MK6 GTI - Rattle upon acceleration - Resolved via TPI: 2021062/7

[MurphyTheElf]

Who knows what my tank was filled when when I first picked it up, but I've been exclusively using BP Ultimate. Maybe I'll drive until it's dry and try 95. Though I can't see what difference it will make if it's the wastegate.

[mckens]

I've used both 95 and 98ron (both from BP) and it has rattled regardless...

[Corey_R]

Yeh - I too would have no idea why it would make a difference. Fuel doesn't reach that component! hehe

[Primordial]

Yep, EXACTLY the same issue here too.. I took my car to a dealer today, and was met with the same spiel about it being the wastegate actuator rod rattling. That little rod sure makes a racket in my car - it's really noticable, not helped by the fact that 90% of the time I've got the windows down!

I had a 5000km old demo car to borrow from a friend of mine a couple of months ago when they first came to Oz, and that DIDNT have the rattle. I was a little bemused when they tried to suggest that my car was operating CORRECTLY, and the demo car without the rattle must have been operating INCORRECTLY (quoting the service advisor!). Yeah right...

Its left a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth to be honest. The logic works from VW's perspective though. It's a design fault, yes - but its not causing any damage or major discomfort to the owner, and its likely quite expensive to fix so therefore it wont be fixed under warranty!

As the service advisor said to me today - if enough people lodge their concern over it, VW will issue a fix - much like they did with the squeaking noise for the 1.4's.

The conditions sound very specific, but it falls in the "normal, sensible driving" category. Perhaps that's why many GTI owners aren't noticing it at all....

This is the thing that annoys me the most - it's the normal rev range which the engine uses when driving 'normally' which creates the rattle. I wouldnt be as fussed if it was only at 6-6500rpm or something!

I hate it and would be willing to pay a 3rd party to fix it if they could. However, my opinion is that VW should fix it under warranty. It is a characteristic of the car, but an unwelcome and unintentional one.

Agreed.. I think it's ridiculous to suggest that this is 'normal operation'. As someone else mentioned, it makes the car sound like a $5000 ****box with a rusted out exhaust.

Yeh - I too would have no idea why it would make a difference. Fuel doesn't reach that component! hehe

Yeah i agree. Though my car started with the rattle after the supplied dealer tank of fuel (give or take 100km), I see no way that the type of fuel could affect this issue

[Primordial]

Just reading through those other threads that were posted. It's a little worrying that noone has come up with a resolution (including VW! ). Especially considering this problem seems to have been around for a while!

Who should we be directing our complaint on this issue to - VWA or dealers?

[Mk6 GTI]

Just reading through those other threads that were posted. It's a little worrying that noone has come up with a resolution (including VW! ). Especially considering this problem seems to have been around for a while!

Who should we be directing our complaint on this issue to - VWA or dealers?

I would say both..Those effected should make some noise! It should be repaired.

[MurphyTheElf]

Just reading through those other threads that were posted. It's a little worrying that noone has come up with a resolution (including VW! ). Especially considering this problem seems to have been around for a while!

Who should we be directing our complaint on this issue to - VWA or dealers?

My service manager told me to email vwca@volkswagenassist.com.au. Volkswagen Assist seems like a strange place to lodge this type of complaint.

[mckens]

My service manager told me to email vwca@volkswagenassist.com.au. Volkswagen Assist seems like a strange place to lodge this type of complaint.

I for one will be interested in hearing what response you get from Volkswagen Assist if you decide to send an email Murph. I think if enough of us lodge a complaint via this channel then surely it's going to raise some alarm bells for them.

My rattle is still persisting now (with 2000+ kms on the clock) as much as it did from day one. It simply can't be dismissed so easily seeing that from this thread more and more of us are experiencing it. Regardless of it 'operating normally', it's detracting substantially from our enjoyment of what is otherwise a ripper of a car. I'm still trying to remember if the rattle was present when I took the test car for a drive, but I think I was so overwhelmed by how good it was I wasn't going to notice something like this...

[MIRSAD]

Not sure that it's going to raise any alarm bells.

When having trouble with 118TSI (even after W/pump was replaced) I complained to (in Australia):
VW assist
VW Dealer
VW Customer support and
VW Technical support (not many people have their phone number ... It was given to me by mistake)

After that I went international I asked
VW UK & VW Germany for opinion about squealing noise (send them link to my You tube recording of that noise)

All answers where to visit closest dealer

VW UK even sent me list of UK dealers (and I indicated that I am from Australia)

[MIRSAD]

This is answer from VW Germany


01/09/2009

VW-2009/09-000769

Dear Mr. Sarajlic,

Thank you for your email.

We request your understanding that it has been clearly proved to be unsatisfactory for us to try to deal with cases from abroad,
since it is difficult to judge individual complaints on the basis of correspondence alone from our head office in Germany.

Therefore, a Volkswagen service organisation has been established in almost every country, having specialist staff who can
investigate and assess such matters on the spot. We suggest you to contact directly an authorized Volkswagen dealership so that
they can investigate this matter further and find a suitable solution.

Yours sincerely,
i.V. Wolfgang Vulperhorst i.V. Fabio Angeloni

Volkswagen AG
38436 Wolfsburg
Tel +49 (0) 1805 865579*
Fax +49 (0) 1805 329865*
Mail to kundenbetreuung@volkswagen.de
Homepage http://www.volkswagen.de