENGINE LURCHED TO A STOP. HARD TO CONTROL VEHICLE. WE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. WE THOUGHT WE HAD HIT SOMETHING. TURNED OUT THE COOLING SYSTEM FAN BLADES DISINTEGRATED. PIECES (SCHRAPNEL) PUNCTURED RADIATOR, HOSES AND BELTS. FIRE AND POLICE HAD TO RESPOND DUE TO POSSIBLE FIRE AND FLUID LEAKING. VEHICLE TOWED TO GARAGE. SAME PROBLEM AS EARLIER RECALLS 1998-2000 AND 2013 (?). VW REFUSES TO PAY FOR REPAIR.
THE COVER OF THE COMPONENTS UNDERNEATH THE STEERING WHEEL FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. IT LANDED RIGHT ON TOP OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND GAS PEDAL. AT FIRST I DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT HAPPENED, I JUST BECAME AWARE THAT SOMETHING WAS BLOCKING MY FOOT FROM REACHING THE BRAKE PEDAL. FORTUNATELY THIS DID NOT RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT, THANKS TO A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER WHO WAS ABLE TO LOOK DOWN AT MY FEET TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND PULL THE COVER AWAY. BUT IF IT HAD HAPPENED AT A TIME WHEN I NEEDED IMMEDIATE BRAKE ACCESS, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP. PLEASE SEE PHOTO OF THE COVER. THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN AFTER I WAS ABLE TO STOP. THE COVER IS SITTING ON A SEAT; IT IS NOT IN ITS NORMAL INSTALLED OPSITION.
WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREET, THE PASSENGER SEAT HEATER CAUGHT THE SEAT ON FIRE BURNING SEAT COVER, AND PASSENGER'S COAT, FLEECE VEST AND SCALDING BACK OF PASSENGER. THERE WAS NOT A CRASH, BUT THIS EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN MORE SEVERE IF IT HAD BEEN THE DRIVER OR IF MORE SIGNIFICANT INJURY TO PASSENGER. WE WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS EVENT BECAUSE OF SAFETY AND LOSS OF PERSONAL PROPERTY AND INJURY. WE IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED OUR LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP WHO TOOK PHOTOS AND COMMENTED THAT "THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF AGE OF OUR VEHICLE AND WE WILL ADDRESS THIS RIGHT AWAY". WE CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN'S ONLINE CUSTOMER CARE SERVICE VIA EMAIL AS ADVISED BY OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP. AFTER A FEW EMAIL EXCHANGES, VOLKSWAGEN FINALLY COMMENTED THAT THIS EVENT IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE OF THE AGE AND MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE. WE ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. VOLKSWAGEN COMMENTED THAT THIS EVENT IS STRICTLY A WARRANTY ISSUE AND CONSIDERING THE AGE AND MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE, THERE ARE NO APPLICABLE WARRANTIES. VOLKSWAGEN COMMENTED FURTHER THAT IF WE WANT TO ENSURE SAFETY OF THE SEAT HEATERS OR OTHER ASPECTS OF THE VAN, WE MUST SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER AND WE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE DIAGNOSTICS AND ALL REPAIRS. *TR
THE SIDE DOOR LATCH WON'T LATCH WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW FREEZING. SO THE DOOR, WHICH IS ON SLIDERS, WILL JUST SWING OPEN WHILE DRIVING UNLESS YOU HAVE IT BUNGEE-CORDED. IT WILL ONLY LATCH WHEN THE TEMPERATURE RISES OR AFTER YOU PARK IT IN A HEATED GARAGE. THIS IS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN OWNERS - AT LEAST THAT SEEMS APPARENT AFTER READING BLOGS ON THE INTERNET. NO ONE AT THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIPS I TALK TO SEEM TO KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM THOUGH THEY SEEM FAMILIAR WITH IT. IT IS REALLY DANGEROUS AND LAME THAT VOLKSWAGEN HAS NOT ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM ONLY IN THE PAST TWO WINTERS - BEFORE THAT, WE ONLY DROVE THE CAR IN THE SUMMER. NOW IT IS SO BAD IT'S PRETTY MUCH NEVER CLOSED NOW THAT IS WINTER. AND NO ON WE HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR TO CAN FIX IT. *TR
I HAVE A 2003 RIALTA QD. TWO DAYS AGO IN A VERY REMOTE AREA MY RADIATOR FAN EXPLODED AND TORE UP THE SHROUD, RADIATOR, HOSES AND BELT. I UNDERSTAND THESE FANS HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM AND ARE ON BACKORDER AROUND THE COUNTRY. I GUESS THIS IS A VW PROBLEM. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON PRIOR YEARS BUT WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL ON OTHER MODEL YEARS AS IT APPEARS THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM? IF I HAD OPENED THE HOOD IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN BURNED, BLINDED OR WORSE.
