1990 Volkswagen Vanagon

WHEN THE WEATHER TURNED COLD THE JUNCTION OF A SMALL, PLASTIC FUEL LINE WITH AN OVERLAPPING RUBBER FUEL LINE (HELD TOGETHER WITH A LARGE CRIMP CONNECTOR) STARTED TO LEAK DIRECTLY ON THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP. THE RUBBER IN THE FUEL LINE HAD DEGRADED AND CRACKED. THIS CRIMP CONNECTOR COULD NOT BE TIGHTENED OR EASILY REPLACED TO ELIMINATE THE LEAK. MANY EUROVAN OWNERS ON THE INTERNET HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR FUEL LEAKS. I COULDN'T AFFORD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR SO I REPLACED THE DEGRADED RUBBER HOSE MYSELF, USING RUBBER HOSE FROM AN AUTO PARTS STORE AND SCREW-TYPE STAINLESS STEEL HOSE CLAMPS. *AK

MY 1990 VW VANAGON HAD NUMEROUS OCCASIONS OF INTERMITTENT POWER LOSSES FROM THE TIME OF PURCHASE IN 1990 UNTIL DECEMBER 1998 WHEN VW PART NUMBER 025906302A WAS INSTALLED. SEVERAL OF THESE POWER LOSSES RESULTED IN NEAR ACCIDENTS, ONCE WHEN PASSING A SLOW MOVING TRUCK ON A TWO LANE INTERSTATE WITH ANOTHER TRUCK RIGHT BEHIND ME, SUDDENLY THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STOPPED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. ONLY THE ALERTNESS OF THE TRUCK DRIVER BEHIND ME IN SLOWING QUICKLY PREVENTED AN ACCIDENT. THE JACKSON WY DEALER COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. ON A RECENT TRIP TO WYOMING FROM CALIFORNIA THE INTERMITTENT POWER LOSSES REOCCURRED. AN INDEPENDENT (VW TRAINED) MECHANIC IN JACKSON INFORMED ME THAT A DESIGN DEFECT WHICH AFFECTED ALL VW VANAGONS FROM 1985 ON REQUIRED A NEW WIRING HARNESS TO THE ENGINE AIR CONTROL SYSTEM. THE VW DEALER IN IDAHO FALLS CONFIRMED THAT ALL SUCH WIRING HARNESSES SHOULD BE REPLACED, BUT STATED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT AS THERE WAS NO RECALL BY VW. THE PROBLEM IS EXPLAINED IN THE VW TECHNICAL BULLETIN 24 93-07 DATED NOVEMBER 15, 1993. VW HAS REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE PART (APPROXIMATELY $140) ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT THERE WAS NO GOVERNMENT MANDATED RECALL. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER VW'S WHICH ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN HAVE THIS SAME DEFECT. VW SHOULD INFORM ALL OF THOSE OWNERS AS THEY SHOULD HAVE INFORMED ME AND VW SHOULD REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESSES AT NO COST TO THOSE OWNERS. SINCE THIS DESIGN DEFECT IS ADMITTED BY VW TO CAUSE INTERMITTENT POWER LOSSES WHICH OBVIOUSLY CAN LEAD TO ACCIDENTS IN MANY SITUATIONS, IT WOULD SEEM MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THE DOT TO ORDER THIS RECALL. IF DOT CONSIDERS THAT THIS IS JUST AN ECONOMIC PROBLEM AFFECTING A CLASS OF CONSUMERS AND NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM NECESSITATING A RECALL THEN PLEASE INFORM ME OF THIS DECISION. *AK