VAG 170 PS Diesel Injector Failures - VOSA action

[jfarhead]

@Spiders

You're not fighting this one alone in Ireland, check out the post by this VW owner from Limerick on the HJ website... hope you guys can get somewhere with it too:

PatLimerick Tue 12 Jul 2011 13:32

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=86615

[Spiders]

Good news! (For me at least)

VW Ireland have my car and are currently replacing the three remaining dodgy injectors with new units as part of their customer good will policy. VW have told me that they needed to see the car and test it using their systems etc before they could comment etc. I have to say that despite the shock et al of the injectors failing (both times!)that I am more than happy with the way I have been treated by VW Ireland. My faith has been restored. I would also like to thank VOSA UK for all their help and advice. If you feel your car is suspect |I suggest you bring it in to be looked at by an official VW garage and stick to your guns!

[spitzie]

An update.

Got my vRS back after an injector was replaced, my wallet some £700 lighter. To find a letter from VOSA saying that VAG would be be contacting me to arrange to have all the injectors replaced and refund my money.

Looking at the date on the letter, I suspect that this could be a standing agreement for this fault.

Still a good result.

[Awesam]

Can someone please tell the symptons of injector failure?

I was driving from Brimingham to Glasgow on Friday, We stopped at a service station 62 miles from Glasgow for about 15 mins. On exiting the service station the car juddering and then cut out and the glowplug warning light came on, lucky i managed to steer on the hard shoulder.

Switch it off and the glowplug light wasn't on, just the standard set of lights when your turn the ignition on including the engine management light. So tried to start it, it was turning but wasn't not starting then again the glowplug warning light came. I was lucky as my friend was travelling with us and he managed to fit my family and his in his MPV and take them to my parents house.

I waited for recoery to turn up a few hours later around 11.30pm, in the meanwhile i did turn to start but nothing. So when the recovery guy turned up he lifted the bonnet check the oil, water etc. and asked if i tried to start it, i told him i did. so he tell to try again and it starts!!

He tells to get off at the next junction and he'll take a look, I had no probs to the junction and the car was as responsive as normal.

We stopped and before he does anything he said it could cost me £200-£300 to get towed if he switches the ignition off and start the car again! Told him the car is running fine I'll take my chances, I got to Glasgow with no probs, the next the car started fine went to a gym, however when I tried to start it after that it was hesitate and I drove home and parked in the drive.

Tried to start it this morning and its just turning over with the glowplug warning flashing once ive try it for a few times and the oil warning light came on with the an audible warning!

Edited 24 July, 2011 by Awesam

[Awesam]

Do I need to register my details with VOSA before I can take it to a dealer?

[xyster]

I have just rang my local Skoda dealer to try for a pre-emptive change out of my injectors. He said that they have done a couple of changeouts and Skoda have paid as a goodwill gesture but they are not offering pe-emptive change outs and that VAG don't take any notice of the forums!

I told him that I don't take anything as read and will in this instance send emails off to both VOSA (to register my concerns) and Skoda UK (to let them know that I have registered my concerns with VOSA).

I will update when I get a response.

Just to clarify I have not as yet had any problems with the injectors. But having been through the ABS sensor routine with Skoda think I know how the dance goes (and I won that one with 95% Skoda payment).

[Awesam]

I called Skoda UK this morning and was told that they don't take the forum word as they own it!

Anything was told that it had to go to a dealer to get it diagnosed and if it is the injector problem then the dealer will take the procedure further.

Took to it Henry's Skoda in Glasgow, they didn't have a clue. Told them I had spoken to Skoda UK and they told me that I had to bring into a dealership to get it diagnosed.

I hope it is the injectors and that Skoda UK will cover it as Im skint!

I've registered my concerns with VOSA. Does the form get saved an XML file type?

[cogdoc]

Facebook PD170 injector failure page

A few of us from around the world have teamed up to start a facebook page, to share information, and to try and force better action around the globe.

Please like, and join in!

[Awesam]

UPDATE:

Henry Skoda have jsut confirmed it was injector failure, only 1. They are awaiting the go ahead from Skoda UK to see if they can replace them all.

