WA Golf wagon, 118TSI DSG. At present, Das Auto is Kaput

[adhock]

Gday from Perth's northern beach suburbs. The car is the 'retirement purchase'. Late 2010 build, from Mexico, love(d) it more than any car since a Renault 12 wagon 35 years ago. Contemplating its second service in 6 weeks, at about 25000 km, when last Sunday the misfire struck... New motor time. Maybe I should have waited for the diesel rather than settling for the petrol that was in stock. 20/20 hindsight.

I got here by digging round to find out why a sudden misfire was so fatal. The service manager couldn't be friendlier or more helpful, but ours was the fourth dead engine for the week.

[Lucas_R]

Golf wagon, 118TSI DSG. At present, Das Auto is Kaput

Sorry to hear - but these 118TSI engines are dropping like flies. Hopefully warranty will cover everything.

Hopefully you will have better luck with the 7 speed DSG, although these also have a habit of failing too.

[adhock]

No mention of any cash input by me, so I assume warranty covers the lot. VW is also going to cover a hire car (prob a Getz or similar!) while ours is off the road. It's a pity, since I love the car otherwise, apart from the 'Candy Brown' - one stage off beige.

[adhock]

New engine now fitted apparently - very fast. Happy with loaner car ( a Passat from Europcar - wish I'd stumped up the extra for it originally). See how the new Golf goes... Be nice to have a new car warranty on the engine, but from forum trawling that seems unlikely.

[adhock]

Car is back. Do we trust it? Trip over east (easy ask)??? On the Nullarbor (part of easy ask)? Hmm.

Perfomed well on 100km return trip to Yanchep this arvo - running the new engine in, like a new car. Unofficial word from dealer is that VW Australia offers 5 years on the engine and DSG transmission (after I asked dealer about how much warranty the new engine had, as 16 months of the original warranty didn't really seem very assuring), but the unofficial implication to me is that if I don't service thru a dealer vs an external VW specialist is I can forget the 5 year bit. Oh Well.

[Transporter]

Unofficial word from dealer is that VW Australia offers 5 years on the engine and DSG transmission (after I asked dealer about how much warranty the new engine had, as 16 months of the original warranty didn't really seem very assuring), but the unofficial implication to me is that if I don't service thru a dealer vs an external VW specialist is I can forget the 5 year bit. Oh Well.

I bet you, they wouldn't put it in writing, because it's ilegal to say that. As long as the car is serviced as per the VW shedule, the new car warranty is inatct. The secondly, if the servicing has nothing to do with the failure the warranty applies anyway. For anyone wanting more info on that topic, just check the ACCC.

..link here; http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rc...43287494,d.dGY

[Lemonskin]

I die a little every time I see a story of another 118TSI engine dying. I hope my 132TSI engine doesn't suffer the same fate.

[AdamD]

I bet you, they wouldn't put it in writing, because it's ilegal to say that. As long as the car is serviced as per the VW shedule, the new car warranty is inatct.

That is true, however the 5-year portion is no doubt VW's new goodwill 5-year driveline (actually, I thought it was just DSG gearboxes - bit hazy on this detail) component warranty. As far as I know, it's not yet in the official documentation and isn't being promoted as an official factory 5 year warranty, but if you have issues within 5 years of delivery (for cars delivered new since 2009), then the dealer can recommend a goodwill warranty claim with VWA, but will typically only do so if the car has been serviced through the VW dealer network.

http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/f40/5-year-vw-driveline-warranty-includes-dsg-80877.html

[geoff_gti]

Hi adhock, hope the fault has been resolved and you don't have any more dramas!

It's not unheard of for dealers to provide you an extended warranty either on the condition they service the vehicle, over and above the original factory warranty. (although that may only apply to 2nd hand sales???)

[adhock]

Oh well. First the engine, now the transmission it seems....

Car goes in for non-engine items (after all, that's only 1500 km old) service today, with comment about rubbing noise when turning right. Dealer phones back - need to pull drivetrain to bits, maybe it's the transmission. Time for $15 000 cash loss perhaps. Can't trust VW Golf 118TSI, much as I'd like to.

[gavs]

Golf wagon, 118TSI DSG. At present, Das Auto is Kaput

I'm sorry adhock but I looks like you have fallen victim to the legendary (lack of) Volkswagen reliability. Unfortunaty as a fairly long time VW enthusiast, this specific engine and gearbox combination (as well as the other oil burning 2-stroke engines they sell, an dodgy dq250 gearboxes...) has forced me to the point of no only turning people away from VW/skoda/Audi but to the point of instead of actually enjoying my car, I dread even starting because I'm just waiting for something to fail.

Good luck my friend, don't even think of trading it in though, a friend with a 2009 polo GTI was offered $8000 trade in at a competitor manufacture's dealership because of the known issues with the model, they didn't believe they could re-sell it

[adhock]

Forgot to mention before: sitting next to me as I waited for check-in this morning was another poor soul in the midst of being told her beloved 118TSI engine was kaput after 2 years and 15000 km. This time high australian temperatures were being blamed as well as overly lean tuning. Like me, she bought the car as a long-term investment. Like me, she is somewhat devastated. The lack of public profile of the problem is amazing.

I'm thinking of trying to get VW badge sized decals of lemons and applying them appropriately at front and rear.

[gavs]

Golf wagon, 118TSI DSG. At present, Das Auto is Kaput

I have many, many times contacted media outlets only to fall on deaf ears. I guess when your adrvertising budget is as big as VW's is, you can buy a lot of good press...

Yes, the fuel delivery is far too lean. I have spoken to many tuning companies and they have all said the same thing.

[adhock]

It isn't the advertising budget. It's the total lack of acknowledgement. 'This is VW Customer Feedback, thank you for your feedback'. Aaaargh! Bland impersonal 'I don't care, but thank you anyway' messages don't help, just make the victim of poor manufacturing decisions stroppier. I am severely annoyed at having to face a $20 000 cash bath to get out of a car I love but can't trust given my experiences and other people's posts on these forums. Small biccies to VW Australia, but two years more work til I can retire if you want to make it personal.

[THE_EGG]

This is STILL happening?????? Damn I feel for every VW owner who has these issues. Mine was the DQ250 gearbox issue and turbocharger leak (66TDI Polo) back in 2011. No help from anyone at VW either except for the mechanic who unfortunately couldn't do much because of VWA.

I hope they pull their finger out and start fixing their issues soon. Good luck with your motor mate.