On 21/03/2018 at 20:27, Nortonpuch said:

[SNIP]

how can VAG knowingly sell cars that they know full well will be written off at less than 80K miles.

[SNIP]

 

Do you actually have any evidence that VAG knowingly sell cars that they know full well will be written off at less than 80K miles or did you just make this up?

On 21/03/2018 at 20:27, Nortonpuch said:

Today I heard from my local Skoda dealership - fault code G488 and that means a new Mechatronic unit at £1920.00. The car has 80K miles on it and also due a service, so it looks like it will be scrapped. The car has been owned by me since new and has FDSH from the dealer who sold to me, and has never had an engine change.  In this day and age I would expect a car to outlast 2 pairs of windscreen wipers and two sets of brake pads, but this seems not to be the case. 

 

Though nice to drive, it has totally put me off VAG DSG boxes, the quality, reliability and support when things go wrong is scandalous, how can VAG knowingly sell cars that they know full well will be written off at less than 80K miles. The fact it drops from 7th gear to 3rd when this fault occurs is a danger on dual carriageway or motorway, another reason why VAG should act quickly to resolve this DSG issue. 

 

Looks like the car will be sold on Ebad this weekend starting price £0.99. SE Estate, One owner, factory fitted alloys and sports suspension, FDSH, fog lights, privacy glass, protection pack, only one easily fixed fault according to Skoda, grab a bargain! 

 

Nortonpunch, you are in a slightly different position to ourselves as you have the so called benefit of a full dealer service history and have owned the car since new.

 

My recommendation, and of course you can ditch it, is that you raise a case with Skoda UK as a matter of urgency. One reason is that there may be a little more willingness to help you due to you buying new and keeping the servicing within the network, the other is that the more of these failures that are logged with them the more it might eventually help in forcing VAG to acknowledge that there has been an issue rather than fobbing everyone off with their own version of the See no evil, Hear no evil and speak no evil outlook.

 

If you are raising a case with them, pay particular attention to the choice of words they use. When they speak to you they will talk about seeing if they can pressure the dealer into offering any goodwill towards the repair. What this translates as is that there is no goodwill forthcoming from SUK therefore any goodwill forthcoming will be from the dealer if at all. Note everything said down, and be prepared to throw it back to them. Call handlers will forward to Customer Relations Manager, who when pressed hard will forward to Executive team. Our experience of the new Executive team is not one that bodes well for customer complaints under the new CEO Rod McLeod, who having just come into the role in February, can set the tone for how things will be under his stewardship.

 

Seagoat, no one seriously believes that any car manufacturer would go out and knowingly build a car that wouldn't go beyond 80,000 miles. Nortonpunch is clearly a frustrated person at the moment and I understand how he feels, ours vRS has covered 66800 miles and is on death row. As an owner, it's hard to comprehend that a key component of the car, one that should in all reasonable thinking be a lifetime item, can fail so spectacularly and in such numbers. In this case we're not accepting of the wear and tear argument, whilst that applies fairly and squarely to discs, pads, wipers, water pump and belts it shouldn't be a case that a sealed for life gearbox that needs no servicing should fail, unless of course there is a mechanical defect due to either design, manufacture and/ or lesser quality components being used.

 

By means of an update on our own position, it's not gone well.

 

Although our case was escalated to Executive office, that too has ended in no goodwill forthcoming. My understanding, though it hasn't been confirmed by SUK for obvious reasons, is that the dealership in question have changed their story sufficiently to enable them and SUK to walk away from liability, or at least so they think.

 

One of the key points of our argument related to incorrect advice given to us by 2 network dealerships at the point the flashing spanner appeared. Both dealerships advised Inspection Service, and both followed protocol in the sense that both had reception staff check with technicians as to what the symbol meant when it was a flashing spanner in the PRNDS area of an automatic gearbox. Those last few words are important. The Executive team member handling our escalated case stated she "was waiting on clarification from the dealer on who in their organisation said what, with regard to symbol".

