VW Passat TDI Warranty Issue

1990C4S · 05-09-2014, 04:17 AM

Apparently a lot of 'newish' Passat TDI's are experiencing turbo failures. Online I have read of 2012 and 2013 failures in rather high numbers. It's a 'known issue' now.

A co-workers car died a while ago, 30,000 miles on his 2013 model year.

Dealer replaces the turbo, inter-cooler, and catalytic converter. When he starts the car he says 'there is some noise, we might replace the engine'.

A week later the dealer says 'we took the head off and removed some turbo bits out of cylinder #4'. No pictures, no phone call, they closed it up and say 'the car is fixed'.

To me, that's not good enough. The car has been in the shop for a month now. (They gave him a crappy Dodge Journey for two weeks, when he complained they gave him a hybrid Passat, but he commutes almost 200 miles per day and any vehicle other than the TDI costs him extra money.)

Would you take this car back? I say the engine should be replaced or they give him a full refund towards a 2014 MY car.

What do you guys think is fair?

asphaltgambler · 05-09-2014, 04:22 AM

It's really up to the dealer. There is very tight protocol when doing major engine warranty work. In a nut shell = if it runs correctly, does not leak oil or smoke (1qt = 1K miles) and no unusual noises. It is acceptable / fixed.

BTW, I'm sure most here know that warranty time paid to the tech is next to nothing. Less than 50% of COD work. More often than not little to no diagnostic time given / paid. So none of this su-prises me.

Arizona_928 · 04:42 AM

Hmm if they found metallic objects in that cylinder, it should be toast. It has another 30k on warranty, so chances are they aren't going to take it back unless it happens again. But some dealers are more friendly then others. Look into each states lemon laws. The passat's are crap, made in Mexico junk (or are the tdi's made in Tennessee?!)....

Just don't tell him about the high pressure fuel pump failure. :/

Bugsinrugs · 05-09-2014, 05:49 AM

Just don't tell him about the high pressure fuel pump failure. :/
Them puppies are pricy!

onewhippedpuppy · 05-09-2014, 06:06 AM

If anything metallic is removed from #4, that means there is metal circulating through the engine, at a minimum through the head and into the cylinders. Smaller particles would be picked up in the oil and circulating throughout, accelerating wear. No way I'd take that car back, it's a ticking bomb at this point.

PabloX · 05-09-2014, 07:55 AM

From a technical perspective, I agree with onewhippedpuppy. From a business perspective, honestly, lawyer up. This is the kind of crap that prevents me from buying another VAG product.

PabloX · 05-09-2014, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZ_porschekid

The passat's are crap, made in Mexico junk (or are the tdi's made in Tennessee?!)....

But the engines are made in either Germany or Hungary.

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

Yeah, if there were metal particles where they told you there were, that motor is all done. It may still be running, but it is just a matter of time. Did they remove the oil pan? They are trying to say that the turbo puked pieces of itself into the engine, it took out the cat, the intercooler and the turbo, but did not hurt anything else. I find that to be implausible.

I would go over the stealership's head and contact VW corporate directly.

MT930 · 05-09-2014, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PabloX

From a technical perspective, I agree with onewhippedpuppy. From a business perspective, honestly, lawyer up. This is the kind of crap that prevents me from buying another VAG product.

Not surprising I'm not coming back to the brand until the product improves and the local dealership changes hands. 2007 Passat 3.6 4 Motion wagon. I called it the glass car it was always doing something.

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

VW quit building cars I would buy back in 1979.

PabloX · 05-09-2014, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MT930

Not surprising I'm not coming back to the brand until the product improves and the local dealership changes hands. 2007 Passat 3.6 4 Motion wagon. I called it the glass car it was always doing something.

I had a '98 A4 1.8T and a '99 Passat V6. The A4 was miserable. The Passat wasn't horrible but not great either. In particular, the Passat burned 1qt of oil every 1000 miles for its whole life. VW and the dealer both said "within spec". If that's how they spec cars, I'm not buying another.

