Short version: I've had my low pressure fuel pump replaced under warranty after a year of fighting

 

Long version....

 

I've posted about this before but I forgot to come back with an update! Around this time last year a noise I thought was a cooling system or oil circulation started to get worse. It had been making this noise pretty much from new but only started making itself really known during some strike action at work when I was static for a while with the start stop engaged.

 

I realised that the noise was accompanied by a vibration through the rear seat and that would be worse and noisier as the fuel level dropped. Opening the fuel cap made the noise louder and it could be heard outside the car. OK, decision made, fuel pump problem!

 

Spoke to Skoda, told me to take it in. Lucky for me the local dealer had gone pop so I had to go to the nearest one in Carlisle. All booked in and dropped off. Told them it needed to be warmed up, was most apparent at idle or when the start stop kicked in. I got a phone call early next morning, no problem found, car fine and they won't be charging me the fee to look at it. So basically I'm simple and they all make this noise. Gave them some vigorous feedback.

 

Spoke to skoda and booked into next nearest dealer, Dumfries. Took it in for a service in January and to have the noise looked at. After a few hours they say that they agree it sounds bad but not bad enough to replace. Also tell me they have researched and there are zero cases of failed or replaced fuel pumps. Spoken to skoda etc. Wont replace it. This was progress so I didn't lose the plot. Got back to Skoda, gave them some grief and started trying to get it looked at again. Then covid came.

 

Last month I took it back to Dumfries who agreed there was a problem and replaced the pump. All problems sorted.

 

So yeah, over 12 months, 3 dealer visits, nearly 700 miles, fuel costs and arguing and its sorted. Shouldn't be that way but it is. Needless to say due to the dealer issues, the time to get something rectified and distance I wont be buying Skoda again! 

57 minutes ago, ExSEAT said:

Short version: I've had my low pressure fuel pump replaced under warranty after a year of fighting

 

Long version....

 

I've posted about this before but I forgot to come back with an update! Around this time last year a noise I thought was a cooling system or oil circulation started to get worse. It had been making this noise pretty much from new but only started making itself really known during some strike action at work when I was static for a while with the start stop engaged.

 

I realised that the noise was accompanied by a vibration through the rear seat and that would be worse and noisier as the fuel level dropped. Opening the fuel cap made the noise louder and it could be heard outside the car. OK, decision made, fuel pump problem!

 

Spoke to Skoda, told me to take it in. Lucky for me the local dealer had gone pop so I had to go to the nearest one in Carlisle. All booked in and dropped off. Told them it needed to be warmed up, was most apparent at idle or when the start stop kicked in. I got a phone call early next morning, no problem found, car fine and they won't be charging me the fee to look at it. So basically I'm simple and they all make this noise. Gave them some vigorous feedback.

 

Spoke to skoda and booked into next nearest dealer, Dumfries. Took it in for a service in January and to have the noise looked at. After a few hours they say that they agree it sounds bad but not bad enough to replace. Also tell me they have researched and there are zero cases of failed or replaced fuel pumps. Spoken to skoda etc. Wont replace it. This was progress so I didn't lose the plot. Got back to Skoda, gave them some grief and started trying to get it looked at again. Then covid came.

 

Last month I took it back to Dumfries who agreed there was a problem and replaced the pump. All problems sorted.

 

So yeah, over 12 months, 3 dealer visits, nearly 700 miles, fuel costs and arguing and its sorted. Shouldn't be that way but it is. Needless to say due to the dealer issues, the time to get something rectified and distance I wont be buying Skoda again! 

 

I wish I could say I was surprised. The way they do business is shocking. We had a really similar issue - cold starting problems on our old Skoda Rapid that turned out to be the fuel pump.

 

To get it sorted ended up taking 4 visits to 2 different Skoda dealers over the space of 2 months. Along the way one dealer accused us of putting diesel in our car (when that was clearly untrue) and tried to charge us thousands for replacing the entire fuel system. We had to pay out of our own pocket to prove otherwise. All the while our nearly new car would intermittently not start in the morning when my wife needed to get to work.

 

We ended up with 2 x Skoda assist breakdown reports, plus a report from an independent garage stating the issue was the fuel pump. Even despite this evidence, they were STILL refusing to fix it.

 

They eventually begrudgingly fixed it but only because I was literally screaming at Skoda UK and the dealer. It was an absolute nightmare.

 

The car itself has been absolutely perfect since, now belongs to my Dad.

 

But I will never ever buy a new / nearly new Skoda with warranty again. Still a massive fan of the cars (we own two) but I buy 3-4 year old and maintain them using a trusted independent VAG specialist. Which is dumb on their part, because if the service and warranty was up to scratch we'd probably be in new ones on PCP / lease. Idiots with a short term view trying to save costs.

 

If you fancy reading the full saga check this out: 

 

@theandywaite Sounds like a familiar story, so frustrafrustrating read the whole tale when I have more time as I imagine its an interesting read! I also thought about paying for it myself and going to war with them but I instead decided I would voluntary terminate the car at Christmas and find something else if it didn't get fixed. I will be looking for some compensation from skoda to cover my costs, the last outing cost me around 60 quid in fuel and 2 half days of leave from work. Never mind the other visits!

 

The irony is that I buy new in the hope of having as few problems as possible and everything being covered. My last VRS gave me no issues and went into the dealer for servicing only. This one has been more trouble.

 

I was asked by the workshop manager on my first visit to dumfries if I had ever misfueled it. The car had done less than 6k miles at this point, probably nearer 4 or 5k. Im the first owner and I know I havent done that! He told me that Skoda are awful for paying out, he has since left and his replacement told me the same thing. He said he had worked for a few franchises and skoda were the worst for it by far. The dealer I went to had hyundai and a few others and he said they were better for warranty.

 

Its not a good plan for a manufacturer with a growing reputation (and a very bad one behind them) to start making the customer service experience so bad. They are asking silly money for the new model which would be enough to put lots of people off, Im a fan (or was) of skoda and its enough to make me think Skoda arent worth the hassle anymore. 

 

Lots of talk on the VRS groups about how thin the dealer network is getting and how bad the service can be. Not good all round. Its a shame as I like my car aswell. It will be serviced for free on my plan in January with around 11k on it and then I'll be looking at my options again I think.