Have voiced my concerns and that I won't be satisfied with the replacement of one injector and I will phone Skoda myself if they only give the ahead for the replacement of 1. The engineer was very pleasant and said that if I put the pressure from my end then it will help get all the injectors hopefully replaced.

[jimbob77]

Afternoon, just to let you know that I'm the latest victim of injector failure on my 2006 56 VRS TDi!

Was taking my young family (9wk old baby) on holiday to West Wales last week, car fuly loaded with everything needed for a week with a little-un in Wales, and as I joined the A40, about 10 miles from home, the glow plug light started flashing and the car went into limp mode then cut out altogether. Fortunately there was a lay-by on the left hand side of the road so only had to free-wheel for 50yds but the car was a lump to try to steer and slow down.

Had the RAC out to look at it and they couldn't find the fault so recovered it to my local garage. Their scanning equipment could only find general faults so they had a specialist come in. He diagnosed a Number 1 injector failure, adding that he'd picked it up on a number of VAG group vehicles, calling it a common fault and unable to understand why there hadn't been a recall yet. Hec said that it'd cost around £500 to get done but as its a safety issue he had heard of some dealers honouring it even if it the vehicle was out of warranty.

Spoke to Sinclair Skoda in Swansea today who didn't really want to know because I bought the car private and didn't have any warranty left. They wouldn't even believe me that the reason it broke down was down to the injector failure and insisted that they get it in 'for the boys to take a look at', with the earliest being 3rd August.

I'm going to have to book it in with them though as if I were to get it done in my local garage and I were to get anywhere with the claim I put into VOSA, any reimburesment might not be honoured if the repairs are carried out in an independent garage - anyone had any success with this?

I've read through these pages and heard of people having good results after putting in the claim to VOSA with regards reimbursement and replacement of all/remaining injectors with the VAG group, but any idea how long the whole process from putting in the claim to getting the work done paid for takes?

Any response greatly appreciated.

James

[Ciderspace]

I'm hearing more and more incidents of this and just waiting for the inevitable on my car. I can't believe there hasn't been a recall yet. Whats it going to take? A serious accident? A death?! Its great that VOSA/VAG are acknowledging and replacing Injectors that have already failed (all 4 plus other works) but if this is a case of WHEN and not IF then surely its a safety issue and a recall is whats needed immediately?!

[Awesam]

It's truly shocking! I was on the motorway when mines failed, my car was fully loaded with my wife and 2 kids! This issue is effecting their cars globally and yet the refuse to act more instinctively.

Got a called from the garage, now Skoda want to know the service history of the car!!

[jimbob77]

UPDATE:

Spoke to Skoda UK Customer services yesterday afternoon. They told me that they were aware of the problem with the injectors and are going to give me a call today with regards getting my car into my local dealer (Sinclair Skoda, Swansea) to put it on their equipment to confirm that it is an injector failure.

When I asked about the possibility of Skoda covering the cost of the repair the guy I spoke to (Craig) said that if the injector failure was the cause of the breakdown and the car's chassis number was one of the 'problem' cars then Skoda would cover the cost of replacing the failed injector - I'm not holding my breath just yet though! I didn't ask if they would repalce all of them but I will when I speak to him today.

Hope to update this message further later today, watch this space.........

Edited 27 July, 2011 by jimbob77

[Awesam]

UPDATE:

Henry Skoda have order in just one injector for now, they have been told if the part number matches the effected batch of injectors then they can go ahead replace all of them. They will give me an update after 2pm.

[jimbob77]

UPDATE:

After many phone calls back and forth have got the car booked in with Sinclair Swansea for a week Thursday (4th Aug), which is the earliest they can get it recovered and looked at. The other option they did offer me was that if I get it recovered to them before that date then providing it is in their workshop they will take a look at it when they can.

Finally got hold of Craig in Skoda Customer Services UK who has given me a case reference number and told me that he'd deal with Sinclair once the car was in with them. He had asked them to contact me but when I mentioned his name Sinclair said they hadn't heard of him or from him! Anyway he said that it would be tested with them and if the failed injector is part of the faulty batch then it would be replaced at no cost to me, plus the others would also be replaced if they too were part of the faulty batch - RESULT!

