Golf 118 TSI Engine Failures and Service Campaign 24S4

[briby]

Looks like we add another one. My sisters car, bought second hand early December 2017. Taken in today to the Mitsubishi dealer she bought it from, for slight oil usage and rough idle. They have rang her already with sorry #1 cylinder low compression, will replace all 4 pistons and labor under used car warranty, no haggling so good on them.
Should she mention VWA goodwill or just go with used car warranty?

Update, just got back from the Mitsubishi dealer. Mechanics there know mech's at the local VW dealer, so car is going there to have a new engine fitted. Much better result than piston replacement.

[tigger73]

Update, just got back from the Mitsubishi dealer. Mechanics there know mech's at the local VW dealer, so car is going there to have a new engine fitted. Much better result than piston replacement.

Good result all around. That way the dealer you bought the car from has to sort out the repairs.


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[briby]

Good result all around. That way the dealer you bought the car from has to sort out the repairs.


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Exactly

[Flipfeet]

Update on my 2012 Golf: VW have agreed to cover all costs of piston replacement under Goodwill. Could debate whether it is goodwill or faulty car but not going to look a gift horse in mouth. Customer service has been less than ideal - have had my car for over 3 weeks and still no courtesy car - driving a borrowed 88 prelude with no air con Will get it back next week and then planning to sell it, just so disappointed in car and service from VW.

[Dapin]

Our experince with the notorious 118 TSI engine.
Golf Convertible purchased new from a Newcastle NSW dealer early 2012. 10/2011 build date. Now has ~120k on the clock.
Serviced by dealer and local mechanic. Wife's car.

Xmas 2017 engine warning lights came on, wife stopped car and rang dealer, advised to get it towed to them, which she did.

Advised by dealer that they would assess problem by stripping engine and advising this would cost $975. They did admit ther had been issues with this model engine.
After speaking with the Service Manager (who said they would do their best to get VW to cover the costs, but, no guarantee) we gave the go ahead to strip the engine. We were also told a loan car was available but, we didn't require it.
Two weeks later the dealer rang and said the car is ready to pick up at no charge.

This is a great result from the dealer and VW. Also thanks to Kaliani for putting the table together, this gave us the confidence to go ahead and try for the outcome we achieved.

[05_ENFORCER]

Hi all

I have been eyeing a 2013 118TSI golf for the past few weeks which has done 50 000 km for a pretty good price (13k).
After reading this thread, a few alarm bells are starting to go off in my head.

What is the consensus for 2013 models? It seems like a lot of problems are from the 2010 models. Can anyone offer an opinion?

Cheers
Anton

Buy it, you won't look back. up to late 2011 is a problem.

[webup]

Hi All

The software update does anyone have any info on this and what its called etc?
If a 2009 TSI came into a VW franchise dealer for a service would they not check and if needed perform the update?

[lokomotif]

Hey there,

Did anyone have any problem with 2012 onwards engines(CTHD I suppose?) Checked most of the thread but seems like there is none

I'm looking for a 2013 118TSI btw

[Jezlobba]

Quick update. We have a cracked piston in Cylinder 4. The dealer has just written to VW Australia. I will report back.

In the meantime, I did a bit of research through these threads to pin down the number of successful cases where VW have coverd the cost of all or part cost of repairs. I went back to January this year and tracked each instance. I thought I would share here as a resource for others.

The short story is that between January and October 2017 - as far as I can see - there were 15 instances where VWA covered the entire cost of the repair and two cases where they covered only part of the cost - in both cases this was due to patchy servicing, high KMs. One case where no costs covered.
Please correct me if I've missed anything. Here is the table I made. I thought it might be worth keeping a running tally. I'll update when I know the outcome of my claim:

FULL COST COVERED
Church
Redhot
Lachlan MC
Anapo
Bensi
Svandas (including a loan car)
Billables
Saveferris
Ellwith
Axyl
Nick123
JoshDC
Zackzorr
theHawk

PART COSTS
1/2 Costs - smokiebear
75% cost Sosotired

NOT COVERED
sixbolt

So another one here GOLF 2011 TSI 118, purchased second hand in 2016 at 65,000km now at 90,000km

Started shuddering in idle 4 weeks ago.
Oil light 2 weeks later, filled with 1 litre
Oil light again within 2 weeks, another litre
Engine light the next day on and off.

Booked in to dealer and reached out to VWA via email. Next day have been offered free diagnostics and complimentary loan car at this point.

Have dropped car off, awaiting loan car hopefully later this week.

Dealer not agreeing with me on piston issues and keeps diverting it to another possible issue. Maybe playing it safe? After reading this thread I can’t see it being something else. Happy with response so far.

UPDATED OUTCOME:

OK so 2 cracked pistons. Bore not damaged so was a rebuild. 4 new pistons, bearings etc. Also changed water pump which was causing a high pitch squeak on acceleration. Loan car was from Europcar. No cost apart from a service which car was due for. Car is running like a dream. Incredible service from VWA and the dealer at Southern Volkswagen.

[mikmik1401]

I've got a 2011 Golf 118TSI with approx 90,000km, second owner.

