NHTSA Complaint #10143628 — 2000 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN

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