AI Damage1999 Volkswagen Eurovan: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Volkswagen Eurovan filed 17 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 17
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 29% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 24% of all complaints
- 3 Equipment 12% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 12% of all complaints
- 5 Visibility 12% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 5 complaints (29% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (24% of all).
- Equipment: 2 complaints (12% of all).
- Structure: 2 complaints (12% of all).
- Visibility: 2 complaints (12% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 17 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While driving and pressing brakes seat belt retractor failed, causing injuries.
The oem cd changer installed under the passenger seat of my 99 eurovan used screws that penetrated the gas tank. 8 years later, the screws in the gas tank have loosened to the point that one can smell gas odor and the engine check light goes on due to evap system leak.
While driving approximately 50 mph, the driver side cooling fan overheated and shattered. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the fan was replaced. The dealer did not offer an explanation as to what caused the failure. The contact saw numerous complaints on the same failure and believed it to be a safety defect.
The auxiliary fan blade on my eurovan cracked and flew apart into several pieces. After posting on a volkswagen website, I learned of others with the same problem. This presents a serious hazard as it could injure anyone in the vicinity when the blade breaks.
The vehicle has 2 electric radiator fans. Both plastic fan blade assemblies failed while the vehicle was underway, resulting in severe imbalance. Multiple plastic fragments were shed, which could have caused injury if it had happened while servicing the vehicle with the hood open.
1999 vw eurovan camper transmission problem. The transmission has up to 5 seconds or more delay once in drive before the transmission engages & very hard downshifts from 4th gear to 3rd (automatic). Of note were the delays & hoops that the dealer forced me through.
Consumer stated the 3rd sliding door does not close unless it is held shut and locked at the same time.
Gas fumes coming through heater/ air conditioner, and ventilation during hot weather condition. Vehicle been into dealer shop on several occasions, and problem still reoccurring.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 8,820 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 24% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Eurovan has 20 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 17, about average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Volkswagen Eurovan?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, engine and cooling, equipment. Total complaints: 17. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (18%), A/C or heater (6%), overheating, coolant loss (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Volkswagen Eurovan?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 Volkswagen Eurovan from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.