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Engine coolingPart report

2002 Volkswagen Eurovan Engine cooling Problems

Complaints
11about this part
Share
31%of 35 total for the year
Median mileage
56,500miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 11 complaints about the engine cooling of the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan, 31% of the 35 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 56,500 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“I traveling approximately 25 MPH, the steering wheel and engine compartment of my 2002 vw Eurovan began to shake violently. An inspection revealed that a piece of one of the of the two radiator fans was missing. The missing piece did not go through the radiator.”

NHTSA complaint #10278750, filed 2009-07, 61,000 miles

“For the second time the cooling fan assembly on my Volkswagen vanagon (winnebago rialta conversion) has failed catastrophically. The fan blade shattered both times leaving me stranded on the side of the road when the van began shaking violently. Volkswagen refused to offer any assistance whatsoever. I notice that you have an open investigation on this issue. I would like to join that investigation as a co-complainant. In both cases this happened on one of the hottest days of the year. In alabama, this time , the heat index was over 110 degrees. …”

NHTSA complaint #10348834, filed 2010-08, 70,000 miles

“We just experienced a expensive ($4500) problem with the Volkswagen Eurovan/winnebago rialta. Actually the problem was relatively minor but became major because of the vw engineering. A sprocket that part of the camshaft chain drive assembly was worn to the point that it was almost completely rounded. This caused the timing chain to jump. The warranty is 50,000 miles. The problem started at 52, 000 miles. I had it repaired at 55,000 miles. A little research on the web shows it to be a known problem. The sprocket apparently was not properly hardened on a few of the vr-6 engines. …”

NHTSA complaint #10206177, filed 2007-10, 52,000 miles

“Radiator fans disintegrated while driving and made a hole in radiator. This is a vw Eurovan 2002, and there was a recall on this for model years 1998-2000. Vw has refused to include mine in the recall. The repair cost $2060.”

NHTSA complaint #10162741, filed 2006-07, 64,300 miles

“While traveling on a uphill paved road grade around 11 am going at a slow speed, approximately 25 MPH and the blade on the cooling fan on the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan broke off. Fan was unbalanced and began to violently shake. Engine was turned off and the fan still continued to run violently shaking the van, finally stopped and in about 5 minutes the fan turned on again violently shaking the van. Rialta has a recall for the same Volkswagen problem with fan blades separating from cooling fan. Nhtsa recall. 04v107000/Volkswagen recall no. …”

NHTSA complaint #10196406, filed 2007-07, 21,000 miles

Related service bulletins

Engine cooling: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2003320%
20021131%
2001733%
20001352%
1999424%
199717%
1995233%
1993911%

Other parts of the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan

Electrical system
8 complaintsSeats
7 complaintsBrakes
2 complaintsEngine
2 complaintsEquipment
2 complaintsTires
2 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
2 complaintsOther or unknown
1 complaintsSeat belts
1 complaintsBody and structure
1 complaintsVehicle speed control
1 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
1 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology