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cu52 Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2025 Posts: 9 Location: CO
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2025 9:30 am Post subject: New Eurovan owner - A few issues to sort |
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Hi All!
Just picked up an 02 weekender. Had pretty solid maintenance records and lots of big ticket items taken care of like trans rebuild etc. 226k on her and pretty clean. I come from the B5 S4/c5 allroad 2.7t world, so used to tackling projects. First VR6 for me!
Couple issues it has that I would love any input or suggestions on! I am sure more items will come up as I get into it.
1. Coolant leak seems to be passenger side. There is very little heat a bit sweet smelling, and only when at RPM. Need to sort the leak and bleed system. - This has two heater cores correct? Pretty sure this is the heater core...
2. Rear heater fan is not working. SOLVED. Need to press the rear air button on the manual climate control. Feel like an idiot!
3.Power mirrors not working, and issue with driver door lock system. driver go goes nuts when actuator is plugged in. Going to start looking at driver door wiring where it enters the body. Fuses are good. SOLVED Cleaned up the switch and they work!!
4. For some reason I cannot shift from D into 3, 2 or 1. SOLVED.. I Appear to have no idea how to shift this. Works fine.
5.There are a few plugs plugs that are not connected at the fuse box. not used to seeing that in my Audi's, so not sure if they are supposed to have a matching plug or if VW used more generic wiring for options my MV does not have.
6. Might not have any A/C - need to get gauges. without climatronic, I cannot see the pressures like I could in the B5. I can hear the A/C compressor clicking. either a leak or low pressure. SOLVED, system was low and needed a recharge.
7. Exhaust either needs a really good welding repair or a new kit. SOLVED It looks like Magnaflow has something available for an easy repair. My welding skills are terrible especially on thin metal. I found the BRExhaust from Magnaflow. Replaced the entire Cat back system. Now she is quiet, no longer straight piped past the cat!!
A couple pics!
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Last edited by cu52 on Mon Jun 02, 2025 9:09 am; edited 3 times in total |
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kourt Samba Member

Joined: August 13, 2013 Posts: 2326 Location: Austin, TX
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2025 12:33 pm Post subject: Re: New Eurovan owner - A few issues to sort |
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Nice first post.
Shifting from D to 3-2-1:
When in D rolling at speed, don't use the button to shift to 3--just pull the shifter aft. Same for 2. Then, when in 2, press the button to get into 1.
If you're going too fast, the trans will not downshift when you manually shift. You have to be rolling below certain speeds for downshift to actually work. This is to keep you from destroying the trans.
kourt |
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cu52 Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2025 Posts: 9 Location: CO
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2025 3:26 pm Post subject: Re: New Eurovan owner - A few issues to sort |
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kourt wrote: |
Nice first post.
Shifting from D to 3-2-1:
When in D rolling at speed, don't use the button to shift to 3--just pull the shifter aft. Same for 2. Then, when in 2, press the button to get into 1.
If you're going too fast, the trans will not downshift when you manually shift. You have to be rolling below certain speeds for downshift to actually work. This is to keep you from destroying the trans.
kourt |
Does this mean I cannot just start in 1 2 or 3? I'll try the above next test drive, but cannot shift into 3 2 or 1 at a standstill. |
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trunnion Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2024 Posts: 59 Location: SF Bay Area, California
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2025 3:27 pm Post subject: Re: New Eurovan owner - A few issues to sort |
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Power mirrors not working is probably due to dried grease gumming up the contacts in the switch assembly. Someone on here did a writeup on how to get it apart and cleaned up. |
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kourt Samba Member

Joined: August 13, 2013 Posts: 2326 Location: Austin, TX
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2025 5:58 pm Post subject: Re: New Eurovan owner - A few issues to sort |
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cu52 wrote: |
Does this mean I cannot just start in 1 2 or 3? I'll try the above next test drive, but cannot shift into 3 2 or 1 at a standstill. |
More explanation please. Foot on brake? Engine running? Did you shift to D, then pull down (no button) to 3 or 2, then press the button and pull down to 1? Cuz you have to do it that way. This van is not like any other car in that regard.
And maybe there is a problem, but you would not be the first to be stumped by the idiosyncrasies of the properly functioning Eurovan automatic shifter. We have to rule out operator error before we dig deeper.
Kourt |
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cu52 Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2025 Posts: 9 Location: CO
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2025 7:43 pm Post subject: Re: New Eurovan owner - A few issues to sort |
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kourt wrote: |
cu52 wrote: |
Does this mean I cannot just start in 1 2 or 3? I'll try the above next test drive, but cannot shift into 3 2 or 1 at a standstill. |
More explanation please. Foot on brake? Engine running? Did you shift to D, then pull down (no button) to 3 or 2, then press the button and pull down to 1? Cuz you have to do it that way. This van is not like any other car in that regard.
And maybe there is a problem, but you would not be the first to be stumped by the idiosyncrasies of the properly functioning Eurovan automatic shifter. We have to rule out operator error before we dig deeper.
Kourt |
THANKS.. Clearly I have no idea what I am talking about on this. Shifts just fine... I tried ot use the button to go to 3rd it appears. all good on this issue here!! 100% operator error. Got a good laugh on this "issue".
Last edited by cu52 on Mon May 26, 2025 7:47 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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cu52 Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2025 Posts: 9 Location: CO
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2025 7:47 pm Post subject: Re: New Eurovan owner - A few issues to sort |
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trunnion wrote: |
Power mirrors not working is probably due to dried grease gumming up the contacts in the switch assembly. Someone on here did a writeup on how to get it apart and cleaned up. |
Will search for this. Thank you!
EDIT: Found it: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=765420 |
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cu52 Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2025 Posts: 9 Location: CO
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Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2025 7:23 am Post subject: Re: New Eurovan owner - A few issues to sort |
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I need to start focusing on the coolant leak to confirm the heater core. I currently have the heater core bypassed and this seems to have solved most of the smells and pooling, hoping the last bits have been residual. There was never any fluid I found in the vehicle, so must have been a very small leak at the core itself. Now to get prepped for the fun of dash removal. Not excited, as I did this years ago in a b5 S4. It felt like they built the car around the heater core.
Dash out will give better access to assess the wiring in the driver door for the door locks at least.
I have found this post which has some good info, but i am searching for a little better how to. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=761186&highlight=heater+core |
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kourt Samba Member

Joined: August 13, 2013 Posts: 2326 Location: Austin, TX
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Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2025 7:26 am Post subject: Re: New Eurovan owner - A few issues to sort |
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That post is the best reference. I used it to remove my dash, rebuild my HVAC blender box, and fix a few other things.
kourt |
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HeyCrutch Samba Member
Joined: August 12, 2022 Posts: 438 Location: Asheville, North Carolina
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Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2025 7:28 am Post subject: Re: New Eurovan owner - A few issues to sort |
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I hope this link to groups.io works. It's a real treasure trove. There is a folder for heater core & dash removal.
https://groups.io/g/eurovanupdate/files?p=name%2C%2C%2C20%2C1%2C20%2C0&jump=1 _________________ -2003 EV MV Wk - Forest - 51k
-2002 EV Camper - Ghost - 82k
-2003 EV GLS - Fluffhead - 176k
-1997 EVC - 12vVR6 (SOLD 5/2025) |
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cu52 Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2025 Posts: 9 Location: CO
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Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2025 8:54 am Post subject: Re: New Eurovan owner - A few issues to sort |
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Thanks. I joined and will do some searching there also! |
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