 

Another visit to the dealer on Saturday provided the answer to why SUK told us again on Friday that there would be no goodwill forthcoming. The Service Manager made an attempt to go down the route of "who would tell you that?" making it sound like it was made up by ourselves, only for an interjection to come from the technician standing beside him who said "I remember the question being asked but only knew it was about a Fabia, not an automatic, If I had known it was an automatic I would have advised transmission"!

 

This coming from the same guy one week before who admitted he hadn't come across a flashing spanner in the PRNDS area, and who felt that SUK needed to intervene and help.

 

And so our options? Allow them to supply and fit new gearbox and mechatronic unit at over £7100. Or source a refurbished or used gearbox and have it fitted at total cost of £3050. Or allow them to send it out to the managers friend who owns a transmission company for him to strip down and investigate/ repair but that "it would be a blank cheque book". Or pay the £1750 for work carried out, even though it is clear the work hasn't fixed the problem, indeed may have worsened it. How?

 

Well, you know how sometimes you can tell you have caught someone out by the body language and facial expressions? On Saturday the technician's face belied his words, as when questioned about how the gearbox could jam when it had a pin inside to specifically prevent this happening, he broke into a knowing smile and stammered. No plausible explanation. Was the pin intact? Yes. Then how can it happen? Don't know, but think its stuck in 3rd gear doesn't cut it.

 

Apparently it can happen if you try to upload the basic settings without first checking the pump. Doing so can damage the gearbox.

 

And so, it's to Parks head office among other places that we now go. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 will be utilised where possible and the mother and father of all fights will commence.

 

I'm sorry for the lengthy posts. But not. Because at some point, in this digital era, someone will be doing a search on potential issues facing them with the DSG transmission and/ or lack of customer service. These posts will hopefully shed some light on what those folk can expect.

Skoda CZ part of the VW Group know.

They were required to do a World Wide Recall which excluded Europe and some regions so not World Wide because of failing DQ200 DSG.

That was in 2013 on DQ200 2009-2012/13, and a Service Campaign was started in May 2014 in the UK.

 

Sittingbulls DQ200 was not part of the Service Campaign '34F7',  and like some that were not because seemingly already the had Mineral Oil filled at the factory are now failing.

If Skoda do not know that, then why?

 

Then 2013-2015 some DQ200 around the world need Service Campaign '34H5', due to Skoda / VW knowing there were faults with said DQ200's.

So Skoda / VW know that.

Then from 2014 /15 on there are now issues with DQ200 in cars built from then, and TPI's issued, 

So Skoda / VW know that.

 

Seems like Skoda UK knows as well, and Skoda Dealerships sell 'Skoda Approved Used Cars' that might or might not have a DSG that might or might not had a Service Campaign Recall Action.

 

So as much as it might seem possible that Skoda do not know the DQ200's were faulty, before changing, doing Fluid changes, Software Updates etc they know that had produced cars 

that can have Fundamental Design, Manufacturing, Quality Control issues of Components, Fluids, Software.

 

You can fool some people some of the time but not all the people all of the time.

 

ŠKODA Vrchlabí Plant Produces One Million DQ 200 Gearboxes - ŠKODA Storyboard.mhtml

ŠKODA produces 1.5 millionth DQ 200 dual-clutch transmission at Vrchlabí plant - ŠKODA Storyboard.mhtml

Skoda_ Skoda Auto produces 10 million gearboxes, Auto News, ET Auto.mhtml

Edited 26 March, 20188 yr by AwaoffSki

I myself work in the automotive industry, overseeing the manufacture of con rods, master cylinders, brake discs etc for motorcycles, so know how the retail system works. The fact I know they know is how other stable mates deal with the failures, VW have a different approach it seems regarding DQ200 gearbox failures. I have also been advised that they need to ensure that when the dealer has the unit that it is programmed correctly, it is one shot only and the pump will fail if they get it wrong. 

In my previous employment I dealt with digital controlled hydraulic systems, and again, I am somewhat surprised that there is no simple protection for the pump in the system, yet again another design flaw it seems. 

