DSG woes in The Age

[pologti18t]

Well, I've been driving for 40 years and never before have I owned a car that's shut down while moving no less than 5 times. In fact, I don't think it's ever happened to me while driving any other car, not even the ones I drove back in the 1970s!

Why would VW even bother fixing these issues if the owners are like you. They fixed your car .... over 1.5yrs of no issues and you whinge about it! Like there is some conspiracy against you. You even had to recreate a profile on here to go on about it after not posting for years. What is your motivation?

[wai]

How do you explain the recalls elsewhere in the world?

Different laws. As I said, in NSW at least, you can do whatever you want (unless it is already on the criminal statutes), as long as you tell your customer what you are going to do them. There are limits, but what we are talking about here is OK.

On the ACCC, they are concerned with safety. Again, it is up to the person lodging the complaint to make the case on safety.

Above all, DO NOT be confused by the titles of these organisations. The titles are a way of governments (all persuasions) hoodwinking citizens into thinking they are doing something about a problem. Just look at all of what is going on right now in politics. Create an organisation or body with a name that suggests they are doing something and you quieten the masses.

[wai]

True, the 6 speed has problems aswell. What infuriates many, is the "head in the sand" stance adopted by VGA. The dealer response to my complaint of a false neutral was "oh, we haven't heard of that before". You only have to Google "VW DSG false neutrals".

Volkswagen are in business to sell cars, not fix them at no cost. You only have to look at their standard response to shut down complaints "<whatever> is standard for this type of vehicle".

This is not VW hating, as it applies equally to EVERY car manufacturer.

[nyc863]

This media beat up reminds me of the toyota unintended acceleration debacle a few years ago that turned out to be a couple of floor mat mistakes compounded into mass hysteria and more than a few opportunists.

The press in this country is paper thin, there is no investigative ability at all. They are addicted to clicks and love opening up for comments on articles that don't really matter but withholding the ability to comment on articles that are of national importance.

I've got friends coming to me each like a dog who has dug up a bone, asking if I had heard that my new Passat could stop at any time and be taken out by a semi trailer, and how in China they just (today) recalled every VW. It is ridiculous. VWA must be shaking their head with the hysteria of it all.

I don't really have an opinion on whether or not VW should recall all DSGs, personally I'm happy with the warranty and think that if there should be a transmission failure I'll just get them to fix it. This is my third DSG in three cars, over 7 years and none gave me any issues. I suspect the actual number of VWs off the road for long periods are few versus the number on the roads -- not much different than other brands at similar prices. The same DSG units are in Skoda and Audi, where are the owners action groups around those cars and brands?

As for the poor lady who got smooshed by a truck, I don't know the details but I do know that cars loose the ability to accelerate at full bore every day for multiple reasons (blow outs, bad fuel, running out of fuel, limp mode, operator error) and nobody gets killed or if they did, it turns out to be carelessness on the part of one or both drivers involved. Nobody calls for puncture proof tires or emergency motive force to save lives.

[BluChris]

"<whatever> is standard for this type of vehicle". While I have experienced a degree of this with other brands, I never had the runaround like I had from VAG group dealers. There's enough expressed emotion here and in the media to indicate this is a common experience with VAG products.

Thank heavens I never had potentially life threatening problems, but man I tell you when I stepped away from VAG the palpable sense of the weight off my shoulders was something to experience. Approaching my current service department no longer fills me with dread, as in 'what arrogant crap am I going to experience today, will I be told again that the bleeding obvious can't be detected, and just how much am I going to get ripped for the pleasure of a non-fix?'

The angst this set of issues is causing demonstrates there is a real customer service problem here, one that VAG has done way too little to address. They knew about it long ago but did nothing (I was surveyed and later discovered VAG had received tons of negative feedback). I feel really, really sorry for those of you who are going through this nightmare with your cars. I sincerely hope VAG is forced to improve how they handle customer issues, however that might be done.

[RoknRob]

Different laws. As I said, in NSW at least, you can do whatever you want (unless it is already on the criminal statutes), as long as you tell your customer what you are going to do them. There are limits, but what we are talking about here is OK.

On the ACCC, they are concerned with safety. Again, it is up to the person lodging the complaint to make the case on safety.

Above all, DO NOT be confused by the titles of these organisations. The titles are a way of governments (all persuasions) hoodwinking citizens into thinking they are doing something about a problem. Just look at all of what is going on right now in politics. Create an organisation or body with a name that suggests they are doing something and you quieten the masses.

Wai, you miss my point.

The point is there are real problems that have obliged VW Globally to act. And VW has acted - which means they are aware of problems, and presumably know how to fix some of them.

Some here are suggesting it is all in our heads. That we're all trolls. That we don't know how to drive.

Recalls do not occur for these spurious reasons, and yet they have happened, so that can't be it.
VW Australia should do the right thing - not just the thing that some actuary has determined is not worth the money!
(But I take heart, because as this discussion drags on, it will likely become more and more worthwhile for VW to do the right thing! And then we can all go back to loving the brand that gives us such wonderful dynamics and interiors at a reasonable - for Australia - price!)

And thanks to cappuccino for such a comprehensive explanation of why this is all possible, even if no fault can be found.
(Surely I'm not the only one to have my desktop computer hang for no apparent reason, but when re-started, it's as if nothing had ever happened? This is a day-to-day example that I would be hard pressed to believe someone has never experienced.)

[Barracuda]

Well, I've been driving for 40 years and never before have I owned a car that's shut down while moving no less than 5 times. In fact, I don't think it's ever happened to me while driving any other car, not even the ones I drove back in the 1970s!

Request to moderator: can you change the title of the thread please to remove the reference to "DSG", which is incorrect? Ta.

You've been driving for 40 years which would put you at about age 57 yet you frequently use the term "fanboi" - common among 17 year-old kids. I have serious questions over the legitimacy of the things you write, let alone your profile itself.

[Barracuda]

Oh please! I'm well versed with the lingo of the younger set. I have kids that age. Stick your paranoia up where the sun don't shine.

Yeah, good. You're a classic case of insecurity. You make comments like that yet you also ask people to 'stop harassing you'. Mate, you're harassing the forums. VWWatercooled isn't for the spreading of hate comments. If you had a bad experience with a Volkswagen, I'm sorry to hear that. You don't need to go around to every post and spread negative comments and tell everybody how much you hate Volkswagen. One would only hope that you have better things to do...

[Umai Naa!!]

At the end of the day, it's only the internet.

You shouldn't take it too seriously.

[pologti18t]

I don't like being threatened. I don't like being told that my driving habits are the cause of a serious car malfunction. I drive like an old lady.

May I ask you to stop harassing me, pologti18t? I could equally ask you why you are such a mindless fanboi who cannot stand to hear the bad news about his pet consumer product, ffs.

Threatened, harrassed? I'm not harrassing you.
You get your car fixed... you log back in to that forum 1.5yrs later to say everything is hunky dory... then when the Age article surfaces you feel the need to edit your 3 month old post and then re-create an account on here to sprout your unproven theory.
Has VW really been that nasty to you? If so, why do you still drive a Golf?

Am I a fanboi? Hmmm, no, I wouldn't recommend a first series 7DSG car to a friend. But then again I have done some research on other manufacturers and how they handle these sort of issues. Doesn't matter who they are they all get the same negative feedback from people online. "Kept in the dark", "they aren't telling me something" "Manufacturer XXX doesn't have any issues why does my car" "They are just stalling until warranty expires".