2000 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN Engine And Engine Coolingcooling Systemfan Problems

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

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...

2000 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN ENGINE COOLING FAN BROKE APART.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE CONSUMER PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION HE NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE COOLING FANS HAD BROKEN. THE CONSUMER DID SOME RESEARCH ABOUT FOUND OUT THAT 1998-2000 EUROVANS HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM BUT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *NM

THREE TIMES IN THE LAST 3 YEARS (2003-2005) I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY ENGINE COOLING FANS ON A 2000 VW EUROVAN, TWICE BECAUSE THEY EXPLODED. IN EACH CASE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE WAS INCURRED DUE TO THE FLYING PIECES OF FAN. THE VW DEALERS (IN NJ, VA/FL, AND PA) ASSERTED THAT THERE WAS NO HISTORY OF THIS OCCURRING, DESPITE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN VW AND NHTSA IN 2003. *NM

I AM AN OWNER OF 2000 VOLKSWAGON CAMPER OWNER. MY ENGINE COOLING FANS CAME APART. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY IT IS NOT RECALLED. IN MAY 2004, I RECEIVED FROM VOLKSWAGEN A STICKER TO PUT AT THE SIDE OF THE HOOD FOR WARNING THE ENGINE COOLING FANS MAY CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY. IT WAS NOT A RECALL NOTICE. ON JULY 4 WEEKEND, I PLANNED WITH THE FAMILY FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA SHAVER LAKE FOR A RETREAT. WE DRIVE UP ON ROUTE 168. SUDDENLY WE HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM OUR 2000 VW CAMPER. WE ASK EACH OTHER WHAT IT WAS. WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE HIT UNDERNEATH THE CAMPER. WE STILL CONTINUED ON OUR WAY. WITHIN FEW MINUTES, ANOTHER LOUD NOISES AGAIN. WE KNOW THAT MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAMPER. WE PULL TO THE SIDE AND I COULD HEAR A HUM SOUND THAT I...

COOLING FAN BLADE BROKE INTO PIECES, CAUSING A PIECE TO WEDGE BETWEEN THE SERPENTINE BELT, CAUSING LACK OF POWER INSIDE OF VEHICLE. *AK PIECES OF THE COOLING FAN BLADE ALSO CUT THE ELECTRICAL WIRES AND VACUUM LINES. *PH *NLM

OUR RIALTA 2000 HD HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAN FAILURE ON JUNE 6, 2003. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN LATE AFTERNOON WHILE THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS ABOVE 100 DEGREES. THE A/C WAS RUNNING FULL SPEED AND WE WERE ASCENDING THE SISKIYOU SUMMIT SOUTH OF ASHLAND, OR. THE FIRST SYMPTOM WAS A THUD AS IF WE HAD RUN OVER SOMETHING, BUT THERE HAD BEEN NOTHING IN THE ROAD. I SAW WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A PIECE OF ONE OF THE FANS BOUNCING IN THE ROAD BEHIND US. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NOT A VEHICLE DIRECTLY BEHIND US. ANY SUCH CLOSE FOLLOWING VEHICLE COULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY THIS PIECE OF ENGINE DEBRIS. WITHIN SECONDS WE NOTICED THE A/C FAILING AND THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE CLIMBING. WE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. HOT STEAM WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE STEAM WAS FROM THE COOLANT OVERFLOWING IN THE...

DRIVING UP THE MOUNTAIN DURING AFTERNOON AND PRIMARY COOLING FAN SELF DISINTEGRATED INTO PIECES WHICH KNOCK OFF SECONDARY A/C FAN AND CAUSED OVERHEAT. AFTER LETTING ENGINE COOL OFF, RECONNECTED SECONDARY FAN AND CONTINUE ON TRIP FOR ANOTHER 30 MILES, THEN AAIR CONDITIONING FAN ALSO SELF DISINTEGRATED. VEHICLE IS A 2000 VW EUROVAN CONVERSION TO WINNEBAGO RIALTA 2001 WITH 15,000 MILES. IF REPLACEMENT ARE DONE BY DEALERSHIP, THE SAME PROBLEM WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN UNLESS THIS FAN PROBLEM ARE INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA AND MANDATORY RECALL ISSUED AND REPLACEMENT WITH BETTER FANS DONE BY DEALERSHIPS. DUE TO MOST OF THIS DISINTEGRATION HAPPENS DURING CLIMBING UPHILL, OVERHEATING, CUTTING OF HOSES AND CUTTING OF WIRING AND LOSS OF VEHICLE ARE POSSIBLE, THUS POSSESS REAL DANGER FOR ANYONE WHICH HAS THESE VEHICLES. SIMPLE REPLACEMENT OF SAME TYPE OF FANS WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM AS IT WILL ONLY HAPPEN AGAIN DOWN THE ROAD. *AK

ON JUNE 13, 2003 BOTH OF OUR RIALTAS ELECTRIC COOLING FANS SELF DESTRUCTED AFTER STARING THE DESCEND DOWN EAGLE RIDGE MOUNTAIN IN TN. AFTER A FEW SCARY MINUTES MY WIFE SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATED THE RV TO SAFETY WITH MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND SISTER ABOARD. BECAUSE OF THE MISSING BLADES THE UNIT CONTINUED TO VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY FOR FIVE MINUTES UNTIL IT COOLED DOWN. TWENTY MINUTES LATER MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE WORKING IN IDLE UNTIL THE COOLING FAN ATTEMPTED TO START ITS COOLING FUNCTION AGAIN. MY WIFE CALLED A TENNESSEE HIGHWAY HELPER WHO STOPPED TO LOOK AT THE UNIT AND IMMEDIATELY NOTED THE MISSING FAN BLADES AND CALLED FOR A TOW. THE RIG WAS TOWED TO VW OF CHATTANOOGA TENNESSEE WHO UPON INSPECTION DETERMINED IT NEEDED NEW FAN BLADES WHICH THEY DID NOT HAVE IN STOCK. TO HELP EXPEDITE THE PARTS I ALSO...

THERE ARE (2) ELECTRIC MOTOR FANS WHICH WENT INTO AN OVERSPEED CONDITION WHEN VAN WAS DRIVEN THROUGH HIGH ALTITUDES. FANS DISINTEGRATED, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.*AK