DSG woes in The Age

[Golf7]

Hi Everyone!

Found a Facebook page where all disgruntled owners can express their fury/rage/disappointment! https://www.facebook.com/VwIssuesAustralia

[Hail22]

Hi Everyone!

Found a Facebook page where all disgruntled owners can express their fury/rage/disappointment! https://www.facebook.com/VwIssuesAustralia

My two cents, its best to send an email to the department of infrastructure and transport if you have a grievance with your vehicle as they're currently investigating claims from owners on safety issues.

I don't see social media as an effective means vs a Government body...just my humble opinion.

[JonP01]

It is good to see that the ABC continues their thoroughly researched and impartial reporting. Their "expert" Volkswagen consultant today said on the breakfast program that the issue effects the "...DSG gearboxes fitted to both automatic and manual cars...".

Moving along, another thing to consider. I had a Foxtel guy at my house today and we were talking about the NBN. I said I could not wait to get it and wondered if this terrible asbestos issue was going to really hold things up. The guy is right in the middle of the NBN thing and knows intimately what is going on from the inside. He said the media had completely blown the whole thing so massively out of proportion that it was now a complete and not-so-funny joke - just because one person wanted their 15 minutes of fame and had to get their camera out and sent pictures to the TV stations and raise everyone into a compleely unwarranted panic.

Whilst I am not trying to say this VW issue is the same (VW at the very, very least have a significant PR and attitude problem - that is for certain), one still could do with a logical approach to this. The licensed mechanics around Australia service repair brands other than VW. The mechanics who service Ford, Holden, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Citroen, Peugeot, Alfa, whatever are not sitting on the dole queue because they do not have any work to do. On any working day, you will find workshops full of other makes and models that have broken down, stopped on roads, stopped on freeways and left their owners stranded.

All cars are capable of having problems - I once owned a Corolla that liked to destroy alternators... It was caught in Sydney's 1999 hailstorm and had $15,000 damage done to it... Unfortunately for me it was insured for $20,500 and the insurance company fixed it (wouldn't even write it off and give me $15,000)... It had a new roof welded on, bonnet, bootlid and one of the front fenders was replaced... Needless to say it was never 100% (and yes, it still destroyed alternators)... I traded it in for $9,000... So, if you've got a VW that is genuinely giving you grief and you've exhausted all your avenues just cut your losses and get something else... Argey-bargey in here does no-one favours...

I bought a new Corolla in 1986 when the first unleaded front wheel drive hatchbacks came out (AE82 series). It was all but impossible to control the car in traffic. It had a "deceleration fuel cut system" in it and it did not work well at all. When you took your foot off the accelerator in first gear the car felt like you had put the brakes on with maximum effort. And when you put your foot back on the throttle your head would snap back because the car did nothing then suddenly surged forward. You had to be really careful to avoid smashing into the car in front.

I took that car back to the dealer about 10 times to try and get it fixed. I got the exact same sort of attitude and responses that VW owners are reporting today. They never fixed it, denied it was an issue even though the car was absolutely impossible to drive in traffic. I was forced to sell it because it was undriveable. It was possible to stop it from surging but that required over-riding the emissions system which was not only illegal, but would have destroyed the catalytic converter.

I also had a 1987 Corona which was a death-trap. It simply had brakes that barely worked. Even the brakes on my father's 1957 Hilman Minx were far better. You had to keep a rediculous distance from cars in front because it took twice the distance to stop as any "normal" car out there.

In my job as a fleet administrator if I told you about the number of Nissan Pintaras that required engine and gearbox replacements and rebuilds, you probably would not believe me because they were not VWs...

I guess I am one of the lucky ones who owns a VW that has been flawless since day one and has never missed the slightest beat, not used a drop of oil and is the most perfect car I have ever owned in 30 years of driving and owning cars. I wish all my previous Japanese cars had been half as good and reliable as this car.

I don't expect aggrieved VW owners to sit there and do nothing. But I have owned enough cars to say with assurance that as far as I am personally concerned and have personally experienced, Daihatsu (when they were around), Toyota, Ford and Mazda are just as bad as anything I have heard or read as regards VW. They have all denied problems existed, or where problems existed they have denied they were safety issues and they just fobbed me off with Corporate excuses.

So although I do know what it must be like living with a problem car (because I have no two ocassions), remember that on any working day, repair shops are full of other makes and models too.

