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 worst 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Engine4
- Body2
- Electrical2
- Locks2
- Seat belts2
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine4
- Body2
- Electrical2
- Locks2
- Seat belts2
- Seats2
- Suspension1
- Transmission1
- Wheels1
Recalls 1
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2003 Volkswagen Passat sedan, Jetta, Jetta wagon, Golf, EuroVan, EuroVan Camper Van and EuroVan Chassis vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began May 2, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑893‑5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69X3.
Recall number 18V406000 · Recall details
See all 1 recalls for the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan
Defect investigations
Engine cooling fan blade fracture
The subject vehicles are built on a volkswagen eurovan chassis and are class c motor homes. On september 5, 2007, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation as rq 07-002 after receiving four consumer reports of fan blade failure on model year 2002 winnebago rialta and vista vehicles.as a result of additional information received from volkswagen in response to rq 07-002, the investigation was upgraded to engineering analysis (ea) 08-002.the scope of the ea investigation was also expanded to cover model years 2001 through 2004 rialta and vista, 2002 through 2004 sunstar, and 2001 through 2003 eurovan.all of these vehicles utilize the same engine cooling fan.however, the winnebago vehicles are larger and heavier than the eurovan.as a consequence, the cooling fan would operate more frequently in the winnebago vehicles compared to the eurovan for the same on-road operating conditions.analysis of the available data concerning the problem experience indicates that it predominately affects the my 2002 winnebago models.winnebago accounts for 79% of all the reports, but represents only 23% of the total subject vehicle population.the majority of the winnebago reports are for the model year 2002 (64%).the data show a declining report trend, particularly for the 2002 winnebago.reports on the 2002 winnebago reached a high of 11 reports in calendar year 2005, dropping to three reports in 2006,two reports in 2007, and one report in 2008.an existing safety related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
EA08002
Engine cooling fan blade fracture
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation based on four reportsalleging failure of an engine cooling fan in the subject vehicles.three of the complainants alleged the fan disintegrated and two of the three alleged the radiator was damaged as a result.the fourth complainant alleged that his vehicle experienced violent shaking and overheating.when the vehicle was inspected, it was noted that pieces of the fan were missing.all four vehicles were class c motor homes built on a volkswagen eurovan chassis.two of the vehicles are rialta models and two are vista models.based onadditional information received from volkswagen odi is upgrading this investigation toengineering analysis ea 08-002 for further study.
RQ07002
Technical service bulletins for the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan 128
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards
- Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
- Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
- Update model year applicability to include 2023.
- Battery testing and charging using special tools VAS6161 & GRX3000VAS Charger
- This bulletin contains general instructions for software updates.
- Update engine oil quality standard lists (attachments)
- Tool number added to table
- Updated to include additional models and model year applicability.
- Update vehicle metadata to include pull ahead models
2003 Volkswagen Eurovan fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.8L 6‑cyl | FWD | 14-15 | 18 | 16 |
What 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Compare the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan
Other model years
Questions about the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan
Is the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan reliable?
Owners have filed 15 complaints about the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan, fewer than a typical Eurovan model year.
What is the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan year score?
The 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan scores 77 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Volkswagen Eurovan: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan?
Engine and cooling, with 4 complaints. Next is body (2).
How many recalls does the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan have?
1 recall, covering air bags.
What year does the Volkswagen Eurovan have bad engine?
The Volkswagen Eurovan model years with the most engine complaints are 2000 (13 complaints) and 2002 (13 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan get?
Official estimates for the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan range from 16 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.8L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 14-15 city and 18 highway.
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