MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston | Technical matters | Back Room Forum

Fri 16 Dec 2011 16:01

MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston - timfg

Hi chaps

I've driven this vehicle from new, in November 2006. It was previously my company car, under Zenith leasing, from whom I purchased it in November 2010. It currently has 54k on the clock, and is used by my partner.

So, given it was due a service, I booked it in at my local independent (who I rate highly, have used them for years) - it's always been serviced by VW dealers prior to that (since I didn't have to pay for it). The night before it was due in, my partner advised that the engine management light was coming on intermittently - and when I took it in, it was clearly down on power.

So series of ongoing issues discovered by my guy, which can briefly be summarised as: no compression in cylinder 4, two valves toasted, damage to the head, fixed those but it's still got a problem, we think the piston's fractured, took the piston out and it's in two pieces... Got it back yesterday with new piston and a bill for £2350 (about £600 of which is for service/MOT and new tyres). They talked to the local VW dealer when they realised how serious the problem was, who essentially washed his hands of it, but did advise they replaced the fuel-injector as a likely cause of the problem. He didn't suggest that, if they carried on with the repair, I'd have a problem with seeking any goodwill from VW, who, of course, would wash their hands of it corporately.. Unsurprising, because, of course, that's exactly what they're doing.

I have logged a case with VW, but they're clearly not going to play ball because they haven't 'been able to diagnose the problem'. They also refuse to speak to my independent. I think, regardless of any diagnosis they could have undertaken, the outcome would have been a design/construction problem - hardly anything I could have caused.

So...what chance have I got of getting VW to do the reasonable thing? Do I have any 'rights'? I don't think it reasonable that a properly maintained, carefully driven vehicle of this age and mileage could suffer a failure of this nature, or the repair costs associated with it....

TIA!

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Fri 16 Dec 2011 16:17

MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston - injection doc

look at it this way, they have stopped building this particular unit as its been so troublesome. There have been some post's on here before with others having suffered piston failure so I think you need to make VW aware that you understand its a common problem. Too much power from too smaller engine equalls something breaking ! and in the case or the TSI's its always pistons.

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Fri 16 Dec 2011 16:20

MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston - injection doc

just found 1 link

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=88869

I would read every paragraph as there is some inetresting inforamtion

Edited by injection doc on 16/12/2011 at 16:24

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Fri 16 Dec 2011 18:53

MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston - rtj70

On the other hand, the car is 5 years old. Will VW help? I doubt it. Especially as the car was worked on by an independent.

As Injection Doc says, 170PS out of a 1.4 litre petrol is a lot to ask of the engine. Maybe they went too far... which says you might have an argument.

Longer term, another cylinder or more is likely to go too.

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Fri 16 Dec 2011 21:32

MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston - gordonbennet

Getting VW to help is worth a punt, nothing to lose.

I doubt they're going to turn into Toyota overnight, they do seem to have finally started accepting responsibility for failing injectors on the Diesels according to some forum posts.

I'm in the camp of don't push it too far or it might not last view too.

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Thu 15 Mar 2012 20:25

MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston - madtek

Goodevening...I was wondering if you've had any resolution on this? The exact same thing has just happened to me (2007 sport gt 1.4 tsi) with 90k km's. I took it to my local authorized vw dealer to see what had happened and they diagnosed the issue as a broken piston in the 3rd cylinder. My quote to fix, basically to change entire engine was 8300 euros!!! I immediately contacted vw in Germany which in turn gave me the helpline for vw Italy. I asked for goodwill and am waiting on a response. I didn't realize how pervasive this issue is until I did some searches tonight. I did ask the "veteran" mechanic at vw today if it was common and he said he had never heard of this?! Hope vw was good to you.

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Thu 15 Mar 2012 22:11

MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston - balleballe

Sorry to hear of your problems

The change of any type of goodwill from VW is slim unfortunantly. Same thing happened to a chap I used to work with

Always serviced by supplying dealer - 4 years old at the time and broken piston diagnosed (similar to yourself) - bill came in around 2k

VW didnt want to know. After a long battle, they contributed 10% as it was serviced solely from a VW dealer - based on this you have no hope

He had had 2 previous VW's from new as well.

He has now moved to Honda; wise move I say!

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 12:24

MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston - injection doc

Madtek

"I did ask the "veteran" mechanic at vw today if it was common and he said he had never heard of this?"

That is a typical dealer response. Its common ! very common ! Its a weakness of the 1.4, too much power for too smaller an engine.

There's plenty on Google if you search VW Gold 1.4 TSi piston failure.

Here's one example http://www.yell.com/motoring/blog/vw-audi-groups-1-4-tsi-engine-known-issues/

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 14:59

MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston - unthrottled

its a weakness of the 1.4, too much power for too smaller an engine.

This sounds convincing but is utter rubbish. It would be true if the engines spent any length of time at full power. They don't.

Either VW used cheap pistons that were not up to the job (likely) or the direct injection had problems. But the specific power of car engines is, for the main part, irrelevant to durability.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 15:24

MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston - ChannelZ

its a weakness of the 1.4, too much power for too smaller an engine.

This sounds convincing but is utter rubbish. It would be true if the engines spent any length of time at full power. They don't.

Either VW used cheap pistons that were not up to the job (likely) or the direct injection had problems. But the specific power of car engines is, for the main part, irrelevant to durability.

For once I agree with you unthrottled. Vauxhall's 1.6 turbo in the Corsa VXR melts it's pistons too, but that's just because they're shoddy pistons, nothing to do with the 200hp output of the engine.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 15:33

MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston - unthrottled

Of all the parts to skimp on! Why do they do it??

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 20:42

MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston - balleballe

Because they can, and people will still continue to buy their cars.......

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 18:04

MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - MkV Golf 1.4 TSi 170 - Broken Piston - madtek

Thanks for the info. I returned to the dealer today and they said that vw customer care had contacted them to get the details. Im hoping they can help. My dad bought his first new car, a 71 vw beetle from the same dealer, and we still have it! We've also owned a bora, another golf, a polo, a corrado, and a fox. Never had any major problems with the rest of them. We shall see I guess.

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