7 Common Van Part Failures

Whether you use your van for work or recreation purposes, your vehicle is an important part of your life and it’s essential that it is kept in top condition. In particular if you rely on your van for your job, you’ll want to diagnose any problems you run into and resolve them as quickly as possible. We’ve compiled a list of common van problems that you may find the solutions for at our breakers yards:

Sliding Door or Hinge Problems

If your doors aren’t shutting properly, are stiff to open or are making an unusual noise while driving, they may need to be repaired or replaced.

Leaking Fuel Tank

A leaking fuel tank can be the result of damage or knocks to the tank itself. The tank will need to be replaced if it is leaking.

Engine Problems

Nobody wants to hear there is a problem with their van’s engine, but if your engine hasn’t been inspected regularly it could run into problems. In particular the pistons inside the cylinders can rust due to water getting into the carburettor and entering the cylinders. A rusty piston will prevent the engine from igniting.

Other common van engine problems include the EGR (Exhaust Gas Re-circulation) valves becoming clogged up with carbon. Symptoms include a lack of power when accelerating and black smoke coming from the exhaust.

Kingpin Failure

If your vehicle pulls to one side as you are driving you may have faulty kingpins which need to be replaced. This is a common problem with some vans.

Faulty Differential

Some vans also experience problems with the differential, identified by a whining noise during acceleration. A faulty differential will need to be replaced.

Steering Box Failure

Steering boxes have been known to fail particularly on the LDV Convoy, making the steering less smooth than it used to be. This is due to the steering box leaking, so if you find signs of a leak you will need to replace this part.

Rust

Rust is a particular problem with VW campervans, especially in the floor pans, heater channels, panels behind the rear windows, and in the rear cross members. If a part is very rusted it may need to be replaced.

If you have found any of these problems with your van, U-Pull-It can help. We have thousands of van breakers in stock including Transit vans, Mercedes vans, LDV vans and VW Transporters. Come to one of our breakers yards and source all of the van salvage parts you need to keep your vehicle on the road.