103kW/125kw TDI PD Piezo Siemens injector failure thread

[transporterq]

Thought that since I had a 2007 Passat TDI, with the 103 KW motor I would be safe from adding to this threat, but alas no. Final day of our holidays, 20 KM’s out of Geelong on the Ballarat road, cruising at 100 KM’s, engine management light comes on, then the engine dies, thankfully still have brakes and steering. Being with the RAA in SA, can ring the RACV for a tow, no problems, explain my location from the GPS. Phoned a VW dealer in SA for help in locating VW dealer in Geelong, promised a phone call back with the info, still waiting for that call back. Phoned my daughter to Google it, had a dealership in minutes. Tow truck arrives, advised that I need the car to be towed to Rex Gorell which I had already phoned to advise what has happened to my Passat. An hour after we arrived, the bad news, injectors and wiring loom need to be replaced, $3500. No worries he goes to me, VW expense, but need to order the parts from Sydney. RAA puts us up in a hotel for 2 days and we walked all of the CBD of Geelong till the Passat was ready. The only strange thing with the car leading up to the failure was that the cruise control was not holding the cat spot on, it varied the speed by around 5 KM’s. Since getting the Passat back it does not seem to have such a rough idle on slow speed anymore.

Baby waiting to be fixed,



One of the interesting things I picked up while waiting for the Passat to be fixed, just about made it worth while,

[jazd]

You are a very lucky man in that
a) VW paid for it all on the spot to mucking around
b) They had the parts available in Sydney

[Razza123]

Two days ago I was driving from Walcha NSW back towards Port Macquarie when my recently purchased (second hand ) Passat 125 kw engine suddenly lost power, stopped and the dash warning "Engine Failure " came on . The injector symbol was flashing and a red battery symbol also showed. Brakes and steering still functioned. Although travelling at a little over 110Kms p/h there was no other traffic and I was able to find a safe place to stop. NRMA tow to Walcha depot where they assessed injector problem and they negotiated with the NRMA for me a flat bed bed truck carry to VW dealer at Port Macquarie ( about 200 kms away) thanks to NRMA Premium Care package .Without this the car would have been taken to a Tamworth dealer in the opposite direction to home base.

The car has only done 67,000 kms and was bought second hand after trading in a diesel Benz ( very reliable with over 328,000 Kms on the clock but getting very difficult to get parts -and no injector problems). I puchased the diesal Passat because of the so called reliabilty of diesel engines but I was not aware of the numerous injector failures.
The car in now at the local VW dealer John Oxley Motors to be examined. Repairs with be at the cost of the dealer I purchased from with the 5000 KM / 3 month cover .
A minor point FUEL . I was warned with the diesel Bnez not to use cheap diesel fuel but to stick with well known brands. My brother had numerous injector failures whenever he used "No Name diesel". I didnt think about this fuel aspect with the passat but in most other european diesels there is a subtle warning not to go cheap. Stick with the major fuel companies and avoid cheap asian fuel. Perhaps there is an issue with some fuels ?
Thanks to this thread concerning the injector issues I shall be contacting immediately to make sure any injector replacement is not a reconditioned older Piezo type 1. I am hoping the dealer is able to approach VW aus as happened to other 125km passats.
Its really a situation that if VW agree to replace all with the updated kit then I shall keep the car. If not the car will be sold as soon as its back on the road. I travel long distances with work and I dont need the potential for further injector problems. The Passat's a good car but with any future uncertainity its has to go and I shall look for something more reliable. I guess if I had seen this thread before I may have not purchased. I agree with previous posts here , deisel engined vehicles have established a good reputation for reliability and as with the diesel benz are fuel efficient so I expected run maybe 150,000 without too much trouble. Maybe VW did rush introduction of this injector system?

[Greg Roles]

Please also check the facebook page "Fix the pd170 siemens injector failure". On there is a letter from VOSA in the UK forcing the replacement of faulty injectors and basically recognising it as a legitimate problem. Australian agencies are useless, thus the need to push the issue with UK recognition here. In your shoes, with a stock car, I'd be making one hell of a fuss. Squeaky wheel and all that....

[Razza123]

Please also check the facebook page "Fix the pd170 siemens injector failure". On there is a letter from VOSA in the UK forcing the replacement of faulty injectors and basically recognising it as a legitimate problem. Australian agencies are useless, thus the need to push the issue with UK recognition here. In your shoes, with a stock car, I'd be making one hell of a fuss. Squeaky wheel and all that....

Thank you Greg . I shall check it .

Yes the wheel is going to be very squeaky . I shall post the outcome.

[Lindsay]

People are posting that they have recalled vehicles affected...

Please also check the facebook page "Fix the pd170 siemens injector failure". On there is a letter from VOSA in the UK forcing the replacement of faulty injectors and basically recognising it as a legitimate problem. Australian agencies are useless, thus the need to push the issue with UK recognition here. In your shoes, with a stock car, I'd be making one hell of a fuss. Squeaky wheel and all that....

[Greg Roles]

...in the UK because their government watchdog VOSA forced the VAG group to do so.

VOSA obviously has teeth, unlike the inept agency here, I was chatting with a guy who's daughter nearly died when the car stopped at speed, and he is still lobbying the government, but thus far it's falling on deaf ears. I just hope it doesn't take someone getting hurt...

Best of luck!

[Lindsay]

Yeah I never thought about the danger side of it! Mine cut out late one night in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, I had one bar of reception (thanks Telstra NextG) to call RACT otherwise I would have been in for a nice long walk in the dark...

[stickshift3000]

Yeah I never thought about the danger side of it! Mine cut out late one night in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, I had one bar of reception (thanks Telstra NextG) to call RACT otherwise I would have been in for a nice long walk in the dark...

That is an unsafe activity in Tassie, never know who's lurking around.

[Lindsay]

Haha. Yes you do have to keep an eye out for the inbred deviants in the bush