ESP light on

[alibaly]

I have a 55 plate Golf Plus 1.9TDI which is running well apart from the following -
The ESP warning light came on a couple of days ago and the switch was showing OFF and would not switch back on. The car was booked in to Advantage VW Stirling today and the result of their diagnostic was that I had to have a new ABS/ESP unit fitted next week.
They contacted VW and apparently if your car is up to 4 years old they will give 100% discount on parts and 50% on labour, unfortunately mine was registered February 2006 so I only get 50% on both. total cost £515.82. Not as bad a some seem to have been charged but mine was serviced there since new so that may have a bearing on it.
Anyway if as I was told the faulty batch of units was mainly from 55 to 06 cars, should VW not have replaced all suspect units during normal services? I am sure VW will be claiming the costs of these faulty units from the manufacturer so it would be a good public relations excercise for them to pass this on to their loyal customers who might not be so loyal next time they change their car.

[zf44]

I've said this in previous posts and I will say it again... VW should be ashamed of themselves. I was one of the lucky ones, my 05/55 Golf Plus ESP light came on when it was still under warranty. My advice is to press your dealership harder for a discount, have a look at the post below, this forum member ended up paying £158.

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=89376

[phil miller]

we have had a similar problem on a tdi passat at work, in the end we managed to find a second hand unit for £150 and then coded it to the car with are snap on scanner, unsure if the same can be used on the plus to re code it but if your dealer wont help you out then its always an option

[alibaly]

I have my car back again at a final cost of £509.69 They came and collected the car this morning and brought it back this afternoon, seems ok but the brake pedal is spongy and sinks to the floor if I press hard on it. Will take it in to them tomorrow to be bled properly, makes you wonder, never mind this is the first time anything not 100% with them.
I suppose the next thing to worry about will be the timing belt as the car is over 4 years old, mileage only 36000 though.

[phil miller]

, seems ok but the brake pedal is spongy and sinks to the floor if I press hard on it. Will take it in to them tomorrow to be bled properly, makes you wonder,.

id take it back and give them **** mate, thats shocking even from a main dealer, bleeding brakes isnt rocket science and if they cant bleed them correctly it makes you wonder if they fitted the ABS unit correctly, i would defo complain to the service manager, cos its also very dangerous

[bcm454]

Hi, this is possibly a naive question but I have the same problem and wonder whether I could write to VW and get the same discount on the parts and have it fitted by a non-franchised but VW specialist?

Thanks

[dorismax22]

I had the same problem with my '55 1.9 TDI Golf Plus and was given short shrift by VW Customer Services 'cos I had not had the vehicle serviced by a main dealer. Consequently I had the new unit fixed by my local garage and it cost me over a thousand pounds in total. It's the last VW for me after 40 years of loyal custom.:zx11:

[phil miller]

I had the same problem with my '55 1.9 TDI Golf Plus and was given short shrift by VW Customer Services 'cos I had not had the vehicle serviced by a main dealer.

total ****, by law you DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE MAIN DEALER SERVICING FOR A WARRANTY TO STAND, they talk out of there bums at times

[matta4]

Hi, this is possibly a naive question but I have the same problem and wonder whether I could write to VW and get the same discount on the parts and have it fitted by a non-franchised but VW specialist?

Thanks

I doubt vw will just supply the part to you.You could get your unit reconditioned for £350 with 2 year warranty from ecu testing nottingham or somewhere similar it wont need coding if reconditioned but the pump will need bleeding with vcds or a scanner.This may be a cheaper alternative.

[matta4]

I had the same problem with my '55 1.9 TDI Golf Plus and was given short shrift by VW Customer Services 'cos I had not had the vehicle serviced by a main dealer. Consequently I had the new unit fixed by my local garage and it cost me over a thousand pounds in total. It's the last VW for me after 40 years of loyal custom.:zx11:

You will find it hard to get any goodwill as you havent had it serviced by them. Although you dont need dealer servicing to maintain your warranty you wont get any goodwill repairs or discounts from them when out of warranty. I assume you were out of warranty when it went.

[locky1803]

I have recently had the same problem on my 06 golf plus 2.0tdi, it has benn fully serviced but not by main dealer, does anyone know if vw will pay up for all or part of this?

[rpm90]

Just got my wife's Golf Plus '56' reg fixed with this fault - dealer said VAG will pay 100% for parts & 50% for labour - so we paid £155.66; full dealer service history. I am a little surprised that this seems a common fault and is not subject to free fixing/re-call.

