Golf 118 TSI Engine Failures and Service Campaign 24S4

[JonoB]

My car is buggered.

I have a Jan 2010 (manufactured late 2009) Golf 118TSI DSG. Its done 31,000km, and on Wednesday, it started shuddering badly before the engine warning light and the exhaust warning light came on, and then the damn engine went into limp mode.

The roadside assistance guy diagnosed a problem with the coil on the tower on cylinder 3... something that was causing a short ?

Today the VW dealership told me the engine needs to be rebuilt and my car will be out of action for 2 weeks !

Not happy at all. Will definitely be taking this up with VW Australia.

[logger]

My car is buggered.

.... car will be out of action for 2 weeks !

Not happy at all. Will definitely be taking this up with VW Australia.

That's annoying for you. Don't be too concerned - VW will look after you. If you cant get a loaner from the dealer VW Aust can organise a rental car for you. So you should have wheels. I'd be interesting to see if your dealer actually rebuilds it. I would of thought a replacement engine might be more likely. You may come out of this better off in the long run.

[Stelex]

My car is buggered.

...

Not happy at all. Will definitely be taking this up with VW Australia.

I feel your pain, brother. As for VW Australia - if you want to hear something like "Ooooh, sorry, but we'll fix it for you under warranty, have a good day" then surely call them. But I'd say - don't bother.

Why? This is why:

Buckle-up!

I have a 2009 118 TSI with DSG with:

- Replaced waterpump at 10.000km
- Replaced starter solenoid at 12.000km
- Replaced engine at 15,000km
- Replaced air/con valve
- Replaced air con flap
- Regassed air con about 5 times so far
- DSG software reloaded at 31 and 35,000 km
- Replaced DSG clutch pack at 45,000
- Replaced DSG mechatronics at 51,000km
- Replaced DSG clutch pack at 59.000 km ( yes, yet again)
- Currently 69,000 and the air con is not cooling again, will regas at 75,000km service

(* mileage is out of my head, may vary a couple of thousand km up or down. The engine was replaced on 15.000 dead)

I contacted VW Australia and I was very, very, very, veeeeeery nice. Nicest I've been in my entire life. I've complained about the quality of the vehicle, inconvenience, past warranty fault likelihood and asked for complimentary extended warranty and was told:

We acknowledge that you have had several concerns, all of which have been covered by the Volkswagen New Vehicle Warranty. As previously stated, Volkswagen Genuine Parts Warranty is also applicable in this instance which will cover you past the Volkswagen New Vehicle Warranty Policy.

We recognise the fact that any repair during the ownership of a motor vehicle are unwelcome and we apologise for the inconvenience that this has caused you; however we are unable to offer any assistance outside the terms of the warranty and cannot meet your demand in this instance.

Basically, we sold you some lemon, we'll keep plugging it until it goes out of warranty, and after that eat ****, Sir!

BTW, the girl from customer care who emailed me this forgot to change fonts, so the details she keyed in manually were in one font, the rest was template, in another font. Epic fail! I was pissing myself when I saw it. That was the only moment I ever smiled with VW, except the delivery day.

I also contacted the VW Australia Customer Care Manager only to be told the same.

I then contacted ACCC and Office of Fair Trading in QLD, they both explained me how to go from here. I had a very lengthy discussion with a lawyer who specialises in these matters and who is a very close friend of mine. She explained me how things work in reality and that I have good chances of getting a replacement vehicle, but I need to be prepared to waste many, many months, probably years of my time and start auctioning my house as I'll need a lot of money to fight the corporate machine.

So in the end I have made the decision not to waste my time and effort, aaaaand money, rather see my lease out and sell the car and never bother with VW again.

I work and socialise in circles where many people ask/talk about new cars and I'm being asked very frequently for my opinion on VW.

So far, following my advice at least 8 (that I know of) people, who were very keen on getting a Golf, have purchased a different car make, and only one went for VW Golf. Less than a year into her ownership she came fuming to work, her engine died at 29,000 km - LOL

In the end, instead of looking after their own customer and spending $2,000 on the extended warranty, VW have lost at least 8 new car sales, you do the maths. Brilliant. They wouldn't even need to spend the money, all it takes is a commitment to fix the car if it breaks again.

The only bright point in the whole saga was actually the dealership where I bought the car. They listened and appealed with VWA (to no avail) but provided me with about the half price extended warranty. I had to get it as I don't dare driving this piece of junk for one day without a warranty. My lease is 4 years, so have to cover my butt ... errr ... my wallet.

Please don't ask me about any details (contacts and dealerships), once my lease is up and the car is sold I'll be publishing my complete experience, all fault details and all unedited communication with VW here and on some other automotive websites.

[JonoB]

I found out more today. They pulled the engine out to strip it down.
The piston on cylinder 3 is damaged. On Monday they need to check the bore. If not damaged, then they only replace the piston.
If the bore isn't serviceable, then I'll get a new engine.

[JonoB]

Thats some tragic story there Stelex... sounds like a lot of pain. I'm already thinking of selling this Golf while its still under warranty.

After this saga, I'm already dreaming of a dull, reliable Toyota which only spends a day every 6 months in the garage getting serviced, for years of reliable stress free ownership.

[logger]

I found out more today. They pulled the engine out to strip it down.
The piston on cylinder 3 is damaged. On Monday they need to check the bore. If not damaged, then they only replace the piston.
If the bore isn't serviceable, then I'll get a new engine.

Definitely push for the latter. 2 years genuine parts warranty on the entire engine is worth having & you'll get a new waterpump S/charger clutch (another problematic part). Will take longer to get the car back, but you will be covered for the next 2 years. OTOH get it repaired by quickest method and trade.

[JonoB]

Looks like I'm getting the pistons and injector replaced according to the dealer.
They said they were going to confirm that the bores were not damaged to decide if they could repair the engine.

Still, another 10 day wait for my car.

[rockDAhouse]

jeez bro, i hope u get your car fix asap. If my car die again, i hope is not the engine ...

[ziggyboy]

Hey can I ask whether of you having problems have got 2011-built cars? It seems a lot of the 118TSI cars having problems are mainly early 2010 and earlier. I haven't really read any problems with 2011 and 2012 cars (and it's already August 2012)... especially engines just "dying" after only a few thousand k's....

If so can anyone point me to a link of a thread anywhere around the world where 2011/2012 118TSI's have been having engines replaced?

[hentaiboy]

My 118 TSI was stopped at traffic lights yesterday when the idle became lumpy and the engine warning light started flashing. Corrected itself after about 20 seconds. I'll do an error scan tonight - what should I be looking for?