All being well A local recovery service can get the car to them before the end of the week so it may be looked at sooner rather than later. I'm not counting my chickens just yet as once its in with Sinclair's they could lead me right up the garden path but I'm hoping there is a happy ending to this outing!

I hope my next update is in no more than a week's time and I've got my VRS back in full working order...........hope being the operative word!

Edited 27 July, 2011 by jimbob77

[Andrew S Wales]

UPDATE:

After many phone calls back and forth have got the car booked in with Sinclair Swansea for a week Thursday (4th Aug), which is the earliest they can get it recovered and looked at. The other option they did offer me was that if I get it recovered to them before that date then providing it is in their workshop they will take a look at it when they can.

Finally got hold of Craig in Skoda Customer Services UK who has given me a case reference number and told me that he'd deal with Sinclair once the car was in with them. He had asked them to contact me but when I mentioned his name Sinclair said they hadn't heard of him or from him! Anyway he said that it would be tested with them and if the failed injector is part of the faulty batch then it would be replaced at no cost to me, plus the others would also be replaced if they too were part of the faulty batch - RESULT!

All being well A local recovery service can get the car to them before the end of the week so it may be looked at sooner rather than later. I'm not counting my chickens just yet as once its in with Sinclair's they could lead me right up the garden path but I'm hoping there is a happy ending to this outing!

I hope my next update is in no more than a week's time and I've got my VRS back in full working order...........hope being the operative word!

Just a quick word about Sinclairs of Swansea - I've had two issues with my petrol VRS dealt with by them (ESP problem and air con compressor) and they seem pretty good as main dealers go. They spoke to Skoda Customer Services on my behalf both times and got the work done quickly, though in my case the issues were covered by warranty (ESP) or just out of warranty (air con). Good luck.

[jfarhead]

Yes, everyone still needs to submit to VOSA, if the letters die out then VAG can argue the issue has been resolved. Keep the pressure on, if they fail, report it, be on record... especially since I experienced a failure on the new injectors... hope nobody else does.

[jimbob77]

Just a quick word about Sinclairs of Swansea - I've had two issues with my petrol VRS dealt with by them (ESP problem and air con compressor) and they seem pretty good as main dealers go. They spoke to Skoda Customer Services on my behalf both times and got the work done quickly, though in my case the issues were covered by warranty (ESP) or just out of warranty (air con). Good luck.

Cheers for that Andrew. They seemed better on the phone when I spoke to them yesterday having already spoken to Skoda Customer Services than when I first called them about the problem so fingers crossed all will go smoothly!

[jimbob77]

P.S. I have have submitted my report to VOSA this morning so await to hear back from them.

Was just thinking too, does anyone know/have a list of the batch numbers for the faulty injectors that have been fitted?

On the Facebook link that was posted by Cogdoc on Page 7 there is a list on the left hand-side but its only a series of 6 batch numbers:

03G130073D, 03G130073DX, 03G130073M, 03G130073MX, 03G130073T, 03G130073TX

Surely the list is more extensive than this....

[bond007]

no the 03G 130 073 D/DX were in the 140bhp diesel passats and the 03G 130 073 M/MX in the 170bhp diesels across the range (leon fr/octy vrs/golf gt sport/A3) i've never known the revised injector 03G 130 073 T/TX fail

[Awesam]

UPDATE:

All 4 injectors have been replaced and car is ready!

[iCraig]

So just to confirm this doesn't affect the 140Bhp PD in the Octy then?

Craig

[bond007]

no only the passats

[vRS Kev]

Sorry, bit late to the party here, but I had the same issue with my Octavia vRS PD170 back in December (initial report here) and am going to get a e-mail into VOSA today as it was the wiring loom plus a dead injector - the work was done by a Skoda dealer nearby so wondering if this will be covered under the faulty injector issue with VOSA?

[vRS Kev]

** UPDATE **

Just had a call from a lovely lady at VOSA, who confirmed that Skoda should refund me for the injector replacement and wiring loom work that I had last year, plus they'll arrange for my car to go in when there's stock to have all 4 injectors replaced FOC and that I need to talk to Skoda Customer Care, VOSA are only getting involved in individual cases when VAG refuse to replace/refund (though they are still logging all the defects)