Golf 118 TSI Engine Failures and Service Campaign 24S4

[scuba185]

Hi all, I was looking for some advice on my rough idle problem in my manual 118tsi. It's been doing it for over a year (in fact it started when the software update campaign update was done on it). The car has not failed and apart from some fairly serious shaking when idling and lesser surging when cruising it's fine. Vw have cleared it at the last 2 services saying there's no problem. Unfortunately I'm now trying to sell it and the idle is death for prospective buyers so I'm keen to see if it can be fixed.

I'm working on the basis it's not going to blow up since it hasn't yet and vw have found no issues. And so it's probably not the issue that's caused chaos for others in this thread. But I'd like to get it fixed so I don't have to worry some buyer is getting a timebomb.

The symptoms are: only emerges after a period of stop start but reasonably high rev driving; often will only emerge after half an hour or so of normal driving but can also start earlier when driven hard, does not happen when cold; no metallic noises, no bangs or rattles; a quite severe low frequency shaking that affects the whole car; no associated noise, just the feeling of a deep shake, almost like a weight on a shaft is badly balanced; is most noticeable idling at the lights but also occurs when cruising; no increase in fuel consumption etc; occasional black smoke bursts when changing gears; feeling of surging when moving slowly in 1st and 2nd after being parked and off for 30-90mins.

The car is a my10 manual 118tsi golf built dec 09 with 34.5k kms on the clock. No other issues in its history.

Hi james, my 2011 118 manual has the same prob, since before its first service at 15k kms. Its now just before 40k kms. It started with the shudder at idle exactly how you described it. The 15k and 30k services I complained to 2 different dealers and they couldnt find it and did nothing. In the last 5 thou it started coughing and losing power under acceleration and while cruising, and while following it in our diesel jetta heard the click clack of the chargers as it blew smoke out the back. The saviour for me was that the cat converter light came on briefly one day. Took it to a third dealer and cos it actually logged a fault they checked it out properly. Turns out cyl 3 is losing compression. It's a fleet car so gets caltex 98 every time. I now have a loan 118 dsg for a month while they pull my engine apart - thank god this happened in my final year of warranty. I hope this helps you and others get theirs sorted, will update when they tell me whats wrong with it. My 103tdi manual jetta however is bulletproof and gets 4.1l/100km on my syd-act trips. Def would get another diesel but not sure about dsg unless its got 3yr warranty!

[fully]

This makes me nervous, cause my 2011 manual 118tsi golf has been showing the odd rough idle at traffic lights for some time now, no other issues at this stage though.

[ziggyboy]

Sell before warranty ends, guys!

Still got a couple of years but really looking forward to a new non-VW car! I would sell now but got no cash to top up for another car

[fully]

Sell before warranty ends, guys!

Still got a couple of years but really looking forward to a new non-VW car! I would sell now but got no cash to top up for another car

Yeah sadly it's not that simple.

[scuba185]

This makes me nervous, cause my 2011 manual 118tsi golf has been showing the odd rough idle at traffic lights for some time now, no other issues at this stage though.

How many Ks have you done? Mine was just the shuddering up until about 35,000, then the coughing and smoking started.

Do you ever hear the click-clacking of the chargers when the revs are too low? That might be a sign too.

Having said all that - the loan 118 dsg we have has the shudder too, and it's done less than 3000ks!

[fully]

How many Ks have you done? Mine was just the shuddering up until about 35,000, then the coughing and smoking started.

Do you ever hear the click-clacking of the chargers when the revs are too low? That might be a sign too.

Having said all that - the loan 118 dsg we have has the shudder too, and it's done less than 3000ks!

Mines done 41000km and yes I hear the click clacking if the supercharger. I'm sure it's about to **** itself. Grrrrr

[Tom Sawyer]

I've just put this on the DSG Shudder thread as that is where things begin, but from below anyone else reckon this is going to be a major engine failure from their experience? Bearing mind she has already had to cough $2500 for mechatronics and clutches to be replaced, part under extended warranty.


And now onto the latest in the TSi complete set of major faults..........she came home tonight with low coolant level indication (engine temp Ok though), engine management system light on and a "rattling noise" from the engine. There is also a sort of wheezing noise coming from the engine when driven, but ok at idle. Coolant level was at the bottom of the tank, but engine did have a very hot smell to it. Going by the noise I reckon it could be the dreaded engine failure scenario that the 118TSi seems prone to. I feel another big $$$ bill and argument with VWA coming on....this time I'll be going lemon law if they do not cough up even if car is 12 months outside of warranty, but with only 55,000km on it.

[svwnath]

My 118 tsi (2010) golf stalled today at traffic lights! Pressed the throttle and got no feedback from the engine, which was still at idle. Changing to triptronic or sport mode made no difference. I had to change to P and then sequentially tried in D and S mode and the vehicle kicked off. It has been kind of choking since then, while the good thing was that I was about a km from home.

Called Burwin, who advised me not to drive the vehicle and call VW assist. I'm intending on calling them tomorrow morning so that it would be easier, rather than doing it middle of night.

