Potential Class Action re Thermostats/Water Pumps

[MazlikSan]

I raised the issue with VW service centre and all you got back is : there is no issue until you pass the warranty and then they are happy to change the pump for you with the same crooked original part.

Unfortunately, very sad.

[LapizBlu]

I have a Golf R 2016 and have replaced the water twice car has only done 49K previous owner had the water pump replaced under warranty,
not happy that VW know about the defective part and will not issue a recall to replace with a new model of water pump that doesnt fail.
please add me to the Class Action re Thermostats/Water Pumps

Am quickly loosing any aspiration to buying another VW because of this dihonesty from VW!!!

[Cplus]

Definitely happy to sign up to this.

2016 Mk7, have had issues since *just* after 3yrs and only 40,000km

[prn31]

I’m pretty sure I’ve started old threads on my water pump issues, but here is the full story of our Golf.

In December 2015 we purchased our (brand new) MY15 GTI Performance from a NSW regional VW dealer.

In April 2016 at 7,000km the low coolant light came on with my wife driving to Central West NSW. It was taken to the dealer that sold the car where it stayed for several days. (Luckily VW Assist clicked in and my wife was given a hire car, I think a Hyundai, which she drove to her destination and then back to Sydney.) They suspected a compression leak and undertook two leakdown tests before suspecting an air bubble in the cooling system. The Golf was trucked back to Sydney at VWs cost.

In August 2017 at the 30,000km service the water pump and thermostat assembly was changed under warranty.

In August 2018 at the 45,000km service the thermostat assembly was changed under warranty (as many here would know, VW don’t change both water pump and thermostat assembly, only the faulty part.)

In May 2018 at 56,000km the Golf spent two days at our regular Sydney dealer being checked for another water leak after the coolant light came on again.

In March 2020 (around when covid 19 started) at 70,000km the Golf was booked in after the coolant light came on again. The dealer had the car for 2 weeks while I argued with VW Australia about out-of-warranty repairs. This time the thermostat assembly was changed and I coughed up 30% of the labour cost whilst VW footed the rest.

In December 2021 after another water leak at 92K I decided not to wrestle with VW Australia again. I ordered the full OEM water pump kit from the States including a new drive belt. The thermostat part number was 06L-121-111-M (they’re now up to P) and the water pump was 06K-121-011-C. I got my independent VW mechanic to fit the parts. I was happy that a very experienced independent mechanic did the work – I was sick of the dealer mechanics and had no confidence in their workmanship.

It has been quite the journey, but we still have the Golf and it currently sits at 109K. I believe that they finally sorted the water pump issue on MY21 EA888 VAG cars and beyond. Let’s hope that I don’t have any more water pump issues. My wife loves driving the Golf but is over it, having come from owning Japanese cars.

As a comparison to the Golf, I have done 100,000km in my VW Passat R36 and replaced the water pump once at 106,000km. The cost of the water pump and expansion tank was $180 and it was probably 1-2 hours work all up to change.

[FarQ]

2018 Golf 110TSI leaking water pump replaced under goodwill. Only 38k km

[SarahG]

Hi Kevvie, a few months too late, I just made an account to reply here.
Did you have any progress?

I had my water pump fail on my 2018 VW Golf Wagon last year (at 30,000km) this was repaired under warranty. Now recently, at 45,000km my clutch pack has failed due to "coolant from water pump leaking into clutch" quote $3,800 to repair.

The extended warranty Melville VW sold me won't cover this clutch patch because the damage is associated with the water pump failure and considered "subsequent damage"

Basically bought a new car in 2018 to avoid such headaches, yet here I am with two major failures less that 45,000km on the clock 5 years later.

[genebaby]

That's very poor service from the car company that advertised "Expect a little more" in 2020 when I bought a car.

[real_Khz]

I'm on waterpump number three, which has just started leaking after 18 months.
My 2013 Passat has only got 50,000 KMs on it.
I've never had a waterpump fail before, so to have three go on the same car, is unacceptable

[genebaby]

Well, it's four years since my car was built and almost four since I've lovingly owned and taken care of it, and with just 30k on the clock I'm now sure that I'm losing cooling fluid.

Booked into VW next Friday. They acted like I'm the first one over the phone.

[Lucas_R]

Well, it's four years since my car was built and almost four since I've lovingly owned and taken care of it, and with just 30k on the clock I'm now sure that I'm losing cooling fluid.

Booked into VW next Friday. They acted like I'm the first one over the phone.

First one that day perhaps.....my independent mechanic says he does 4-6 a week when I had mine done on my Mk7 GTI.