The reason they don't have to do anything, is that they claim it is not safety related - utter rubbish, for them to make this decision is admitting that there is an issue that they know about.  Had I been on the A34, when it went from 7th to 3rd, the consequences could have been lot more easier to deal with an insurance claim.

Buying DSG is like a lucky dip it seems, but rest-assured, the last thing SUK will want is my car on Ebad at just over 5 years old starting price £0.99, hopefully they will make an offer without liability.  

VW Group persuaded European authorities that not Safety Related, & a Cheapo Service Campaign is enough.

Not so in China, Australia, New Zealand, North America, Canada etc where the courts would rip them a 2nd anus.

http://skoda.co.nz/news/dsg-service-campaign 

So I will keep this brief as not got time before heading out to work.

 

After a weekend including Monday of advice seeking and battling with garage and Skoda UK during which we pointed out unlikelihood of gearbox jamming due to pin in place to prevent precisely that, the gearbox was taken away and stripped down to provide an estimate. I have no idea how long it takes to remove a gearbox or indeed strip down once it's been removed. I do know that in the time between 8am and 3pm yesterday all of that was done.

 

Upshot? Gearbox is absolutely fine but it now needs clutches. We've authorised repair including clutches as well now at cost of over £3k, which is better than £7k but I wish I had the confidence to think that this was light at the end of the tunnel. We're now waiting on what's coming next.

 

And they think folk don't talk about what's happening. My wife's back to back has had an Audi in at the same dealership across the road, they had it for 9 weeks and billed her £5.5k for fixing a manual gearbox.

 

Oh wait. Aren't Audi part of VAG....... 

On 26/03/2018 at 08:33, Sittingbull said:

[SNIP]

Seagoat, no one seriously believes that any car manufacturer would go out and knowingly build a car that wouldn't go beyond 80,000 miles.

[SNIP]

Fair comment.

 

To put my gripe into context, I get upset when people make unsubstantiated comments about the reliability and/or longevity of the engine or gearbox (or in fact, anything) connected with the car I own and value.  A few weeks ago, I got my Mk II VRS MOTd at a local garage that I have used for years - I always get it serviced at an official Skoda dealership.

 

While chatting to the owner of the garage after the MOT, he asked how often I had to top up the oil; I said that mine didn't have an oil consumption problem.  His response was that ALL VW Twinchargers drink oil - I only needed to look on the Internet!

 

The upshot of this relentless vague, generalised, unsubstantiated criticism of the VW Twincharger engine and the DSG gearbox by Jonahs on the touchline is that my car has zero resale or PX value,

 

If people have a genuine problem with their car, they are quite right to ask here for help.  They should give specific details of the issues and how they care for and use the car - I would just rather that they didn't make generalised sweeping criticisms of everyone else's car,

 

Rant over

Edited 1 April, 20188 yr by SeaGoat

Your cars history is online in your posts here.

Maybe list the issues you have had and how they were dealt with.

Service Campaign work or software updates, spark plug service experience and timing chain measurement if one was done.

 

?

Any reason that the Service Campaign on the DQ200 DSG was started May 2014 and yours was done last year.

Or was your car / DSG built after 2013 so had '34H5' carried out, just the Software Update?

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/443026-vrs-dsg-problem 

Sounded dangerous what happened.  Lucky you that the Technicians are so professional.

?

So you paid £200 because they messed up?

 

Some people just want a car they can drive and service annually, not something they need constantly to be concerned at what 

will cause the next issue.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/331625-control-system-for-exhaust-light-coming-on 

Edited 1 April, 20188 yr by AwaoffSki

3 hours ago, SeaGoat said:

Fair comment.

 

To put my gripe into context, I get upset when people make unsubstantiated comments about the reliability and/or longevity of the engine or gearbox (or in fact, anything) connected with the car I own and value.  A few weeks ago, I got my Mk II VRS MOTd at a local garage that I have used for years - I always get it serviced at an official Skoda dealership.

