been told my 4 year old yeti needs a new engine!

[notamused]

Need some advice from anyone who has/has had similar problems.

Have loved my yeti, up til now, when I find I have major issues.

About a year ago, coolant light went on, and needed to replace coolant. At first top up only needed every few months, so not much notice taken, but when it went for service asked them to check it out.

They (dealer) put the system under pressure, and agreed there was a leak, but couldn't find where.

From then on, I needed to top up with coolant about every 2 weeks, to the point where I had it in car at all times. I also noticed was having to top up car with oil every 2 weeks or so.

Dealer also checked this out, and this time came back saying they thought I needed new water pump, but couldn't find external leak of oil, and possibly an internal problem.

They recommended leaving that, as it would require stripping the engine, and as am/was thinking of updating car later in year decided to leave. Assured that would be safe, just would need to top up woth oil more frequently.

Meanwhile, made arrangements for water pump to be replaced.

The day after it was done, driving, and engine light started flashing, and EPC warning came on. Car started juddering at revs less than about 30,000

Back to the dealers, and after 2 weeks of 'investigation' involveing full engine strip, have told me that the head guides are uinrepairable, and the piston rings need replacing, amounting to a new engine, at a cost of 5200.00

Car is 4 years old, with 60,000 miles, so I am veryunhappy about this to say the least. I am no car techie, but surely this is not an acceptable thing to happen to a car of this age, particularly one that everyone raves about.

Have heard there is a 'goodwill' fund skoda can use to help people like me, and read on similar post that someone managed to get skoda to cover 70% of cost

Advice depserately needed and would be much appreciated as to how to go about trying to sort out this problem.

[notamused]

(Its a 1.8L TSI elegange 4x4)

[Ryeman]

What sort of engine?

[DonjSZ5]

30,000 rpm ????? no wonder the piston rings are shot.

 

The 4 or 5 years warantee is now definitely on my list.

[RS939]

Assuming the car has been correctly serviced, Ideally for your case at a skoda dealer, get straight onto Skoda Customer Services and get the complaint logged.

[Rooted]

Sorry, not going OT here to Fabias.  The subject is Skoda & replacing engines.

 

But Dozens of the 1,800 1.4 TSI Twinchargers in the UK are having new engines fitted and have been since 

2009 with the ones in the SEATS.

6,000 1.4 TSI 190-185 ps Twinchargers in Seats, VW, Audi & Skodas,

many required new engines. & many are failing now.

 

Skoda UK Customer Services should not be surprised at cars needing replacement engines.

They have had to replace Engines now out of the Original Manufacturers Warranty,

They failed to deal with Poor Quality Control.

 

It is not a New Engine they Supply, or a Short Unit, it is a Remanufactured Unit from their German Factory.

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/294051-cave-cthe-14tsi-just-reply-please-if-you-have-had-an-engine-replaced

More threads in the Fabia MK2 section on .Skoda UK Customer Services treatment of Customers,

Providing Extended Warranties etc on Replacement engines.

 

george

[DonjSZ5]

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/266114-18tsi-and-20tsi-engine-failures/

[lfc958]

My advice

 

A calm conversation with the dealer & SUK about how unhappy you are with the lack of ability to fix / resolve previous issues which you now strongly believe has led to the current situation.

[DGW]

I have added brief details of your engine problems to the 2.0TSI/1.8TSI engine failures thread mentioned at Post 7 above.  Could you please check that I have got the facts right.

 

If you read the cases in that thread you will get a feel for if and when Skoda UK are prepared to offer a goodwill contribution or even to replace the engine FOC.  However most of those cases relate to timing chain tensioner failure - which is a well-documented problem - and not the issues you have.  It would seem that you are more likely to receive help if you have owned the car from new and have a full Skoda dealer service history including all the services done on time. 

 

I have heard of other cases of piston ring wear affecting the 2.0TSI and 1.8TSI engines but don't think it is anywhere as common as the tensioner problem.  Questions you might be asked include:  Have engine and oil filter changes been done at the correct intervals?  Is your car on fixed or variable service intervals?  Have you always used and topped up with the correct oil, ie 502.00/504.00 for fixed and 504.00 for variable?  And have you regularly checked the engine oil level to ensure that it is always within the hatched area on the dipstick or the area immediately above that but no higher?

