Arteon sunroof rattle horror story

[Spacecadet]

Hi everyone,
Allow me to share my terrible experience with VW customer service.
Got my brand new Arteon March 22. Developed a slowly worsening sunroof rattle.
Was taken to a dealer for a fix in Dec 22 during first service. Was in and out over the next few months while they tried various fixes. It eventually became a loud knocking type rattle that was not the squeak or creaking some people can experience when entering a driveway when the car flexes, this was much worse.

My Arteon went back to the dealer on Feb 20th and has been there since! 79 days and counting.
They had to get a smash repairer to re-seat the sunroof and the interior is completely disassembled from the door sills up and is a mess inside. During the repair they damaged the roof lining by letting it sit folded and say it needs a new one. Problem is, the new one isn't due in the country until late June.

I've made a complaint and requested a buy-back. Sad that Australia does not have lemon laws as this would be a slam dunk I think!

VW are absolutely diabolical to try to deal with on the phone or by email. It's worse than Optus. Difficult to speak to anyone other than a low level customer service representative who has no real information or knowledge to impart.

Anyone else had anything this bad and any advice?
I have made an Office of Fair Trading Complaint but they do not have any power to compel VW to do anything.
Each month it depreciates and I don't get to use it.
I can't even speak to the 'case manager'.

[leep35]

Submit this story on productreview.com.au web site.
VW aust customer service actively monitors the web site.

Hope you are getting a loaner vehicle during the repair downtime.

[Spacecadet]

Thanks. Will do. Yes, have a tired Hertz rental car for now while mine is depreciating and costing me money on a novated lease.

[Spacecadet]

VW have now had my MY22 Arteon for no less than **93** days and counting.
They wrote back to me today after complaining about this (two months ago) with the news that they are sorry but they can't do anything. I am flabbergasted that they have not even offered some form of goodwill compensation. This is some of the worst service I have experienced in my life - certainly for such an expensive item. They claim that the roof lining was damaged by the body shop (that they used). Well that isn't my problem, it's VW's, they subcontracted the work out. This experience leaves me with an utterly foul taste in my mouth and I will never buy a VW again if this is how they handle a repair. I will ensure that everyone I can advise also does not go near VW. This appears to be the outcome that they want.

This is what makes consumers really angry, most people understand that stuff goes wrong with mechanical devices but to not even offer some gesture of goodwill for this extraordinary delay is pathetic customer service. I am not surprised this is the company that cheated on diesel emissions. I have engaged a solicitor and I am angry now and out for blood. Thankfully I have been assured that their are legal consumer protections that I can invoke and I will be pushing this hard!

[Hillbilly]

One of the several reasons why I would never have a sunroof. Faults and a lack of hair as well LOL

[REK]

Damn what a **** show. We need lemon laws for real.

[Flipper Dog]

I hope your lease has "days unavailable" included in it. You should be able to save something for it sitting around for months on end.

[doc_777]

We have Australian Consumer Law. At face value, I would suggest that you are entitled to a new vehicle if you choose. Contact your local consumer affairs agency. Consumer laws in Australia - which have been enacted at the federal level - are very good. Many consumers unfortunately are not aware of the protections available or how to achieve them.

ACCC website will help get you started. What you have described appears to be a “major failure”. That is a key phrase which you may wish to look further into….

Again, I suggest you contact your local (state/territory) consumer protection agency.

[Spacecadet]

UPDATE:
Received the car back on Friday. They called me at 2pm after 4 months of having my car and said I need to come and pick it up or I will be charged for rental car fees. I had just finished working an evening and on-call in an emergency department and had been called in to see a cardiac emergency. I spoke to my lawyer and decided to pick up the car since we will not play games with this. The sunroof is fixed but there are now new issues (of course).

We have sent a letter of demand to VW Australia and they have not even done us the courtesy of a reply...this sure won't look good at QCAT. Those ****ers seriously deserve to never have any of my money ever again. We have asked for a full refund and consumer law is pretty clear that I am entitled to that. It remains to be seen if VW want to put this in front of a magistrate at QCAT and have costs awarded against them. Here is the new damage to the car:

- Damaged steering wheel
- Rear headrests with a permanent imprints of the rectangular metal openings under the rear seats (exposed when you take the rear seats off) from having the head rests pressing against this for 4 months folded over).
- Rusting bolts on the rear hatch (may be unrelated but WTF).
- Missing side airbag cover.
- Had finger prints and crap all over it but I cleaned that up (probably should have left it).

I can't believe that VW wants to keep this going and test the legal process when it is black and white they have breached Australian Consumer Law. Regardless whether or not the car gets fixed perfectly I still want my money back and will demand that I receive the protections available to me under the law. VW don't seem to get that I am the kind of person to never back down.







I don’t wear a ring. This looks like someone tried to clean it with their fingernail.

[Spacecadet]

We have Australian Consumer Law. At face value, I would suggest that you are entitled to a new vehicle if you choose.

Correct but ACCC have no power to compel the manufacturer. VW have failed to respond to my letter of demand and want to try to cost me money by getting me to take it to QCAT. At least QCAT can award costs in my favour for legal fees. Seriously, VW are disgraceful.