 

While chatting to the owner of the garage after the MOT, he asked how often I had to top up the oil; I said that mine didn't have an oil consumption problem.  His response was that ALL VW Twinchargers drink oil - I only needed to look on the Internet!

 

The upshot of this relentless vague, generalised, unsubstantiated criticism of the VW Twincharger engine and the DSG gearbox by Jonahs on the touchline is that my car has zero resale or PX value,

 

If people have a genuine problem with their car, they are quite right to ask here for help.  They should give specific details of the issues and how they care for and use the car - I would just rather that they didn't make generalised sweeping criticisms of everyone else's car,

 

Rant over

 

From my perspective I very much understand that there will be owners out there who would be worried about negative publicity impacting on potential resale values, me included as I wouldn't want left with a car that had little or no future value.

 

But, I bought a car manufactured in 2012 by a global corporate entity whose wealth is in the multi billions, using the best equipment in the latest modern factories and who sell millions of cars worldwide each year. A reasonable expectation for me, and every one of the millions who also bought one of their vehicles, is that the engine would last more than 2 years and 26,000 miles before needing changed, and that the other major component required to propel the car, the DSG transmission system, would last longer than 5 years and 66,800 miles.

 

Lest there be confusion as to the usage and service/ maintenance history of our car, it has been driven the past 40,000 miles since the engine change by my wife, a wee home carer who toodles around town going from one home to another, and occasionally by me on the A roads and motorways where I'll admit I'm not so cautious as my wife. The wee car is serviced and maintained within the recommended timetable. I am delighted to say that the engine since the engine change has been the way it should have been when leaving the factory ie no oil use whatsoever and has been a pleasure to own.

 

Unfortunately, and factually we are not alone in having this happen to us, our wee car has also now suffered a major problem with the DSG transmission. Our car did not have the service action as it was not required according to Skoda, but unfortunately here we are waiting on a bill the wrong side of £3000 to replace a Mechatronic Control Unit and Clutch packs. 

 

My conclusion as an owner, and based on the starting point that a reasonable expectation for me as an owner would be to have a car that didn't need an engine and transmission change within a short period of manufacture, is that at some point in the process of manufacturing the wee car something has gone badly wrong leading to these catastrophic failures. What exactly has gone wrong, why it has happened etc is not a question I am qualified to answer.

 

In terms of valuations, I've had 3 recent valuations on our car. The value has increased slightly with each one, albeit we haven't progressed any further than acquiring the valuation itself. The valuation has risen £400 in 4 months. I have no idea why.

 

I don't see your post as a rant by the way, I think you've probably expressed the concerns of many others who have overall positive ownership experiences, which I still consider we have had as well despite the problems. We love the wee car and have recommended both the model and transmission to family and friends. 

 

I still think however part of our role is to highlight the problems and experiences honestly so that other owners and potential owners know that in amongst the roses there might well be the odd thorn. It's better folk know than we play a role in covering up the mistakes of multi billion dollar corporation by remaining silent.

 

And for the record, and as suggested above, we can't wait to get ours back running properly again. It's a much loved car that is perfect for our needs, and has been (engine and DSG problems aside) a pleasure to own.

35 minutes ago, Sittingbull said:

[SNIP]

. . . our car . . . has been driven the past 40,000 miles since the engine change by my wife, a wee home carer who toodles around town going from one home to another, and occasionally by me on the A roads and motorways where I'll admit I'm not so cautious as my wife.

[SNIP]

 

Interesting . . . as a matter of interest, who drove the car over the first 26,000 miles or so and how?

 

Many years ago as a kid I used to know the workshop training manager at Mercedes.  He used regularly to tell me that it would harm a car engine less if it was left running for ever and that the worst thing you could do to a car was to keep stopping the engine, allowing it to cool down and the oil to return to the sump before restarting it and driving it for a short distance.  With the current cost of petrol I have ignored this advice and your wife's experience seems to suggest that it may no longer be true.  The best I can offer is that I never thrash my car and I always allow the engine oil to get to at least 80°C before pushing it at all.  I am always interested in an honest description of how a car is actually used and cared for when it is described as "unreliable".

