It can happen.  But it is your reservoire is that empty not the pressurised
tank.  The level goes up and down in the tank behind the licence plate
(reservoire) and if you have a little leak somewhere, it will show, unless
the system has just cleared itself of air and replaced it with coolant.
Fill it up and keep an eye on it.  If you notice that large amount is going
away, check under the car at all of the clamps, and in the engine
compartment.  There are more than a dozen connections and any of them can
leak.  If they are all good only then could you think of the engine is using
up the water.  Sometimes the head gasket can drip-drip-drip.  Check if it
has any sign of coolant around the head or have some dried up coolant on it.
Loosing coolant is not totally uncommon with the Vanagon...
Zoltan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Kasher" <sade75@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, May 14, 2005 8:20 AM
Subject: Fw: Uh oh....No coolant in the tank

Im posting this again
----- Original Message -----
From: Tim Kasher
To: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 9:30 PM
Subject: Uh oh....No coolant in the tank

I was checking all fluid levels today after a drive on the freeway...Van ran
great....but there is no coolant in the tank just behind the license
plate.....but there is coolant in the reservoir.....I did not think it was
supposed to go bone dry like this...do I have a problemmmmsorry for the
major beginner ?'s

Tim
91Carat Automatic