[dorismax22]

:zx11: What a difference between LOUSY VW customer care regarding the faulty ABS/ESP units and the recent proactive decision by BMW to recall vehicles which may suffer from a similar problem!

[bcm454]

Hi All, I am mortified and very unhappy to learn that, because my VW did not have a main dealer sevice last year, involving a non VW oil filter, my less than helpful local dealership tells me that VW say they will not contribute anything to the repair. Has anyone had any success appealing against such an apathetic response?

Regards

[Luca]

Hey..
Golf plus 06 plate 56000 milage.
Esp light came on again...
Same thing happened to me last year.Kept comming on for copule of weeks and then was fine until now. Strange thing, only when I'm driving up the hill(exactly the same spot on my way to work). ESP light is comming on. Not affecting abs/ driving at all. ESP button doesn't respond. When I switch the engine off and on again ESP light is going back to normal. Everything is fine.
Any Ideas?
Done my research an I'm aware of the common problem with VW ESP. No Idea what is going on..

[wdroberts]

hOPE IT ISN'T TOO LATE FOR YOU. This fault was exposed in Don't get done get Dom consumer TV program in April 2012 ( see BBC guide)..when VW admitted it was an inherent manufacturing fault....so a recall in all but name only....they REFUNDED ( important for you) costs to owners that had already paid....and did the job gratis -REGARDLESS OF AGE OR SERVICE HISTORY....on all other models - not just golfs / passats . THIS IS A KNOWN FAULT...and Bxxxxxxxx vw have lied to all of us. PLEASE spread the word as much as you can! regards w.roberts

[genix]

Just got my wife's Golf Plus '56' reg fixed with this fault - dealer said VAG will pay 100% for parts & 50% for labour - so we paid £155.66; full dealer service history. I am a little surprised that this seems a common fault and is not subject to free fixing/re-call.

Yes, very common. I have had the ESP sensor replaced early this year (05 reg, so ca. 6 years old car).

[wdroberts]

Yes, very common. I have had the ESP sensor replaced early this year (05 reg, so ca. 6 years old car).

Genix...see my earlier quote---re posted here........get in touch with VW Customer services quoting the Consumer TV programme exposure of the ESP light fault.... dealers know only too well that it is a recall AT NO COST....... I have the paperwork to prove it.....

good luck

w.d.roberts ..

"HOPE IT ISN'T TOO LATE FOR YOU. This fault was exposed in Don't get done get Dom consumer TV program in April 2012 ( see BBC guide)..when VW admitted it was an inherent manufacturing fault....so a recall in all but name only....they REFUNDED ( important for you) costs to owners that had already paid....and did the job gratis -REGARDLESS OF AGE OR SERVICE HISTORY....on all other models - not just golfs / passats . THIS IS A KNOWN FAULT...and Bxxxxxxxx VW have lied to all of us. PLEASE spread the word as much as you can! regards w.roberts

[genix]

Thanks wdroberts,

I had this problem early this spring, if I only knew it then...:(

Anyway, it might be useful to other members, thanks for explaining this.

Seasons Greetings


Genix...see my earlier quote---re posted here........get in touch with VW Customer services quoting the Consumer TV programme exposure of the ESP light fault.... dealers know only too well that it is a recall AT NO COST....... I have the paperwork to prove it.....

good luck

w.d.roberts ..

"HOPE IT ISN'T TOO LATE FOR YOU. This fault was exposed in Don't get done get Dom consumer TV program in April 2012 ( see BBC guide)..when VW admitted it was an inherent manufacturing fault....so a recall in all but name only....they REFUNDED ( important for you) costs to owners that had already paid....and did the job gratis -REGARDLESS OF AGE OR SERVICE HISTORY....on all other models - not just golfs / passats . THIS IS A KNOWN FAULT...and Bxxxxxxxx VW have lied to all of us. PLEASE spread the word as much as you can! regards w.roberts

[wdroberts]

Why not have a go at them anyway?...........they refunded big bucks to those who had it done BEFORE the programme ( that's how the Tv guys got hold of it)

what have you got to lose ? They are in Milton keynes ( serves them right!)

regards

[renoir9]

Got my 06 Golf Plus done yesterday,not cost incurred at all (although they came up with £2200 other bits that they would be happy to do when it was on the ramp lol)