Of the first 50 vRS in the country more then 10 had engine rebuilds as far as i know.

Then more had rebuilds before Skoda started fitting base engines, pre Breather Mod and Software updates for some, then Replacement engines.

If in doubt as SKODA UK how many of the 1,800 CAVE Engine cars had Engines replaced.

 

It is a percentage greater than 20%.  as there were cars that had a replacement engine replaced.

So really blaming it on Driver Error is nonsense.  Then there were early failings of early CTHE. 

The Seat Ibiza Cupra 2013 was delayed then after launch the software needed updating, as did the CTHE in the vRS.

6 minutes ago, SeaGoat said:

 

Interesting . . . as a matter of interest, who drove the car over the first 26,000 miles or so and how?

 

Many years ago as a kid I used to know the workshop training manager at Mercedes.  He used regularly to tell me that it would harm a car engine less if it was left running for ever and that the worst thing you could do to a car was to keep stopping the engine, allowing it to cool down and the oil to return to the sump before restarting it and driving it for a short distance.  With the current cost of petrol I have ignored this advice and your wife's experience seems to suggest that it may no longer be true.  The best I can offer is that I never thrash my car and I always allow the engine oil to get to at least 80°C before pushing it at all.  I am always interested in an honest description of how a car is actually used and cared for when it is described as "unreliable".

 

The previous owner did the first 20,000 miles, young lad whom I've got to know reasonably well. I would imagine the car would have been on the receiving end some of the time, as will be the case when most youngsters get their hands on a relatively quick wee car. He looked after it very well, spent a lot of money on detailing the car and looking after the maintenance. He only got rid of the car because of the oil consumption problem, he had fitted a custom exhaust and thought that had blown his warranty chances.

 

We then covered the next 6,000 miles, again mainly my wife driving as it's her car and needed for health reasons (one of the reasons we're looking forward to it's eventual return). My wife is a "cauny" driver ie cautious but steady. When I get a chance I'm more likely to open the taps.

 

Whether it's the vRS or my wee Abarth, I never open the taps until the engine has warmed up. 

 

I wouldn't necessarily describe our car as unreliable, anything but until you take into account the two major failings it has encountered which total close on £9k to fix. In day to day use, the car has been excellent and I'm always ready to acknowledge it's been a good car, and will be again once the transmission is fixed. It is however impossible to ignore the fact that the two major failings were exactly that, an engine needing replaced and transmission needing key components replaced.

 

Despite getting an offer from SUK, it seems that they are being wagged by the retailer - SUK take charge of your dealerships and support them, don't let them control you as what has happened in my case. The car does not have the value in it to repair even with their offer, so it is now on Ebad. 

 

I have also emailed Skoda Europe to let them know what position I am in and that SUK and the UK dealership I dealt with are useless and lack leadership at many levels. No member of senior management has the nads to even ring me from either the SUK or the dealership, with an attitude like this they leave themselves open to a solicitors letter. It would be reasonably accepted that a 5 1/2 year car should not be BER just because of one component. 

 

If the car does not sell, then I will take this further, they are hiding behind a known issue that they claim is not dangerous, if so, SUK where is your evidence to support your reasoning, would you bring it to court? If they can categorically say that when the unit fails and drops from 7th to 3rd on a motorway the vehicle will not be tail ended (there is no guarantee the driver will operate the brake to warn the following driver) they would need to support this with verified testing that they have done, if they haven't then it is dangerous until proven otherwise.  

 

Best of luck with a DQ200 - until proven otherwise, it could kill you.   

10 hours ago, Nortonpuch said:

[SNIP]

It would be reasonably accepted that a 5 1/2 year car should not be BER just because of one component.

[SNIP]

 

I take it that you mean "should" rather than "would"?

Dear God, how I wish this were true. Unfortunately, the terminal failure of a number of components places many cars beyond economic repair, despite their being in generally excellent condition.  The same goes for accident damage :(

Nortonpunch, 

maybe Sittingbull can give you the contact for the person that is dealing with Rod Mcleod's communications.

