2001 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN Complaints

I PURCHASED, NEW, A 2001 VW EUROVAN WINNEBAGO CAMPER. IN 31,000 MILES, THE VEHICLE IS NOW ON ITS' THIRD SET OF BRAKES. MY LAST VEHICLE, A 1992 MAZDA NAVAJO; I FINALLY REPLACED BRAKES AT APPROXIMATELY 72,000 MILES. MY DRIVING IS NOT AN ISSUE WITH THE VW. EACH SET OF CAMPER BRAKES COSTS, RIGHT AT $1,500.00. VW PICKED-UP THE COST OF BRAKE SET #2 AT 17,000 MILES. AN AWA, AS THEY ARE ONLY WARRANTEED FOR 12,000 MILES. RIDICULOUS, TO BE SURE. WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING THAT THE BRAKES ARE "GOING OUT". ONCE THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON - YOU MUST REPLACE THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM, NOT JUST PADS. AT 3 SETS IN 31,000 MILES; BRAKES ALONE ARE COSTING $150.00 FOR EVERY 1,000 MILES DRIVEN. ALSO, THIS VEHICLE HAS GONE THROUGH ELEVEN TIRES IN THIS SAME TIME FRAME, DUE TO INAPPROPRIATE SHOCKS (NOT HEAVY DUTY), AND THE COLLAPSE OF A MAJOR SPRING WHICH SUPPORTS THE CAMPER IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ON THE LEFT SIDE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY OTHER VW CAMPER OWNERS WITH 2001 MODELS AND THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THINGS WITH BRAKES AND TIRES. VW AND WINNEBAGO DO NOT CARE AND WILL NOT LOWER THE PRICE OF THEIR BRAKE SYSTEMS, NOR EVEN PROVIDE THE PART NUMBERS FOR ANY HEAVY DUTY SHOCKS THAT CAN BE PUT ON THIS VEHICLE, NOT ABSORB THE COSTS OF THE VERY EXPENSIVE AND UNIQUE TIRE THAT MUST BE PUT ON THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE LOAD BEARING OF THE CAMPER PORTION. NO BRAKES SHOULD COST THIS MUCH, NO VEHICLE SHOULD GO THROUGH 11 TIRES IN 31,000 MILES. PLEASE HELP.*AK

AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILURE AT JUST OVER 25,000 MILES. OTHER VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN DRIVERS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR FAILURES, INCLUDING SEIZING OF THE COMPRESSOR, IMMEDIATE LOSS OF THE COMPRESSOR DRIVE BELT, AND A RESULTING LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.*AK

VW USED PLASTIC IN THE EUROVAN'S OIL FILTER HOUSING. DURING TWO OIL CHANGES (5,000 MILES AND THEN AT 64,000 MILES) THE PLASTIC OIL FILTER HOUSING WAS CRACKED DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGES WHICH THEN CAUSED OIL LOSS AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE DAMAGE/FAILURES. AS A RESULT OUR EUROVAN HAS SPENT 5 MONTHS IN THE SHOP FOR ONE ENGINE REBUILD AND THEN ONE ENGINE REPLACEMENT!*JB

DIOSCOVERED ONE OF FOUR BOLTS HOLDING THE REAR ANTI-SWAY BAR ON MY 2001 VW EUROVAN WAS LOOSE AND REQUIRED OVER TWO FULL TURNS BEFORE IT WAS TIGHTENED TO TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS.

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PULL OFF FROM A LIGHT VEHICLE HAD A DELAY IN ACCELERATION. DRIVER HAD TO PUSH GAS PEDAL ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THEN VEHICLE WOULD JUMP FORWARD. *AK *SC

WE ARE DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED IN VWS PRACTICE REGARDING THE RECALL OF IGNITION COIL FAILURES ON THE 2001 VW EUROVAN. IT BELIES THEIR POLICY AS STATED ON THE INTERNET THAT THEY NOTIFY OWNERS OF THE PROBLEM, HAVE SUFFICIENT PARTS IN DEALERSHIPS, AND OFFER ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION AT NO COST. INDEED OWNERS SHOULD BE ALERTED OF POTENTIAL FAILURES AND VW SHOULD HAVE PLENTY OF PARTS ON HAND TO FIX THE PROBLEM. TO DATE WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION FROM VW OF AMERICA. WE DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM WHEN THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIT UP. FORTUNATELY FOR US, THE PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL THE TAIL END OF A 10,000-MILE JOURNEY ACROSS THE U.S. AND CANADA. ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL VW DEALER, COMMUNITY VW OF SANTA MARIA, THE REPAIR PARTS ORDERED ON DECEMBER 8 WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR ANOTHER THREE WEEKS. THE OTHER LOCAL DEALER, KIMBALL MOTORS OF SAN LUIS OBISPO, IS ALSO UNABLE TO GET THE PARTS ANY FASTER. YESTERDAY, DECEMBER 18, OUR EUROVAN FAILED TO START. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HAS NOT OFFERED ANY ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION. SO WE WILL BE STRANDED FOR AT LEAST THREE WEEKS. WE CAN ONLY HOPE THOSE REPAIR PARTS WILL BE DELIVERED ON SCHEDULE. EITHER VW SHOULD LIVE UP TO THEIR STATED COMMITMENT BY PROVIDING REPAIR PARTS AND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION NOW OR RESTATE THE POLICY TO MATCH THEIR ACTIONS OF LETTING THE BUYER BEWARE. WE HAVE CONVEYED THIS INFORMATION TO VW CUSTOMER SERVICE. *AK

THE ENGINE FELL FROM THE VEHICLE DUE TO A MISSING BOLT, ALSO THE TRANSMISSION WAS INOPERATIVE. *JB THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT PRIOR TO PURCHASE. THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON, THE CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER HEARD A LOUD RATTLE AND VIEWED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHEN THE CONSUMER HAD COME TO AN INTERSECTION, WHEN ACCELERATED, THE VEHICLE HAD MADE A NOISE THEN WOULD NOT MOVE. THE BOLTS HAD SPRAYED OVER THE ROAD. SCC

WHILE TRAVELING FORWARD AT ABOUT 2 MPH, THE PROPANE GAS PRESSURE REGULATOR BRACKET CAUGHT A SMALL RISE ON A PUBLIC STREET. THE GAS PRESSURE REGULATOR BRACKET BROKE FREE OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS FORCED BACKWARD INTO THE PROPANE STORAGE TANK. THE PROPANE STORAGE TANK RUPTURED AND IMMEDIATELY EXHAUSTED ABOUT 15 POUNDS OF PROPANE. THE PROPANE TANK OBSTRUCTS THE DESIGNATED JACKING POINT ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I PLACED THE SUPPLIED JACK AS CLOSE TO THE JACKING POINT AS POSSIBLE AND PROCEEDED TO JACK UP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED ON THE JACK CAUSING VEHICLE BODY DAMAGE. I HAD JUST REMOVED MY HAND FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE WHILE RETRIEVING THE PRESSURE REGULATOR BRACKET. UPON INVESTIGATION I DISCOVERED THAT WINNEBAGO HAD FAILED TO SUPPLY A REPLACEMENT JACK AS DICTATED IN THE VOLKSWAGON OWNERS MANUAL.

BRACKET ON VEHICLE THAT HOLDS PROPANE TANK GOT CAUGHT AND ALMOST RUPTURED THAT TANK. DESIGN IS POOR ON VEHICLE FOR THAT PART. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WASA NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

STEEL RIMS HAS WELDS AND AIR IS LEAKING FROM THE TIRE. THIS CAUSES REAR TIRES TO GO FLAT. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK