NHTSA Complaint #10275797 — 2001 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN

TRAVELING WITH TWO OTHER RIALTA MOTOR HOMES VISITING JOSHIA TREE NP WHEN I HEARD A BANGING SOUND LIKE SOMETHING HITTING UNDER MY RIALTA. I IMMEDIATELY NOTED AN INCREASE IN WATER TEMPERATURE AND THEN THE RED WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, OPENED THE HOOD, BUT COULD NOT SEE A BUSTED HOSE, BUT THERE WAS ANTIFREEZE ON THE GROUND. I HAD A SPARE GALLON WITH ME AND FILLED THE RESERVOIR TO RECOMMENDED LEVEL, DROVE ABOUT 3-4 MILES AND HAD TO REPEAT PROCEDURE. AGAIN I WENT ABOUT 3-4 MILES AND HAD TO USE WATER THIS TIME. A PARK RANGER GAVE ME THE NAME OF A REPAIR SHOP IN TWENTYNINE, PALMS WHICH WAS ABOUT 3 MILES AWAY. I REFILLED THE RESERVOIR WITH WATER TO GET ME TO THE SHOP. UPON INSPECTION, A HOLE WAS FOUND IN THE RADIATOR. WHEN THE COOLING SYSTEM WAS DISMANTLED, ONE COOLING FAN HAD COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED AND THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE SHROUD APPARENTLY WHERE PART OF THE FAN BRACKET THAT HAD BROKEN OFF WENT THROUGH THE SHROUD INTO THE RADIATOR. PARTS HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR, SHROUD, BRACKET AND ONE NEW FAN. THE OTHER FAN HAS A CHIP OUT OF ONE BLADE BUT IS NOT BROKEN. A FRIEND TOLD ME OF A RECENT RECALL FROM VW (ASSIGNED RECALL NO. 04V-107) REGARDING FAILURE OF THE ENGINE COOLING FANS, WHICH MAY FRACTURE AND BREAK APART. I HAVE ALSO NOTED THAT THE BRACKET PARTS NUMBER HAS CHANGED FROM 7D0-121-206A TO A 7D0-121-206D. ONE CAN DEFINITELY SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO, WITH THE LATER BEING REDESIGNED AND REINFORCED. I PURCHASED THE RIALTA IN APRIL OF 2001. THE BRACKET, SHROUD AND RADIATOR ARE AVAILABLE, BUT I PREFER NOT TO CARRY THE RADIATOR WITH ME DUE TO SPACE CONSTRAINTS AND WEIGHT. I AM TRAVELING FOR AT LEAST TWO MORE MONTHS. PLEASE NOTE: THIS IA WINNEBAGO RIALTA ON A VOLKSWAGEN ENGINE. THE REPAIR SHOP MAY RETAIN THE RADIATOR IF NECESSARY. BAILEY'S AUTO REPAIR AND TOWING. TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA 92277. 760/367-7716. ASK FOR FRED. *TR