Anyway, I've said the same as you regarding the product improving, but I'm just not seeing it.

john70t · 05-09-2014, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobra

VW quit building cars I would buy back in 1979.

Are ya sure? Only $9K and use of a time machine.

1984 10Best Cars - 10Best Cars - Page 11 - Car and Driver

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

Yes I am certain. Driven plenty of GTIs of that vintage.

There is not a water cooled VW that I have any interest in owning, none. Well, maybe that Scirroco with the Callaway turbo kit that Dennis found, but even that, not so much.

$5000 and a time machine to 1979, yeah, I would have another brand new super beetle.

peppy · 05-09-2014, 04:58 PM

Those engines are expensive if they break. I would keep complaining until VW fixed it correctly.

Arizona_928 · 05-09-2014, 06:30 PM

So how was his driving habits? Redline shifts, lots of idling, not letting it cool down after spirited drives, disturbing regen?

beepbeep · 05-09-2014, 11:22 PM

Redline shifts in a diesel?`That's like 4000 RPM. Cooling down of turbo went unnecessary in middle of 80's, when manufacturers started introducing water-cooled bearing assemblies, and that was for gasoline-powered cars (diesels have lower EGT's and are unlikely to cook bearings no matter how quick you shut them down).

If TDI's really grenade their turbos, it sounds more like construction issue.

But I'm puzzled. There are literally millions of those TDI's tooling around in Europe. Yet it's mostly US users that seem to be affected by exploding fuel pups and turbos. (Incidentally, issues which you might expect if you happen to *cough* *cough* fill up with gasoline instead of diesel *cough* *cough*)

strath44 · strath44's Garage

I've just done 53k in my 2012 1.6 tdi estate.

No probs so far, its a daily hack and I am ashamed to admit its on the 20k / 2year service interval.

Really happy with it and getting about 67 mpg easily on the motorway cruising at 65-70mph.

1990C4S · 05-10-2014, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZ_porschekid

So how was his driving habits? Redline shifts, lots of idling, not letting it cool down after spirited drives, disturbing regen?

Not at all. He's a sedate driver, and the turbo was warm when it failed.

This is NOT a driver problem, this is a serious VW problem, the more you look into it the more failures you find all over the USA.

He's keeping the 'loaner car' and refusing to return it until he's satisfied with the dealers 'offer'.

This should be an interesting week.

1990C4S · 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beepbeep

Redline shifts in a diesel?`That's like 4000 RPM. Cooling down of turbo went unnecessary in middle of 80's, when manufacturers started introducing water-cooled bearing assemblies, and that was for gasoline-powered cars (diesels have lower EGT's and are unlikely to cook bearings no matter how quick you shut them down).

If TDI's really grenade their turbos, it sounds more like construction issue.

But I'm puzzled. There are literally millions of those TDI's tooling around in Europe. Yet it's mostly US users that seem to be affected by exploding fuel pups and turbos. (Incidentally, issues which you might expect if you happen to *cough* *cough* fill up with gasoline instead of diesel *cough* *cough*)

People are surmising the turbo issue has to to do the the emissions program overloading the turbo when it's not quite warm enough. They want the cat hot immediately to control emissions. The failures are reportedly lower in Canada where the emissions program is different. So the colder climate has, unexpectedly fewer failures. This is mostly speculation, but turbos are absolutely failing early and quite frequently.

There is likely a software fix on the way.

The pump issue is supposedly caused by poor fuel.

Steve Carlton · 05-10-2014, 08:27 PM

What state are you in, or are you in Canada? Your co-worker should look into the lemon laws that apply to him. In CA, 30 days in the shop for warranty work for any combination of problems qualifies for buy back or replacement. The refund or replacement is based on how many miles you got when the problems began pro-rated over a 120,000 mile "lifespan." If he qualifies, he should go that route. If not, he should have the VW service rep contact him and a new engine should be discussed along with a free extended warranty.