 

Seagoat, i seriously hope you have a Warranty that will be covered if your DSG needs replacing at around £4,000 or your Engine does.

These are Components with a ridiculous failure rate in and out of the Manufacturers Warranty Period.

Even issues now with 2015 on DQ200's if you look in the Fabia Mk3 section.

 

Obviously small numbers only fail, tough t!tty though for those in those small numbers.

 

 

17 hours ago, Nortonpuch said:

Despite getting an offer from SUK, it seems that they are being wagged by the retailer - SUK take charge of your dealerships and support them, don't let them control you as what has happened in my case. The car does not have the value in it to repair even with their offer, so it is now on Ebad. 

 

I have also emailed Skoda Europe to let them know what position I am in and that SUK and the UK dealership I dealt with are useless and lack leadership at many levels. No member of senior management has the nads to even ring me from either the SUK or the dealership, with an attitude like this they leave themselves open to a solicitors letter. It would be reasonably accepted that a 5 1/2 year car should not be BER just because of one component. 

 

If the car does not sell, then I will take this further, they are hiding behind a known issue that they claim is not dangerous, if so, SUK where is your evidence to support your reasoning, would you bring it to court? If they can categorically say that when the unit fails and drops from 7th to 3rd on a motorway the vehicle will not be tail ended (there is no guarantee the driver will operate the brake to warn the following driver) they would need to support this with verified testing that they have done, if they haven't then it is dangerous until proven otherwise.  

 

Best of luck with a DQ200 - until proven otherwise, it could kill you.   

 

Nortonpunch, there is no consolation in me saying I concur with your views. At least in our case, at the moment at any rate, we do have an ear within the Executive team at SUK although time will tell how much use that turns out to be. I agree that the retailer appears to dictate to SUK rather than take the telling from SUK.

 

We are also in dialogue with the Service Manager at the retailer, face to face and over the phone. To date that hasn't gone particularly well as they've changed their story on sequence of events to mislead SUK and attempt to mislead us. Even worse is the attitude of the Senior Manager within the retailer head office, not just the straightest of straight bats but a horrendous attitude towards customer services into the bargain.

 

As of today that's 8 weeks our car has been with the retailer. We have no end date in sight, communications from their end with updates is zero. We have lost all faith in their abilities to get this right, far less that they will do the right thing in terms of goodwill for the hassle, multiple misdiagnoses and lying that has gone on. It's ok for us to take our business elsewhere in future but it doesn't help us now.

 

We too have spoken of contacting Skoda Europe over our case, and threatened legal action in our emails to Gemma from Exec team. The overall attitude, see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil will not cut it in 2018 I'm afraid.

 

There are known issues with DQ200 otherwise the mk3 would not be subjected to recall, and so many owners across the group wouldn't be plagued by the problems.

 

EDIT: Our car is now ready apparently. 

Edited 4 April, 20188 yr by Sittingbull

Precisely, they know and it needs someone to hold their feet to the fire in the UK. I will poke through the channels and keep records of who I have spoken to, then there is one other trick that I will present to two organisations in the UK and see how they respond. If they don't then they will be asked to attend court and explain why, if they do respond with the information then it can publicised widely in the public domain. Not sure why anyone does not already have it, which suggests to me one of two things - they have been briefed not to release it, or they don't have it, either case will not hold up in court, if the former then they should be prosecuted if they can not prove that the gearbox and control system fails in a safe way.

Yes, I know that all gearboxes can fail with dire consequences, but the RA and real life statistics for them are low, it seems that DQ200 system fails more than most and randomly, and that puts it far closer to killing its user than other gearboxes, It seems that VAG group are winging it with the DQ200 and thus why they don't offer to repair them with greater gestures - they want them off the road, they know it's a lemon amongst their other fine products.  

I also consider it not the dealerships responsibility to absorb costs and time to fix the problem which lies firmly at the VAG's door. 

I oversee and specify the manufacture of con rods, master cylinders, brake calipers, gears, pistons all used in motorcycles - I stand by products, as does the company I work for and support our dealers fully, I wonder what the SUK and VAG management drive, not DQ200's I bet.   

