Engine check light

[Difinity]

Got to test on a return run Canberra - Sydney yesterday.
ECM light on twice (flickering). Car stumbling and rough running at low speeds and unable to hold pace using cruise control.
Slowed >15km/h when I took my foot off the pedal - this is a new behaviour.
Fuel consumption still AV 7.8-10 l/100 (needed 1.5 tanks for the trip - used to use less than 1).
Oil temp hovering around 100 degrees @ 100-110 km/h and 20 deg ambient (coming home last night). Car is smoother at 2.9-3k rpm than at lower speeds)




Difinity

[mmmRacer]

Did the car run ok again after restart?

[Difinity]

Not as bad as the Friday night, but bad vibration all the time.


Difinity

[Difinity]

Car back with the dealer again.
So far, VAG and the dealer have been unable or unwilling to rectify the significant problems with this car over a 16 week period. Today, it has the same problems it exhibited in Oct, despite an apparent engine rebuild. Additionally, the cruise control no longer works, fuel usage is 16% higher than before and power seems to be about 20-30% down. The vibration makes the car uncomfortable and the misfires and stumbling risk an accident in traffic. So far, this case has been off the road or faulty 11% of the time I've owned it.
I could understand this if I'd bought a 50 yr old Jag but I bought from VAG on the apparently mistaken understanding of superior reliability and engineering quality.
Not happy Jan!


Difinity

[brad]

I'd be starting to exercise my statutory warranty rights.

[Difinity]

Seems there are very few statutory rights here. Aust does not have a 'lemon' law, so it is up to the manufacturer and dealer to take appropriate action. Then there's legal action - that's out of my capacity to pay, though there are some remedies available - I'm working through those now...


Difinity

[brad]

have a look on the ACCC website. All your statutory rights are there.

[Difinity]

One month in and the ECR has come on again twice this week. Car is back with the dealer - for some days most likely.
Best bit is the call I got this afternoon from some poor person in service: 'Mr B, I am calling to let you know that while we are still working though to identify the problem with your car, the problem is not with the engine.'
I asked then - so the problem causing an engine misfire is not the engine? 'Yes, that is correct.'
Thank you and finished the call.

Seriously, a misfire problem isn't the engine? What is it then, the wiper control or the left rear wheel?

This is specialisation gone nuts. There may well be an issue with an ancillary (like maybe the supercharger or the engine mgt software or excess oil in the cylinder again or something) but to claim that is not the 'engine' simply takes me for a fool. Not happy Jan.


Difinity

[Difinity]

Looking at the injectors now - have to take then (sans car) to Sydney for testing.
Will be interesting to see what is found...


Difinity

[LukePolo]

Just had a quick read over some of your issues - I think you should contact Fair Trading regarding your issue

Now we don't have a lemon law as such in Australia but dealership pushback is something that they specialise in dealing with.

In the past I had a Holden Cruze which went back for warranty 27 times in the 54 weeks I owned it.

In the end after Holden gave me a very similar muck around to what you've dealt with, I contacted Fair Trading who acted as a mediator and things started to finally happen. I was refunded my money for the vehicle, less interest and depreciation on the 38K that I did on the car.

As soon as a case is opened with Fair Trading they will be able to shake VAG/ Your dealership enough to get a permanent non muck around final fix... It isn't like VW haven't seen your types of problems before...