Engine check light

[Rubbadub]

That's very disappointing. Let's hope they sort you out properly this time. Whilst I understand the inclination to spend the least money to fix warranty problems, surely a satisfied customer who might recommend - or who knows, buy another VAG product - is worth more to a company in the long run.

[Difinity]

Yeah. I reckon I'll probably never consider a VAG product again, and I'm still considering a long legal battle to recover my costs and losses.


Difinity

[VW Convert]

Update:
Sorry Umai, engine's a bloody dud. Must disagree too - it is completely unacceptable to have a modern engine fail in this way and so early in its life cycle. It is even more unacceptable to take 12 weeks to 'fix' it. If I wanted a car that spends more time in the workshop than on the road, I'd have bought an old Jag or something.
As for the update - back on a tow truck just 1,190 kms post build with the ECR (engine light) back on. Dealer confirms a misfire (cyl 1 this time), but bloody claims that Skoda 'allows for a misfire after a rebuild'. Reality is a rough running car, with an uneven vibration you can feel in the wheel and seat, about +20% increase in fuel use (was 5.9-6.1, now >8-10 l/100), and seems to have lost power. My 'seat-of-the-pants' dyno thinks about 10-15%...
Would have been better if they'd just replaced the engine in the first place. This bloody saga has some time to run yet, and if lost all confidence in the car and VW in general.


Difinity

I'm staggered to read this ongoing saga and whilst I'm not in agreeance about it being unacceptable for an engine to fail in this way (any manufactured item is a chance to fail) the process to fix the problem has been nothing short of disgraceful.

I would not have been as patient as you, I would have been directly corresponding with the MD of both Skoda Aust and VW Aust many weeks ago. What seems to be happening here is total incompetence in the administrative process and now also in the repair process.

I would be heading straight to the top right now asking for a new engine and compensation for your financial and other losses.


Cheers

George

[Difinity]

I have. VW have refused. My lawyer is assisting now...

As for engine failure - given the engine is nearly new (<3yrs), and that VW acknowledged an overheating and oil issue in a 2012 service bulletin (not for public release no less), and my car was built in 2013, it is totally unacceptable that the same, known and acknowledged problem should occur, and not be properly addressed. My attitude would be different if the evidence clearly suggested this was a one off, in which case an effective and fast repair would have been appropriate. In fact, my Indy repairer quotes a 100% failure rate for this motor, going back to 2005, and my dealer agrees. The service manager said in person that they expect to see this issue somewhere between 5-95,000 ks for this engine.
While the dealer may be under some legal obligation to not be transparent about the repair, VW certainly is not and has refused access to the repair report, stating that as its a warranty repair they are not obliged to disclose. Advice was that a discovery hearing would most likely be vigorously defended as well - so I cannot afford to sue in my own right. We'll see what happens after the f**king engine fails again...


Difinity

[Difinity]

Truth is that if I was not tied into a lease contract where the repaired car is worth less than my payout, I'd have sold it 3 weeks ago and got something not VW instead.
It is however the appalling and offensive approach taken by VW re their liability in this whole bloody episode which has upset me more than anything else.

For the mechs out here:
As far as I'm concerned, breaking one piston and failing the engine is not properly repaired by replacing just that one piston. Now I have 3 Pistons with 67,000 k's wear and one with 1,200 K's wear. No wonder there is a vibration. Also, modern engines are not supposed to be expected to fail because of an inherent design fault. VW should have replaced the whole engine immediately given the circumstances.


Difinity

[Difinity]

Got to test on a return run Canberra - Sydney yesterday.
ECM light on twice (flickering). Car stumbling and rough running at low speeds and unable to hold pace using cruise control.
Slowed >15km/h when I took my foot off the pedal - this is a new behaviour.
Fuel consumption still AV 7.8-10 l/100 (needed 1.5 tanks for the trip - used to use less than 1).
Oil temp hovering around 100 degrees @ 100-110 km/h and 20 deg ambient (coming home last night). Car is smoother at 2.9-3k rpm than at lower speeds)




Difinity

[mmmRacer]

Did the car run ok again after restart?

[Difinity]

Not as bad as the Friday night, but bad vibration all the time.


Difinity

[Difinity]

Car back with the dealer again.
So far, VAG and the dealer have been unable or unwilling to rectify the significant problems with this car over a 16 week period. Today, it has the same problems it exhibited in Oct, despite an apparent engine rebuild. Additionally, the cruise control no longer works, fuel usage is 16% higher than before and power seems to be about 20-30% down. The vibration makes the car uncomfortable and the misfires and stumbling risk an accident in traffic. So far, this case has been off the road or faulty 11% of the time I've owned it.
I could understand this if I'd bought a 50 yr old Jag but I bought from VAG on the apparently mistaken understanding of superior reliability and engineering quality.
Not happy Jan!


Difinity

[brad]

I'd be starting to exercise my statutory warranty rights.

[Difinity]

Seems there are very few statutory rights here. Aust does not have a 'lemon' law, so it is up to the manufacturer and dealer to take appropriate action. Then there's legal action - that's out of my capacity to pay, though there are some remedies available - I'm working through those now...


Difinity

[brad]

have a look on the ACCC website. All your statutory rights are there.

[Difinity]

One month in and the ECR has come on again twice this week. Car is back with the dealer - for some days most likely.
Best bit is the call I got this afternoon from some poor person in service: 'Mr B, I am calling to let you know that while we are still working though to identify the problem with your car, the problem is not with the engine.'
I asked then - so the problem causing an engine misfire is not the engine? 'Yes, that is correct.'
Thank you and finished the call.

Seriously, a misfire problem isn't the engine? What is it then, the wiper control or the left rear wheel?

This is specialisation gone nuts. There may well be an issue with an ancillary (like maybe the supercharger or the engine mgt software or excess oil in the cylinder again or something) but to claim that is not the 'engine' simply takes me for a fool. Not happy Jan.


Difinity

[Difinity]

Looking at the injectors now - have to take then (sans car) to Sydney for testing.
Will be interesting to see what is found...


Difinity

[LukePolo]

Just had a quick read over some of your issues - I think you should contact Fair Trading regarding your issue

Now we don't have a lemon law as such in Australia but dealership pushback is something that they specialise in dealing with.

In the past I had a Holden Cruze which went back for warranty 27 times in the 54 weeks I owned it.

In the end after Holden gave me a very similar muck around to what you've dealt with, I contacted Fair Trading who acted as a mediator and things started to finally happen. I was refunded my money for the vehicle, less interest and depreciation on the 38K that I did on the car.

As soon as a case is opened with Fair Trading they will be able to shake VAG/ Your dealership enough to get a permanent non muck around final fix... It isn't like VW haven't seen your types of problems before...