Throttle position sensor wires needed changing

[Zano]

I had a strange issue where my car, which had done only about 16,000km, and was about a month (!! ) out of warranty would throw a fault code and the car would go into a limp mode:

• Check engine light
• Air cond stops cooling the air
• Cruise control fails to work
• Car is very sluggish

The fault would go away 1-4 days later. Sometimes later in the same day. This happened about 6 times over nearly 3 months. I booked it into the dealer twice to have checked, but then cancelled the booking after the car mysteriously cured itself. I was ever hopeful that the issue was a once off, even after it occurred 3 times! Problem was that the dealer had me booked in about 10 days away. I wanted someone to see the car when the code was 'live' and take it for a test drive.
I spoke to a Subaru mechanic who had time to do a quick read of the codes when it occurred again, and he got:

• Code 08487 Accelerator Position Sensor 2 - 6185: Signal too low P2127

I also got another generic mechanic to do a read to verify and he came up with some TPS error code, and suggested that I replace the Throttle Position Sensor.

At least everything pointed to a common thing, but these guys weren't VW specialists. So I called another VW dealer for an opinion and he thought it was ludicrous to think a car with just 16,000km would need the TPS changed - I tended to agree.

In the end I wanted a VW mechanic to fix it, and they changed:
6 X wires 000989025EA
15 X connectors 000979940
Removed accelerator pedal and proceeded to remove all wires. Replaced wire that was faulty and refit and insulate all other. Clear codes and road test. OK.
I won't shock you with the cost !!

The service manager said "it was a known fault". Has anyone had such weird Throttle Position Sensor issues in a low km (sub 20,000km) golf? What could cause such a thing? Surely wires just don't wear out!!?

[AdamD]

Yes, this is a known problem. I've experienced it myself in a mate's GTI (which was about 18 months and 15,000km old at the time).

The issue is that the wires from the accelerator pedal are often very tight, and over time they can either rub and wear, or work a connector loose. There are 2 sensors that measure the accelerator position (one runs from 0-100, and the other from 0 to -50 IIRC), and both must concur (on their opposing scales) in order for the ECU to have confidence that the throttle pedal is reading correctly. When their readings differ, the car drops into limp mode and throws a fault code.

AFAIK, the VW fix has been to install longer (and perhaps better shielded) wiring.

As an aside, if you've had your car serviced by the VW dealer network according to schedule for the life of the car, you may well have found that VW would have performed the repair free of charge, as a goodwill gesture. Always worth trying.

[Zano]

My initial post was out of technical curiosity, but things are getting ugly with this one...

WARNING - Be wary of DVG Melville VW (Perth)

When I got this TPS issue looked at, I was quoted by Melville DVG around $300 to fix it.
The car was just out out of warranty when the fault started, and as this was mentioned by the dealer to be a "known fault" they planned to seek a warranty repair authorisation from VW.
The warranty cover was approved before the work proceeded.
Then when I went to pick up the car, the price had suddenly inflated from around $300 to $812.50!!
How strange I thought, but as it was covered under warranty I wasn't fussed. But then I was asked to pay before I could take the car, and I was to be reimbursed after the dealer claimed the money from VW Australia. Not a normal warranty process, but this was a post-warranty warranty fix.
That was end of April 2013, and after numerous follow up phone calls and emails, I finally received a cheque for only $275 with no explanation for the short fall of over $500!

Further numerous calls and emails have led to nothing but lip service. I get responses like "yes we're looking into it" or usually no response at all. I have even been in touch with the Dealer Principal and the Operations Manager, but still no joy.

How many Golf drivers have had to deal with their TPS wires being changed?
Can you post what the repair bill was?
Is it normal to have to pay upfront for a post-warranty warranty fix?
Anyone else have issues with DVG Melville VW?

[Transporter]

Yes, common fault and it really shouldn't matter where the car was serviced. Even if it wasn't serviced at all for the above fault. The wires in question wouldn't go bad because the car wasn't serviced.

Contact ACCC Complaints & problems | ACCC you should get a full refund.

On a side note. I've referred a customer to a dealer for the turbo replacement with Octavia TDI with 120,000km and 6 months out of warranty and he got it replaced free of charge. He bought the Octy from the dealer with 10,000km on and I did all the servicing.

[Zano]

Yes, common fault
Contact ACCC Complaints & problems | ACCC you should get a full refund.

Besides being over $500 out of pocket, I've been well patient with this matter till now, and to repeatedly have my enquiries ignored by the dealer is infuriating.
I reckon something dodgy is going on, so I'm initially going to run this past VW Aust. to get their take on it.
Then most likely Consumer Protection (WA).
Stay tuned...but in the meantime steer clear (literally) of this dealer.

[tonymy01]

Ouch, that is really piss poor! Making you pay for warranty work, sneaky aholes.

[The One]

If they get a approval from VW on the goodwill then VW will deposit the said amount into the dealers warranty account before they perform the work, so no you should not have paid and if it was me I wouldn't have given them a cent.

Also Transporter is right, you can still receive goodwill even if serviced elsewhere, just don't expect the dealer to go 'out on limb' to ensure you get goodwill if your car has no history with a VW service centre, and even then it's a case by case basis as VW ask for photocopies of the service history and examine the quality of the work... Also the different between a goodwill claim by a car thats been serviced at VW for it's life and then a goodwill claim by a car thats been serviced by a 'specialist' is the % in which VW puts towards the repair, most the time dealer serviced cars are 100% whereas 'specialist' serviced cars can be for example: %50 parts and labour.. This is because VW back their dealers and trust the work being performed as per the service schedule, they do not trust specialists, whether or not the specialist does everything required, VW don't support them.

[Zano]

Happy ending...After contacting VW Australia, the issue was resolved quite promptly, and I received a cheque in the mail from DVG. VW Aust. were particularly interested in the inflated final repair cost for this known fault, as it was much more than their schedule of repair cost for TPS wire replacement.

DVG need to review their customer service charter, if they have one at all, because this protracted issue should never have dragged out for so long. Did they, (especially the Dealer Principal!) really think by ignoring the issue it would go away, and now they may suffer some wrath of VW Aust.

[a239947]

Happy ending...After contacting VW Australia, the issue was resolved quite promptly, and I received a cheque in the mail from DVG. VW Aust. were particularly interested in the inflated final repair cost for this known fault, as it was much more than their schedule of repair cost for TPS wire replacement.

DVG need to review their customer service charter, if they have one at all, because this protracted issue should never have dragged out for so long. Did they, (especially the Dealer Principal!) really think by ignoring the issue it would go away, and now they may suffer some wrath of VW Aust.

You should call the ACCC anyway. Im sure they would love to know about a dealership that is blatently ripping people off, especially right under the nose of VW.

Sent from my GT-I9100