09 VRS Ltd Edition 2.0 Tsi Engine Gone Bang!

[brown_d9]

After much arguing, and eventually finding out people at Skoda UK were lying to me, I managed to get everything done free of charge, so back with my car and a very happy bunny.

[stevetdci]

I thought it was the dealer telling you porkies ? Still at least you have it back. Is the new engine any better than the original ?

[littleade]

After much arguing, and eventually finding out people at Skoda UK were lying to me, I managed to get everything done free of charge, so back with my car and a very happy bunny.

So who was to blame in the end- seems like either the dealer of SUK have given you the run around hoping you'd give up. Be good to know who it was and what you did to swing it your way though for the other TSI guys.

[stever750]

Only just seen this thread mate of mine with an 11 plate Tsi vRS had the same thing happen to him on start-up, went bang ,and destroyed the engine, and it was mapped. Skoda initially tried to blame it on the map, but Shark very kindly intervened on my mates behalf saying no way could the map be to blame .Skoda paid out in full for a NEW top half of the engine, ( no cost to the owner) dealer was Dm Keiths Bradford , you can pm me for his number, he has not been on here in years

This is why I am hesitant about jumping to a FL VRS. But if there is a precedent, then I'm going to change and book the new one into Mansfield asap.

[blueR36]

This is the reason I did not change, got a 3.6 v6 instead !

[Guest]

This is one of the reasons I did change.

[MarkEll]

This failure is not milage dependent. I had a Leon FR with 6k on the clock and it the go. Week later new engine was in under warranty and all was well. Simply put this will be classed as a tolerable failure until they see significant failure numbers across all VAG models. Number of failure I believe are not that high however when one goes bang it gets a lot of AirPlay on forums.

[pipsyp]

To be fair for this to happen to a 3.5/4 year old car with nearly 90k on the clock despite the service record isnt such a surprise. Its a known issue on the TSi for one and you've got to expect these things when a car starts getting older with high mileage....like most vRS's its probably had a harder life than a more basic model purely because of the performance on tap.

Still sadly I'm not overly surprised by Skoda dealers or SUKs attitude towards the problem either. My experience on the whole has been pretty good but i've had a couple of strange responses to warranty work being done on our Fabia vRS estate. Stand out one was having the b pillar vinyl trim peeling off.....they fixed it but basically accused me of washing the car too much and if it were to happen again it'd be chargeable. One I dont clean it very often, certainly not obsessed with it. In any case the car was only a year old at the time, blatant paintwork issue!

Still well done thats a result, shame you have to push so hard to get goodwill out of them though

Edited 12 January, 2013 by pipsyp

[brown_d9]

It was Skoda Uk that were lying, the dealership sent a report up to Skoda UK to say that we had been down to the garage and proved that the tensioner was faulty.

Skoda Uk then told me that the specific guy (whos name i wont mention) had told them there was nothing wrong with it. Its only because we went down to see said man at the garage and was then told that he said nothing of the sort and that SUK was telling porkies.

Obviously he went mental as this isnt the first time they have lied about something he has said, he was straight on the phone!

I understand that the car has done a fair few miles, but still a tensioner to be failing after what i consider to be not alot of mileage for a modern well maintained engin is just not on. I sort of consider myself lucky that i got nearly 90K out of it before failing, as some dont seem to be getting any where near that milage.

Im happy it happened to me, got 90K of wear out of my engine, and then a nice shiny new one free of charge :-)

[Hedge]

So they fitted a brand new engine in the end?

[linelink]

Any news on the above?

Had a phone call today from the workshop. They said that the tensioner appears to be operating normally, however, the guide is broken and the engine is fecked.

So far Skoda UK issued me a ref number but the peron that was assigned the case has failed to contact me. I'm not too pleased at the moment.

[stevetdci]

Since the tensioner isn't classed as a service part then I wouldn't expect it to fail given the nature of its job. I can understand them throwing out the case on a tfsi for not having the tensioner replaced. Since they are on the third design of tensioner it must mean they have an issue, the consequences of a failed coil pack are bearable but on a tensioner... Not really acceptable. Still it's how you are dealt with, if the engine goes bang and it's replaced without question then I'd accept that over being told to get stuffed which seems to be suk's response.

[brown_d9]

Well I got a reconditioned engine, Used block, all internals and cylinder head was brand new.

My tensioner appeared to be functioning correctly too, although when we checked it ourselves it was completely knackered.

Not that it really matters about the tensioner really, unlike mine they have spotted something which is knacker, the guide is broken and this is again a non service item which should not be failing so accept nothing other than 100% payment and a brand new engine!

[linelink]

Any news on the above?

Update

I've received a phone call from the Customer Service Manager (John Good) from Skoda UK. He has confirmed to me that Skoda UK are NOT offering any goodwill and basically that I will need to suffer the loss myself.

Oh well, time for legal action.

Being quoted £5358.25 for new engine plus 450.00 for the diagnosis and head removal work already done, that's £5808.25 in total. At nearly £6000, I might as well write it off.