Another 2014 CTHE / DSG 2014 vRS has a flashing white spanner symbol today.

 

VW will not defend themselves in a court in England / Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland over a DQ200 DSG failure if some court action is raised.

They have even tried saying VW  are not the manufacturers.

They would need to give a defence and the Expert Witness they would have to put up would have to reveal the failure rate and the actions VW Group have taken over the past 9 years of failing DQ200's in the UK.

 

The problem is who you are going to be taking the action against and can you, Manufacturer, Importer, Retailer. 

They have done some amazing things over the past years to be sure legal actions do not proceed against VW Group UK / Skoda, SEAT, Audi or VW.

Plenty have had out of Warranty Replacements of Engines and Gearboxes.  You just need that Independent Engineers Report and witness that is going into court to give evidence.  Then money incase costs are awarded against you.

CAB / Trading Standards have been next to useless over the past years in assisting taking actions against VW.

Edited 4 April, 20188 yr by AwaoffSki

The rules have recently changed. As someone who makes, supplies and retails motorcycle parts the initial action will be with the retailer - they sell the product, they have to satisfy that the product is safe irrespective of where it come from. This change in rules, now prevents, the 'we didn't know we got it from China' response is no longer valid - if you sell it then they should ensure it is safe.  CAB and trading standards are as you say next to useless these days.

 

As you have said many have had replacements, I just want the truth to be out there for all, the financial cost of my vehicle and a repair is immaterial to me. I bet the replacements have been under the 'not admitting to liability' clause to avoid bad press. 

 

If they are making a claim that the system when it fails is safe - then they will have evidence to prove it, that evidence or lack of it can made to appear.  

10 hours ago, Nortonpuch said:

The rules have recently changed. As someone who makes, supplies and retails motorcycle parts the initial action will be with the retailer - they sell the product, they have to satisfy that the product is safe irrespective of where it come from. This change in rules, now prevents, the 'we didn't know we got it from China' response is no longer valid - if you sell it then they should ensure it is safe.  CAB and trading standards are as you say next to useless these days.

 

As you have said many have had replacements, I just want the truth to be out there for all, the financial cost of my vehicle and a repair is immaterial to me. I bet the replacements have been under the 'not admitting to liability' clause to avoid bad press. 

 

If they are making a claim that the system when it fails is safe - then they will have evidence to prove it, that evidence or lack of it can made to appear.  

 

Nortonpunch,

 

Ours is out of warranty, and there is no Non Disclosure Agreement with ourselves, the retailer or Skoda UK.

 

As such, I too will be alerting others to the problem of the flashing white spanner in the PRNDS area of the MFD, what it generally means (for any SUK retailers and their technicians looking in, it's not for an Inspection Service), the cost of the likely repair based on our experience, and the route to take in tackling retailer "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" attitude, and share our experiences of working with Skoda UK.

 

To that end, there is a thread on this forum seeking details of owners who are currently experiencing DSG issues, specifically on the 7sp DQ200 variant fitted to many models, or who have experienced those problems in the past, whether in or out of warranty and whether or not goodwill from retailer and/ or Skoda UK. I have also posted very similar on an owners page on Facebook, as it has become apparent following our experience that there are a growing number of people who have also had problems or indeed as Awaoffski points out above, are currently enduring them.

 

There are obviously many challenges to gathering information including what to do with it once in your possession, assessing how widespread the problem is, how keenly felt the issue is, what chances of success would there be if challenging the manufacturer/ retailers, what kind of outcomes would be desirable and so on. Those are challenges that may be best met by a group action of owners and former owners working together, at least in my view. That requires a willingness for folk to agree on things, which this forum shows is very difficult at times.

 

One thing is for sure, and you have pointed this out, it cannot be right, fair and reasonable for a manufacturer and their retailers to sell cars in 2010-2015 where the life expectancy of several key components including but not restricted to the engine, mechatronic unit and clutch packs are outlasted by a set of window wipers. VAG and in this case SUK need challenged on this by the people most affected.