FAULTY SEAT HEATER IN DRIVERS SEAT CAUSED FIRE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT IS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN. IT WAS WARMING IN THE DRIVEWAY OF OUR HOME BECAUSE OF RECENT ICE STORM. WE MANAGED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT AND IT WAS CONTAINED TO THE ONE SEAT BUT THE SEAT IS BADLY DAMAGED AND THE INTERIOR OF VAN SMELL OF BURNED WIRING. *TR
PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT LATCH FULLY, AND MAY NOT LOCK/UNLOCK, OR LATCH, AT ALL, AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 30 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. EXTERIOR HANDLE STICKS AND DOES NOT OPERATE AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 30 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THIS PROBLEM MAY OCCUR TO A LESSER DEGREE AT TEMPERATURES AS HIGH AS 40 DEGREES. THIS PRESENTS A HAZARD OF THEFT/VANDALISM FOR PARKED CARS, AND MAY ENDANGER CHILD PASSENGERS, OR OTHER VEHICLES DUE TO OBJECTS FALLING FROM AN OPENED (UNLATCHED) DOOR. DOCUMENTATION OF EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS DEFECT MAY BE FOUND AT HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?2967817. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR, MIDDLE SEAT BELT BUCKLE HAD BROKEN INTO SEVERAL PIECES. IN ADDITION, THE REAR DRIVERS SEAT BELT WOULD NOT CONNECT TO THE BASE BUCKLE HOUSING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT WOULD PROVIDE NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 150000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITHIN SIX YEARS AT 40,000 BY THE DEALER PER THE WARRANTY. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION WAS NOT WARRANTED AND VOLKSWAGEN WANTS HER TO PAY FOR $5,300. THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 119,000.
THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT LOCKS UP AND DOES NOT EXTEND ONCE LOCKED UP. ONE HAS TO UNDO AND REEL IT BACK IN AND TRY AGAIN TO PULL IT OUT. IF IT MAKES A WHIRRING SOUND AS IT IS PULLED OUT, IT WILL LOCK UP AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO TWO OF OUR VW EUROVANS - A 1999 AND A 2003 - SO I AM ASSUMING IT MIGHT BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR
NO CERTIFICATION LABELS AND INSTRUCTIONS ON AIR PRESSURE FOR THE FRONT AND REAR TIRES. DEALER STATED ,CALL THE MANUFACTURER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME CAN INFLATE FRONT TIRES AT 28 POUNDS, AND REAR TIRES AT 32 POUNDS. *AK
ON 01/09/03 I PURCHASED A 2003 VW EUROVAN & ON 01/18/09 MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ON 01/20/03 I WAS TOLD I HAD FAULTY COILS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TWO COILS THAT FAILED WERE GOING TO BE REPLACED, BUT WITH THAT CAME A WARNING THAT I HAVE A TOTAL OF 6 COILS. WHEN I PICKED UP MY PARTIALY FIXED VAN I WAS TOLD " HOPEFULLY WE CAN REPLACE ALL YOUR COILS BEFORE THIS HAPPENS TO YOU AGAIN." WHEN I CONTACTED VW DIRECTLY THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A LARGE PROBLEM THEY WERE HAVING COMPANY WIDE & AT THIS TIME THEY WERE ONLY REPLACING THE FAILED FAULITY COILS. AT THE DEALERSHIP WHEN I ASKED IF THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE DAMAGE I WAS TOLD "IT COULD".I WAS SOLD A NEW CAR WITHOUT THE KNOWLADGE OF SERIOUS FAULTY PROBLEMS THAT VW CLEARLY KNEW ABOUT. I WOULD LIKE MY NEW CAR TO NOT HAVE ANY KNOWN DEFECTS. ALL 6 COILS SHOULD BE REPLACE, FOR THE SAFTY OF MY CHILDREN, MY HUSBAND, & MYSELF.
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.
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