[Buller_Scott]

honestly, this discussion is an utterly moot point - who cares about all the media nonsense that's going on...

the real important issue is if anyone can answer the question: "do u guys know how i can retrofit MK7 golf R tail lights to my not-Golf-R?!?!"... c'mon, that'll be worth at least 1,500posts!!!!

but for serious, i like deisel_vert's approach to this. not to say that anyone else is in the wrong - i'm not bothered to investigate certain accusations against members as to whether they are actually members of the press, and i don't feel the need to call others out, who seem adamant in their efforts to defend a brand that is hurting, either.

have at it, as far as i am concerned. i believe that THIS is a topic that needs to be allowed to flow on, however i do not think that the people who have ask for moderator ''help'', should get their wishes granted - that is merely asking for coverage, and it's sheight [for fruitcakes].

by the same token, i don't think that any of the personal "directs" are called for - if you like your Golf, and if you feel you sacrificed a significant part of your future income in the form of loans, by buying an automatic fwd/ awd hatchback [some people have ''bragged'' to me that they spent $75,000 on a golf, as if it were pride, lol], by all means, dont take it personally... dont act so wounded!

throw the petty isht aside - this forum is being watched and cited by other websites and messenger boards, and i personally believe that this topic needs to be allowed to flow into its conclusion, rather than opposing sides calling for moderators to close the thread.

transporter has ended my own discussions on this forum for much less - in this instance, i really believe that he's been extremely tolerant and accommodating, and i hope the trend continues - the VWW moderators are doing an incredible job right now, don't let petty bickering in spite of really good moderating, be the end of this discussion!

[golfandtiguan]

the VWW moderators are doing an incredible job right now, don't let petty bickering in spite of really good moderating, be the end of this discussion!

Agreed!
I'm new to VWwC, but as a moderator on another (unrelated, non-motoring) forum, I can appreciate what's going on behind the scenes - 'shut it down' -> 'not yet' -> 'what about now' -> 'nope' -> 'cmon, 40 pages' -> 'nah, theyre good' -> 'it's getting heated' -> 'let em go'
There are some very valid points being raised, some very valid concerns, the expected nonsense, but my praise is not so much for the moderators, as it is for the general membership, and being able to decipher and separate the chafe from the wheat. It takes a strong mod team to allow this to play out. So thanks everyone.

If I can summarise 51 pages of discussion,
- the general consensus: we want that coroners report!
- VW's have some issues: we wish VWA would address them, or at least keep owners informed (don't leave us hanging)
- VWA can't issue a recall until they know how to fix the issue(s)
- But some fixes are known, so why not recall and fix what they know
- DSGs can be problematic: always have been, probably will be for some time. But if tunes are available (e.g. APR), why can't VW 'fix them'
- It's not the problems, it's the way they are handled (head in sand mentality)

Most importantly, to the best of my knowledge, the failure of a VW vehicle or one of its components, has not yet been positively identified as a cause resulting in serious injury or death in this country. However, there have been moments where 'failures' have resulted in dangerous situations for driver an passenger, and the odd contact resulting in nothing more than panel damage (Jetta story in Fairfax)

I say 'failure', because the other night, during heavy rain, at 110km/h, with cruise control, my car suddenly decelerated when the safety systems kicked in after driving through a large puddle, and disabled the cruise. The force of the water against the wheels tripped the safety systems and quickly arrested (but didn't stop) the car. Result: The car worked as it should. Kinda interesting experience, but nothing terrifying about it. I know this is not specifically related, but sometimes the technology does things we don't expect.

[Paulc1964au]

Ok I have a 2012 r what dsg transmission would it have

[alexaescht]

Ok I have a 2012 r what dsg transmission would it have

Golf R? It has the 6-speed wet-clutch DQ250 DSG.

[Paulc1964au]

Golf R? It has the 6-speed wet-clutch DQ250 DSG.

Thanks are these one of the dsg in question? I am assuming so

[tonymy01]

I have a 2012 R also and worried it has one of those manual DSG that the spokesperson mentioned on ABC. I fear on a freeway that in top gear, the car suddenly stops and jerks last second. VW removed a door rattle in my first service, thankfully they fixed it, but I am now worried for my life that even though they repaired it and it hasn't come back in over a year, the engine might seize at any second because of all these recent reports.
It sounds like a diesel at idle, so I am worried the diesel injectors might fail.

Sound like anyone here?

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

[Hail22]

If you have any cause for concern take it to your local dealership to have it inspected and ask that you get a copy of the diagnostics reports if they say the car is fine..always have to be sure in life regardless if its a car, a house, etc always have paperwork and evidence.