And by means of an update to our situation, which has lasted as long as the remake of Dallas did, we are now in possession of our car, I drove it home yesterday albeit it was only 12 miles and it seemed to be performing as it should be. There is however, as has seemed to be the norm for us in this case, another sting in the tail.

 

Our car went in on 7 February, and has remained there until yesterday. We alerted SUK of the fact the vehicle's current MOT Certificate would expire on 3 April, and that we were being denied not only the opportunity to have it tested but to have it checked prior to testing in order to prevent any surprises. Our car hasn't had a single advisory in previous MOT's.

 

Given the car was in the possession of the retailer, and in the light of circumstances, SUK told the retailer to put the car through its MOT and provided us with a goodwill voucher to set against the cost, which we are grateful for. Our case has been acrimonious almost from the outset with the retailer due to misdiagnoses on at least 3 occasions, and attempting to convey an "alternative truth" into the bargain. It has been 8 weeks on non existent communication on their part, problem after problem at their end causing the diagnosis to change often and the eventual bill to do the same. The retailer played with the straightest of straight bats and possessed a Lillee like snarling attitude to accompany it.

 

Having eventually been squeezed by SUK into joining them into giving £200 goodwill towards the cost, removing £400 all in, the retailer went ahead and carried out the test. All through the week our whole family have predicted that they would fail the car, and do so on something suspension related and braking system related. If only we played the lottery....

 

Because as Cilla often said, Surprise Surprise. Not only a fail, but suspension and braking system related. Double Surprise? The cost of repair is almost exactly that aforementioned £400. To be fair to the retailer, and as awaoffski has pointed out privately, the bushes on suspension arms could have failed after 5 years or so if they were original. But we had the discs and pads changed late 2016 on rear and July 2017 on front. 

 

So the bill was paid, the car collected and will be retested at a local centre on Monday. 

 

I offer apologies to those sick reading of our problems. But there are many lessons contained therein not only for ourselves but maybe for other owners. I will review the retailer separately in the appropriate section.

1 hour ago, Sittingbull said:

Two posts . . .

 

Great posts, thank you.

 

If I might offer a suggestion, the posts would probably make / have made easier assimilation if you had provided links (e.g. "there is a thread" and "owners page on Facebook") and avoided references to asides such as to cricketers and to Cilla Black - not everyone will be as familiar with them as you are.

 

I have no idea how common this problem is or how much luck you would have with a "Class action" but a clear, detailed, entirely factual analysis would certainly be most welcome.

 

Thanks again.

VW Group know how common with 2009-2012 DQ200's because there was a World Wide Recall and actions, extended warranties, and just a Service Campaign in Europe, '34F7',   So there will be figures on failures and cost to VW Group Globally.

 

Then there is 2013-2015 & '34H5' A software update due to failures, VW Group will know the cost of that, the Failures, who was to blame, 

who supplied the faulty parts or software. 

 

Then there is 2015 on and the TPI's now issued, and clutch failures, Software issues.   VW Group know about that.

 

.....................

**FLASH WHITE SPANNER WARNING.**

   DQ200 DSG fitted cars.

So that leaves the 2010/2011/ 2012 / 2013 or so DQ200 that were never part of the Service Campaign, '34F7' or '34H5' 

So no Oil Changed, no Software Updates, no Manufacturers Warranty or Extended Warranty 

& these get a 'FLASHING WHITE SPANNER'   Warning, and yet Facory Trained Main Dealer Technicians and even Skoda Customer Services 

appear to have no idea what that means.

 

How many are now getting White Spanner flashing warnings and failing will be the thing that needs numbers compiled on, 

or VW Group issuing TPI's over.

Maybe if anyone has had a car with a DQ200 DSG between 2010 & 2015 that had service campaign needed or more importantly did not require one and were told their car did not require one at a Main Dealers or after asking Skoda, VW, Audi or SEAT Customer Services could post.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/447800-dq200-2013-2015-service-campaign-experience