I own a R32 Volkswagen bought from new. Just two years old and done 29,000 miles.
This weekend without any previous warning it wouldnt get in to any gear. The car was towed to VW for investigation and repair.
VW now say the problem is not a warranty (60k miles/3 years) covered item as it is due to hot spots on the fly wheel, with excessive movement in the dual mass suspension. I have driven for 30 years with no previous clutch problems on previously owned cars. VW say it is down to driving style. Are they right?
VW were defensive from the start and had already seemed to suggest not warranty before even looking at it. The cost to me to repair £1,350.00. I can't understand why such a new car should have such a large problem.
Has any one else experieced this problem? OR Is this a known problem with VW R32s?
I understand that dual mass flywheel problems are caused by excess heat from slipping the clutch melting the compound holding the two parts of the flywheel together and that Audi (some have same part as the VW) is fixing low mileage cars FOC.
Does any one else know about this? Thanks
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My brother-in-law had the exact same experience as you, with the same response from VW, again without anyone looking at the car. This was a 35,000 mile Passat TDI 130, and he was quoted £1500!
In the end, he got the job done at an independent using the same parts, but at a little over half the hourly rate. Worked out to be a saving of about £300. The independent reckoned they see loads of VWs with this problem, and it was quite a nice earner.
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Thank you for letting me know about the independent route. Much appreciated.
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I had a fight with VW over the premature corrosion of the highly visible brake pads on my Golf VR6. It took a while, but they gave in and stripped/painted them.
If I were you, I would get very firm (but always polite) with them and if there is no satisfactory response from the dealer then request -- using the key corporate word "escalate" -- that they get head office involved. If I experienced such a failure at 29k and two years -- properly serviced, I assume -- my line would be "fitness for purpose" and I would pour scorn on the idea that driving style is remotely relevant, especially in a model inviting a lively approach to driving.
Your description of the dealer's stance makes me suspect that this is a known problem and that they will therefore try to stifle any warranty claim at birth. I would do a bit of research on the legal position, perhaps consulting a solicitor (so that you can say to the dealer at a well chosen time that you are consulting a solicitor), but in any event take up a very firm position on the matter.
Also, try Googling worldwide for other evidence, and visit the relevant club sites.
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Brake pads Brake callipers! Another senior moment . . .
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Have a Jetta 57 plate, with less than 7000 miles, terrible burning smell when stuck in traffic on Saturday, took to dealers and told there is a problem with clutch, cannot diagnose if warranty or my style of driving until clutch removed to examine!! after less than 7000 miles? got to be taking the Michael.
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I think that its important to remember that its not the dealers decision whether or not the vehicle will be repaired under warranty and that they are usually an agent of the manufacturer - a totally separate corporate identity.
Normal procedure would be to strip the vehicle down, determine the cause, then submit a warranty request to the manufacturer, normally through a computer system. If the manufacturer authorises, the dealer repairs your vehicle, if not then he asks for your authority to proceed as you will be picking up the tab. The dealers concern is getting paid, thats all and the only advantage to him that you will pick up the tab rather than vw is that you will be paying a higher labour rate than vw. They dont really care about that so much so wont present the strongest of cases as they know someone will pay up in the end.
1. you need to ensure that the dealer has submitted the claim to the manufacturer. Proof should be able to be given by the dealer showing the manufacturers response on a computer screen or better still (for legal action) by giving you a printout.
2. Assuming that they have submitted the claim and vw has rejected it, you have two options. You can either phone the customer services number of VW and ask for an explanation or ask the dealer to do it for you. I would be inclined to call up VW and complain rather than getting the dealer to do it. If that fails, get the dealer on your side and ask them to do it. When you phone VW be calm and stick to facts. If the person on the phone seems technically unsure about how to explain the breif notes on the case to you, ask to speak to somebody else.
3. If after doing that they stick to their guns and say its driving style, ask VW for a goodwill gesture due to the low mileage, type of sporty car and age of the vehicle. They have a budget for this im sure. I know mercedes do as I work for a dealer! I would expect free parts as an absolute minimum and preferably a contribution towards labour as well.
4. when you have settled with VW, start on the dealer. Give them a sob story about not being able to afford it and if they have the car stripped down, they will want to get it off site. I would expect 15-20% off of the labour bill, over and above what VW has offered.
I used to have a golf v6 4motion and Im sure that dealers take the high end model owners as willing to blow money on their pride and joy. They tried all sorts of tricks with me, telling me that wishbones were seized in subframes, track rod ends had seized onto a steering rack after they had tracked the vehicle a few weeks earlier. when I asked to see the vehicle on the ramp and challenge them, they magically unseized everything!!
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I've just had the same problem with my VW Golf 2005 . I just came off the motorway and found the gears were sticking. I managed to drive it to a VW garage. They suspected that it was the fly wheel and on spending 2.5 hour opening it up they confirmed it was the clutch as well. After an additional 5 hours of labout, replacing the clutch and the flywheel i was given a bill for £1100.
They said it was due to my milage 65000, not sure if that is the case
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Hi guys, just found this through google.
I to have had the same issues on a 56 plate R32 that i bought ten months ago with 9800 miles on the clock. Suddenly notived a thudding noise when sat in neutral which stopped when i depressed the clutch pedal. This gradually got worse until even using the clutch pedal did not stop it.
Went straight to the dealer and they replaced the flywheel, Clutch and Cam shaft bearings all under warranty. This seemed to do the trick until a fortnight ago when again in neutral a clicking /clacking noise could be heard. This was again fixed under warranty and it was found to be the thrust bearing(s). BUT it still made a noise so it is back in today for the 6th time to be looked at again.
It is obviously a VW problem and the dealers you are using are trying to get out of doing the work for something any of our driving probably cannot of caused.
Keep pushing them and if you are on Finance push them also as the car is actually theirs until you have finished the repayments and they therefore have an interest in the vehicle being tip top. (i work in motor finance and see this stuff all the time).
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Just to add to this.....
Go my 1.9TDI in for servce, MOT and warranty look at the DMF...when i dropped it in yesterday the warranty work for the DMF replacement had already been signed and authorised. Not a problem changing gears but when the cars been left overnight, especially through the winter the dMF judders when first pulling away.
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I own a 2.0 GT TDI 53 plate.
I am experiencing a problem with the starter motor knocking teeth out of the flywheel when the car is started. The car is also loosing coolant but no leak can be found.
We have been through 3 starter motors, 3 flywheels and 1 clutch plate and are still at square 1. Anyone got any ideas?
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Possible HG slowly weeping water into a cylinder when cooling down and on start up the piston hydrualically locks for a split second and snaps a tooth off. You may be gassing off fumes via the header tank or the water is weeping via a crack in the head into an input port so no gassing but the same start up problem. Regards Peter
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