NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA03-013: ENGINE COOLING FAN BLADE FAILURE

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA03-013 on August 13, 2003 and closed it on March 11, 2004. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1998–2000 Rialta Rialta for it and links recall 04V-107 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: EA03-013 (also written EA03013)
Investigation type: Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
Status: Closed March 11, 2004
Opened: August 13, 2003
Closed: March 11, 2004
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Winnebago Industries, Inc.
Component: Engine and Engine Cooling — Cooling System — Fan
Recall linked by NHTSA: 04V-107: WINNEBAGO/VOLKSWAGEN/ ENGINE COOLING FANS, reported March 4, 2004
Vehicles and equipment: 1998–2000 Rialta Rialta

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA03-013.

THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TWO ELECTRONIC COOLING FANS LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE ENGINE RADIATOR.THE RIALTA MOTORHOME IS BUILT ON A VW EUROVAN INCOMPLETE CHASSIS AND SHARES THE SAME ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING FANS AS THE EUROVAN.DATA INDICATES THAT THE COOLING FAN BLADES FAIL PREDOMINATELY ON RIALTA VEHICLES IN MODEL YEARS (MY) 1998 THROUGH 2000.

THESE VEHICLES ACCOUNT FOR 77 PERCENT OF THE WARRANTY, FIELD AND CONSUMER REPORTS FOR ALL MY 1996-2003 RIALTA VEHICLES.ALTHOUGH THE EUROVAN HAS THE SAME COOLING FANS AS THE RIALTA, IT ACCOUNTS FOR ONLY 17 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL EUROVAN AND RIALTA REPORTS.IN ITS FEBRUARY 11, 2004 DEFECT REPORT, VW STATED, THE AFFECTED WINNEBAGO RIALTA VEHICLES DIFFER FROM VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN VEHICLES THAT USE THE SAME COMPONENT DUE TO A SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED DUTY CYCLE OF THE COOLING FAN AND SERVICE METHODS THAT MAY AFFECT THE COOLING FAN.RIALTA VEHICLES ARE LARGER AND APPROXIMATELY 1,700 POUNDS HEAVIER THAN EUROVAN VEHICLES, AND THEREFORE THE COOLING FAN CAN SEE INCREASED DUTY CYCLES IN SEVERE OPERATING CONDITIONS SUCH AS DRIVING IN HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES OR IN STEEP MOUNTAINOUS AREAS.ACCORDINGLY, VW WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL ON THE 1998-2000 RIALTA POPULATION TO REPLACE THE COOLING FANS.THE COOLING FANS IN MY 1996 AND 1997 ARE A DIFFERENT DESIGN WITH A SMALLER FAN MOTOR AND BLADE.IN MODEL YEAR 2001 THE ENGINE SIZE WAS INCREASED FROM 140 HP TO 204 HP IN BOTH VEHICLES.THE LARGER ENGINE REDUCES THE DUTY CYCLE OF THE COOLING FAN IN SEVERE OPERATING CONDITIONS.VW WILL ALSO SEND TO OWNERS A WARNING LABEL TO AFFIX TO ALL RIALTA AND EUROVAN VEHICLES.THE LABEL ADVISES TECHNICIANS TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO APPLY FORCE ON THE COOLING FANS WHILE SERVICING THESE VEHICLES.VW WILL RECALL 2,563 MY 1998-2000 RIALTA VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF A TOTAL OF 138 WARRANTY, FIELD AND CONSUMER REPORTS FOR THESE VEHICLES.THE RECALL IS IDENTIFIED BY NHTSA NUMBER 04V-107.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA03-013. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Rialta

Rialta Rialta
- 1998, 1999, 2000

All Rialta recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA03-013

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.