My vehicle went through the campaign before it was registered and driven. It's clutch system was replaced last year. Hopefully it's not the DREADED engine issue!??

[scuba185]

fully - get them to check the compression out

VW have had mine for almost a month now, and they said they are still waiting on a set of pistons to come in from Germany. Not surprisingly, the new ones are an updated design from the original, and my car isn't the only one waiting on a set! Looks like I'll have the loan car for a bit longer.

so maybe yours needs pistons too?

[svwnath]

fully - get them to check the compression out

VW have had mine for almost a month now, and they said they are still waiting on a set of pistons to come in from Germany. Not surprisingly, the new ones are an updated design from the original, and my car isn't the only one waiting on a set! Looks like I'll have the loan car for a bit longer.

so maybe yours needs pistons too?

Mine was diagnosed to be problematic clutches, which needs replacement. At least that's what I was told. These people were not sure if the mechatronix or the clutches were replaced last time, as it was done by a different dealer. Anyways, car is ready for pickup and hopefully it drives well for another couple of months, after which I'm planning to change it. Enough of problems and don't have time to keep shuttling between dealers. Any idea how much it would fetch from a dealer trade-in?

[ziggyboy]

Mine was diagnosed to be problematic clutches, which needs replacement. At least that's what I was told. These people were not sure if the mechatronix or the clutches were replaced last time, as it was done by a different dealer. Anyways, car is ready for pickup and hopefully it drives well for another couple of months, after which I'm planning to change it. Enough of problems and don't have time to keep shuttling between dealers. Any idea how much it would fetch from a dealer trade-in?

Sounds like the 'false neutral' problem:

http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/f128/dsg-false-neutral-yesterday-72037.html

Likely caused by:

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/19/gyhuny3e.jpg

[kazsiddique]

Hey guys, few issues with my tsi 118kw,firstly thr clutch is really tough topush down and the gears are not as smooth as before. Also the poor isnt the same anymore. Took it to.vw ans they said the clutch needs changing or even the transmission. Its a 2009 model.but only 35000km. Is this possible ? Any advice ? Any alternatives places to take it as im.outta warranty

[Cplus]

These articles of late are most annoying.

I'm trying to upgrade my car at the moment, the trade price last month (well, 6 weeks actually) was $18,000. I thought that was fair, i could have possibly gotten $20-$21K if i had the time and patience to sell privately.

now, I speak with the dealer again, and it's "oh, mate all this bad press combined with the MkVII coming out has really dropped the price, we're talking $16K tops now"

nice excuse.

My car has had it's share of niggles, as every VW does (and Audi, Benz, BMW etc etc) but it is a cracker of a drive. yes, Subaru's and Honda's etc *are* more reliable - but what would you rather drive?

this is even hit home in Joshua Dowling's latest article where he talks about giving his vote for 3 of the last 4 car of the year awards to VW's and that essentially, as long as you enter ownership knowing it *may* have a few niggles (and hopefully no major ones!), the overall expereince is worth it. Just don't exect a toyata (which will bore you senseless also)

I also think it is the exectation of german car customers being higher (cause they paid more!) so they are much less forgiving when things do go wrong, they complain more and don't let things slide. Commodore owners *expect* things to fall off, so arn't annoyed when they do

[Stelex]

Hey guys, few issues with my tsi 118kw,firstly thr clutch is really tough topush down and the gears are not as smooth as before. Also the poor isnt the same anymore. Took it to.vw ans they said the clutch needs changing or even the transmission. Its a 2009 model.but only 35000km. Is this possible ? Any advice ? Any alternatives places to take it as im.outta warranty

Yes, it's possible. My 118TSI DSG7 is also 2009 and at the moment it has 89,000km. Very brief history: engine replaced at 15,000km, clutch pack replaced three times so far, roughly every 20,000km, Mechatronics replaced at 60,000km.

Need to book the 90,000 service next month and will have the clutch pack replaced yet again! Oh, also had the air-con regassed four or five times.

I contacted everyone at VW, all the way to the top, asking for the complimentary extended warranty and was told number of times to sod off.

My wife is now driving my Golf and I bought a new Accord Euro, never been happier in my life.

Anyway, with regards to your fault, the VW has extended the DSG warranty to 5 years for DSG boxes so you're covered. Um, actually, I'm not 100% sure if that covers manual transmission boxes, but in case it does the Hahn Light, 24 pack will be fine, I'll text you my address

[logger]

Curious Stelex, have you recounted the problems you had with your car to the Dept of Infrastructure & Transport or your States Fair Trading mob? I am simply curious as to how many of these Mechanical Eng Failures that were occurring a year or two ago came to their attention. It was kept well out of the media at the time. People around here were leant on to downplay the issue. But it was seemingly addresses and hopefully fixed with the service campaign for knock sensors & correct plug gaps. No one has done a 118TSI cylinder recently have they?
My car had serious issues too, however I was satisfied with how VW dealt with it. But I do wonder if I should pass on my experiences to Dept I & T for their statistics.
I am planning to keep mine for quite a while as I am still very happy with it.