 

As a fellow 1.8TSI owner I feel for you and hope that Skoda UK will help in some way.  Please update us with any significant developments.

[Huskoda]

So, it looks like you reported problems while within warranty, that they were unable to fix. Now, out of warranty the engine has failed and magically they can fix it by selling you a new engine?

 

I'd say you have a decent case for good will, given what you have reported and their lack of action.

[Nick P]

From then on, I needed to top up with coolant about every 2 weeks, to the point where I had it in car at all times. I also noticed was having to top up car with oil every 2 weeks or so.

Dealer also checked this out, and this time came back saying they thought I needed new water pump, but couldn't find external leak of oil, and possibly an internal problem.

They recommended leaving that, as it would require stripping the engine, and as am/was thinking of updating car later in year decided to leave. Assured that would be safe, just would need to top up woth oil more frequently.

 

I'd point out to Skoda that one of their dealerships recommended ignoring massive oil loss in the hope the car would last a few months for you to sell on - a day before the problem seemingly caused further, more expensive problems.

[Paul52]

I'd say you have a decent case for good will, given what you have reported and their lack of action.

 

Certainly no harm in having a positive discussion with your dealer and/or Skoda customer services but looking at a £5200 repair bill on a four year old car with only 60,000 miles on it, subject to all that's been said above about servicing etc. I would be thinking of getting competent legal advice on my rights under Sale of Goods Act.  It seems you were reporting the problem within the warranty period and the underlying problems weren't being rectified.

 

At worst you would know your rights to help with your negotiations for a contribution, and the best outcome would be that you could be legally entitled to a full repair at no cost to yourself. Obviously an amicable solution will always be best but the cost of half an hour with a good solicitor could more than be covered by a more favourable outcome for you. 

[Anzio]

I'm sorry, but having to top up coolant as much as that over a twelve month period and losing oil as well is not good. You should have told them to fix it, as it was still under warranty. Any loss of any fluid is a major concern, and just keeping on driving is totally the wrong route to take.

[Ryeman]

I'm sorry, but having to top up coolant as much as that over a twelve month period and losing oil as well is not good. You should have told them to fix it, as it was still under warranty. Any loss of any fluid is a major concern, and just keeping on driving is totally the wrong route to take.

Absolutely ...the slightest indication of a potential problem with a sophisticated VW based product with their history of 'issues' demands a VW documented paper trail.

It's an unforgiving commercial world out there if you don't protect yourself.

[137699]

Whilst I would personally not have accepted the advice of "keep driving it & top up the fluids", I am a fairly experienced car owner with some mechanical knowledge - enough to know this isn't an acceptable situation.

 

But the OP may not have the same insight to make this decision - hence acting on the advice given of the (supposedly) knowledgeable dealer. Advice which was subsequently followed to the letter and now the OP needs a new engine.

 

The dealer has to shoulder the responsibility for this.

1. They failed to diagnose the issue when it was reported (whilst the car was in warranty).

2. They gave inappropriate advice to the vehicle owner which was followed in good faith.

3. They were also negligent in their way of trying to palm the issue off onto the next innocent owner of the vehicle.

 

The blame has to land squarely on the dealer. Fine if they can retrospectively agree some out of warranty help from Skoda UK, but that should be the dealer's lookout, not the OPs.

 

I would ask the dealer to justify (in writing) why they feel it acceptable to charge you £5200 to replace an engine which would not have needed replacing if they had acted upon your reports whilst the vehicle was under warranty.

 

I suspect at this point they will be unwilling to do that and will change their tune and start negotiating on price. And if they DO put it in writing, take that straight to a legal representative and get their opinion on the situation.

[Howzer]

I have the same problem with my Yeti 160 TSI! Unfortunately I did the same mistake and kept filling up oil for some time instead of doing a complete checkup but it is easy to be wise in hindsight...

 

As my car is over four years old and has about 50000 miles on the odometer I have no warranty left. I did not have it a year ago either but at least the excess would have been lower...

