Volkswagen informs us that it's perfectly normal for the electric cooling fans on its 2005-10 models to continue to run for quite a few minutes after the engine is shut down. To be more specific, the fans can run for up to 15 minutes on vehicles equipped with gasoline engines; up to 16 minutes on vehicles with diesel engines.
Make a note of the prolonged runtime or you might try to diagnose a problem that doesn't exist!
"Factory Fixes" is written by Jim DePalma, a 30-year veteran of the auto repair business who has served stints as a service manager, parts manager and ASE-certified technician. His column provides vehicle manufacturers' authentic factory technical service bulletins (TSBs) that have been condensed for easier reading. Mr. DePalma advises that techs always check with a dealer or repair information system for the latest revisions before starting to work on a vehicle. He can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].