Edited 15 January, 2013 by linelink

[cheezemonkhai]

Update

I've received a phone call from the Customer Service Manager (John Good) from Skoda UK. He has confirmed to me that Skoda UK are NOT offering any goodwill and basically that I will need to suffer the loss myself.

Oh well, time for legal action.

Agree, at the end of the day your car is less than 6 years old and the mileage isn't high.

I assume the car has been fully services as per the car guidelines?

If so contact a solicitor or start small claims yourself.

You will have to sue your supplying dealer, not Skoda UK, as you'll have the contract with them.

It always helps to let them know it's not personal, but Skoda UK have left you with no choice.

Of course if word got out to the press that this was a common failure (Honest John is worth a letter), then they'd have all hell to play with keeping it as quiet as they have until now.

Edited 15 January, 2013 by cheezemonkhai

[Gti Jazz Blue]

Update

I've received a phone call from the Customer Service Manager (John Good) from Skoda UK. He has confirmed to me that Skoda UK are NOT offering any goodwill and basically that I will need to suffer the loss myself.

Oh well, time for legal action.

That isn't good news, time to involve the press I'd say, you don't expect that kind of expense for a part failure that has no service schedule and is on it's third revision.

Paul

[linelink]

That isn't good news, time to involve the press I'd say, you don't expect that kind of expense for a part failure that has no service schedule and is on it's third revision.

Paul

Skoda - Simply Clever. Aren't they just! The irony is that I was looking to purchase a Yeti shortly and this has now been blown out of the water. I'll go go Japanese or Korean instead.

[linelink]

Agree, at the end of the day your car is less than 6 years old and the mileage isn't high.

I assume the car has been fully services as per the car guidelines?

If so contact a solicitor or start small claims yourself.

You will have to sue your supplying dealer, not Skoda UK, as you'll have the contract with them.

It always helps to let them know it's not personal, but Skoda UK have left you with no choice.

Of course if word got out to the press that this was a common failure (Honest John is worth a letter), then they'd have all hell to play with keeping it as quiet as they have until now.

I purchased the car at 2 or 3 months old, privately (it was advertised on this site) It only had a couple of 1000 on the clock. Who would you suggest I sue?

[stever750]

I purchased the car at 2 or 3 months old, privately (it was advertised on this site) It only had a couple of 1000 on the clock. Who would you suggest I sue?

Surely it is still covered by the manufacturers original warranty? I'm astounded they have declined your claim; or is the car much older now? (sorry if it in an earlier post)

Yep, seen it's an 09MY so just out of warranty?

[littleade]

I feel sorry for anyone this happens to. You could ask those that have had tensioner failures if they know what the actual failure was. The couple I've seen on this forum appear to be the tensioner going slack, not a broked guide as in your case so what appears to be the same problem i.e. the tensioner may not be so. If Skoda can prove/claim the known issue(s) that caused the various redesigns is not due to a broken guide and therefore not a known issue, they could claim they are not liable. If you can get any proof of broken guides from others that would strengthen your case

[Mort1187]

Although this thread is a few months old I've recently had cause to engage Skoda UK with regard to remedial work on our car. I had cause to feel aggrieved when the dreaded ESP light came permanently on our 2006 Oct 4x4 late last year. I punched the required into Google and found that this is not an uncommon fault and was looking at approx £1500 for rectification. A pressure switch fails in the brke control unit and is not serviceable, a two-pence part enclosed in a major unit!! Anyway, I took it to my local (very good) Skoda dealer (Winner, Forest of Dean) and they confirmed problem and without prompting sent in a 'goodwill' request to Skoda UK. Vehicle has a full Skoda service record but being 6 years old I didn't hold out much hope. Within a week, dealer had installed a new unit with NO cost to us. I found that pretty amazing to be honest. Not sure what aspect resulted in this outcome, FSSH?....multiple Skoda ownership...? who knows but it will certainly keep me with them IF they have a vehicle that 'fits' our requirement come change time.

[mikey vrs]

Thats maddness that they expect you to pay nearly £6k on a 2009 car that has a known component that is subject to failure,id be taking this further if was you,shame on you skoda!

[Fatbloke]

Slightly off topic but does this problem apply to the 1.8TSi?

[blackspaven]

There appear to be two types of 1.8tsi since the advent of the MkII, as they have different emission outputs, but i'm guessing they both have chain tensioners. Can anyone answer the above categorically?

[Stuart_J]

Update

I've received a phone call from the Customer Service Manager (John Good) from Skoda UK. He has confirmed to me that Skoda UK are NOT offering any goodwill and basically that I will need to suffer the loss myself.

Oh well, time for legal action.

Being quoted £5358.25 for new engine plus 450.00 for the diagnosis and head removal work already done, that's £5808.25 in total. At nearly £6000, I might as well write it off.

A S/Hand lump will be a lot less, fit that, if its rough afterwards flog it, you will net more than throwing it away Try these for starters http://www.skospares.com/engines.php Even if they dont have one in stock they can give you an idea of costs etc

Edited 16 January, 2013 by Stuart_J