 

I get no help whatsoever from Skoda so I have to use my insurance. The replacement is calculated at a bit over £ 7200.00 and my excess as the car is registered on my small company is 40 percent as the car has rolled over 43500 miles...

 

I really think it sucks that an engine that has not been tuned, has been driven normally and serviced according to plan at a Skoda workshop gives up so soon and if it isn't something that happens often it is very cheap by Skoda not to help. I will not by a Skoda again and I will tell the story to everyone that listens so Skoda will only get badwill out of this. Had they helped they would have received loads of goodwill instead!

[Ryeman]

Fundamentally it's VW's engines that have failed and they should be called out for it instead of the hiding behind Skoda's skirt and pretending its nothing to do with them.

[DonjSZ5]

Would the 4 or 5 year warranties cover this problem. Or is the engine exempt.

[Yeti_Man]

Would the 4 or 5 year warranties cover this problem. Or is the engine exempt.

It should cover it if you've correctly stuck to the servicing schedule etc.

[shrub]

Contact What Car?, Auto Express, Honest John etc etc. Skoda love seeing their cars do well in the surveys that are printed in these magazines. They might go that extra mile if bad publicity is threatened. Assuming that they don't sort it out for you in the first instance.

[calmac]

I read the Auto Express surveys and the What Car reports and I feel cheated that I was one of the supposed few with Yeti problems....But when I see some of the reports on here about problems I was familiar with....v rough engine noise on start up, excessive oil consumption....I thank my lucky stars I got rid after 3 years and 32 000 miles. Not all Skoda dealers are as wonderful as the surveys make out.

My current car is a Qashqai, nowhere near as satisfying as the Yeti was at first but I am hoping it'll be far more dependable.

[Ryeman]

Here in S Oz my Yeti was bought new from a VW/Skoda outlet and I get treated as if I'd bought an upmarket VW.

Skoda showroom is v small and soon as you want to buy you're dealt with from the VW area from there on.

I wonder if standalone Skoda dealers are different in the way you're treated.

[notamused]

It was just out of warranty when the problems started. And I'm afraid, I am far from technical, and pretty ignorant about engines, so have never felt very confident at disagreeing with anything I've been told by a garage.

 

So, the update! Having been a bit brushed off by Skoda UK customer services while they asked for more diagnostics to be done by the dealer (apparently, including a wet test where it failed, losing oil from all cylinders) I have been offered a 50% cover of the total costs of replacing engine.

I understand this will be a reconditionned engine. Any thoughts on that?! Total price (inc VAT) was quoted at 5200.00, so this leaves me with a 2600.00 bill. I have been in touch with trading standards, and have 'escalated' the problem to a customer service manager. She was very firm that would be all the help on the table, and that they were not legally obliged to help at all.

Trading standards think I have a case, as under the sale of goods act, I could reasonably argue that the expected quality of a 22,000.00 car would be more than 4 years. The burden of proof is with me though, to prove that it is a manufacturing issue. Skoda UK state that it is not, or the problem would have manifest before it did.

I stated I had found online plenty of similar problems with similar aged cars, but they said each case was dealt with individually, and if there was a recurrant problem Skoda would have fed back to customer services.

So, I'm coming back to the forum to check out opinion from those with similar experience...

Do I?

- persist with Skoda UK and hope for a better offer? (have started down this route on the premise i have nothing to lose)

- persist by re-contacting Trading standards/getting legal advice?

- accept its going to be hassle and stress, and 50% is better than nothing

 

Like another contributor above, I feel in many ways they have been shortsighted. I was genuinely weeks away from putting in my order for a new Yeti this autumn, and now will not be buying from them again, and have also been slating them to anyone willing to listen. For the sake of what is peanuts to them, they would have had a very grateful and loyal customer.

I accept that occasionally there is a lemon off the production line, but feel that like another owner, the car has been driven sensibly, has had full service at the dealer etc, and this feels very unfair. Its our summer holiday money gone, and some.

[DonjSZ5]

Oppps sorry it's a 1.8TSi diesel.

Edited 11 May, 2014 by DonjSZ5

[Toxicvrs]

Oppps sorry it's a 1.8TSi diesel.

Not mentioned here but it is a 1.8tsi