2003 Volkswagen Eurovan: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 15 owner complaints on record; most reports concern engine and engine cooling.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Jun 2018
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 15 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“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”Owner report · Wheels · Aug 2019
“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.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Apr 2017
“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 *tr”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Aug 2016
Show 7 more owner reports
“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.”Owner report · Engine · Jun 2016
“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.”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Aug 2011
“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. *tr”Owner report · Electrical System · Feb 2011
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen eurovan. The contact noticed that the rear, middle seat belt buckle had broken into several pieces. In addition, the rear drivers seat belt would not connect to the base buckle housing. The manufacturer was contacted but would provide no assistance. The current and failure mileages were 150000.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Apr 2010
“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. *tr”Owner report · Structure · Dec 2009
“Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen eurovan. The transmission was replaced within six years at 40,000 by the dealer per the warranty. The second transmission was not warranted and volkswagen wants her to pay for $5,300. There were no related recalls. The failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 119,000.”Owner report · Power Train · Oct 2009
“The passenger seat belt locks up and does not extend once locked up. One has to undo and reel it back in and try again to pull it out. If it makes a whirring sound as it is pulled out, it will lock up again. This has happened to two of our vw eurovans - a 1999 and a 2003 - so I am assuming it might be a common problem. *tr”Owner report · Seat Belts · Jan 2004
When filing, owners marked a crash in 0 of these complaints and injuries in 1 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
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.
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.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2003 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Eurovan by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan reliable?
NHTSA has 15 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan. The most complained-about area is engine and engine cooling.
Does the 2003 Volkswagen Eurovan have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.