A few weeks back, the engine started making this loud ticking sound. Didn't drive it again until I took it to the VW dealer I've been getting it serviced at. Lets call them dealer A.

They quoted me 1700 to disassemble, diagnose, and reassemble the engine.

So, they got into the engine yesterday, and when they called me, they said it was very obvious that in the past another mechanic had been into the engine, because bolts were missing/wasn't put back together correctly. A rocker arm had literally fallen out of place and was just doing whatever it wanted on top of the cylinder head. They said that I should try to track down the mechanic that was into the engine before, because it needs a new engine. The failed rocker arm caused scoring to the engine.

See pic:
118 - Google Drive

I called the previous owners (they're family) said warranty work had been done at a different VW dealer here in the city. Lets call them dealer B.

I called dealer B, and they confirmed that two pistons had failed, the engine was rebuilt, and it was covered 100% by VW goodwill.

I let dealer A know the story.

So, its been a full business, and apparently dealer A and B are still figuring out what is going to be done between them. I have no idea what the outcome of this is going to be regarding the $1700 bill to diagnose the problem, and what the remedy is going to be. I'm also not overly mechanically inclined.

Anyone's thoughts?

[brad]

Anyone's thoughts?

Suggest you contact VW HQ so they can coordinate repairs and get your $1700 back

[tigger73]

Suggest you contact VW HQ so they can coordinate repairs and get your $1700 back

+1 If the dealers are playing silly buggers then get VW to sort it out for you. Reality is that it probably ought to go back to the first dealer and they fix their own poor work.

This is probably going to be VWs position as they aren’t going to pay if the previous repairs weren’t carried out correctly. Or the dealers may decide to come to some sort of arrangement between themselves and VW.

Usually if major repairs have been done it carries 3 year warranty.


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[mikmik1401]

I contacted VW Australia last week and I assume they're looking into this mess.

In the meantime, dealer A seems to have set aside the "overwhelming evidence" that dealer B's complete rebuild was the cause because dealer B said they rebuilt the engine 2.5 years ago, and that "it would have failed sooner". Apparently, dealer A agrees. Does this make any sense to anyone? Don't rocker arms tend to fall off because they've been torqued incorrectly? Are there any mechanics on here that can corroborate?

This is what the diagnostic invoice states:

"NOISE HEARD TO BE COMING FROM WITHIN CYLINDER HEAD. SUSPECT POSSIBLE VERIABLE CAM GEAR OR ROCKERS. REQUIRES ENGINE STRIP FOR ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS.
REMOVED WIRING, INTAKE, TURBO, AIRBOX, EXPANSION TANK, ALTERNATOR, BOOST PIPES, ENGINE MOUNT, HEATER. WATER PUMP, TIMING CHAIN AND CAM CARRIER.
FOUND ROCKER TO BE DISOLDGED FROM A PREVIOUS REPAIR, REQUIRES COMPLETE CYLINDER HEAD REBUILD AND CAM CARRIER.
REFIT COMPONENTS BACK INTO POSITION AT CUSTOMER REQUEST. REFILLED COOLANT, CLEARED FAULTS, RAN ENGINE AND ENGINE IS NOW WORSE. ADVISE NOT DRIVING VEHICLE.
PICTURES OF LOOSE BOLTS AND DISLODGED ROCKER."

[Sympatex]

Think I may be a victim of the 118 engine failure, my story is much the same as everyone else's. Rough idle Monday morning, it was coming up to (1,000kms) short of a service so took it in on Thursday, they diagnosed it as low compression in cylinder 1. Advised to contact VWA and to raise a case so i could take it to my local VW dealership in Perth without hassle. VWA have been very good and the advice i received from my service centre and this forum thread has been really excellent.

I raised a case with VWA before talking it to the dealership and I've been provided a hire car by VWA and the dealership hasn't mentioned the dreaded $1200 diagnostic fee. It's just being done.

My cars a 12.5 compliance, Dec 2011 build 118 TSI so i think mine was the tail end of the bad piston components. I will update the forum when i receive information back from the dealership about the goodwill claim. I'm a bit concerned as the car has done moderate mileage for it's age, 6 years old 125,000kms but still in my opinion too young to have pistons cracking. Will see what comes back.



Update, VWA have said they will cover the cost of repair in full to my car which is great news. The dealership nor VWA have said what they are fixing but I guess all will become clear when I pick it up. No date provided for when it will be ready but VWA have said keep the hire car from europcar until I pick up mine which is great news. It is such a shame stage early engine failure customs were not treated quite the same way. I couldn’t have expected better treatment from VW. I now think I need to sell the car after a year or so while it still has some warranty and is sellable.

[Sympatex]

Just following up on my own thread as I've been googling a lot about repeat failures on the TSI 118. I haven't found much at all, in fact only one example of an engine that was repaired around 2010 and failed twice before it reached 100k. I'd be interested if anyone else has found information or had first hand experience. I don't know what to do with the car now its been repaired, runs exceptionally well now as you'd expect and I like it but I'm not sure I trust it to last. I would expect upgraded components to have gone back in and not the type that are known to fail?