front wing corrosion

[Doctor-X]

I stumbled across this thread a couple of weeks ago after finding my 2004 passat highline had developed rust on the front wing. I printed loads of stuff out from here to arm myself & contacted my local vw dealer. I was told I would need to contact a vw dealer with a bodyshop as they would need to take some paint readings & photograph the area. I phoned the nearest to me & spoke to a manager who deals with warranties. I was all ready to hit him with my findings but was taken aback when he actually explained to me what the problem was and if I brought the car down, as long as everything checked out, they would book my car in for repair. He looked my car up on the computer & said my car qualified for a 50% good will gesture from vw & they would match that & pay the other 50%. He explained that they were doing this in order to gain possible future business from people going back there.
Now I don't know what criteria my car met to qualify for the free repairs but I drove down 3 days later & spoke to the very nice man who took paint readings, photographed the car from several angles & filled in a job sheet, explaining that I would hear back from the bodyshop about booking my car in. Low and behold, a week later, my car is booked in for 1st April!!....They are even picking it up from my house!!!

I hope you'll understand if I don't publish the name of the dealer I went to until I have had all the work done & am happy with it, it's just I don't want any ill feeling from the dealer by having had several hundred people phoning him quoting me!!...I promise i'll let you know the dealer second week in April when my cars back. So basically MysteryMan, yes, it is true!!!

btw, it's amazing how many passats I now notice driving round with rusty wings... I just want to pull them over & explain!

Ok, so it's taken me longer to let you know where I had the work done than I promised, but I had a slight issue that's only just been rectified.
The dealer that replaced both my front wings & covered the cost 100% was Lightcliffe VW in Liverpool. The only issue I had was that they did a poor job of refitting the plastic trim at the bottom of the car & it's taken me 3 months to get back to Liverpool. Completely not their fault with the time, just that I have been too busy to get back there. They did eventually fit it correctly & i'm now very happy.

[seagulls01]

My. Passat with this problem is a 52 plate. Am I too late?

[Doctor-X]

My. Passat with this problem is a 52 plate. Am I too late?

Well I think it's a 12 year warranty which I think may give you until 1st September(ish) before it runs out. Although, when I took my car they looked it up to see if it qualified. Dont know what criteria it needed to meet. You may just have to ring & ask

[JimC64]

It is a 12 year warranty, so you may still qualify, check it out asap!!

All the info you need is posted within this thread!

Good luck

[Jon W]

Hi
Just joined VW Forum and was interested to read the posts about corrosion to front wings of various VW models.

My 2004 Passat Estate is pretty much immaculate apart from the rust coming through around both front wheel arches.

Do you have a copy of VW's internal bulletin or a link to it that I could use to assist the Warranty claim that I intend to make?

Thanks,

J

[JimC64]

Page 4 if I remember correctly post#133 or something

Read the whole thread if you want all the info available.

Good luck

[knoxman]

There is some excellent information in this thread on how to get VW to meet the full costs of replacing the front wings if corrosion is found. Many thanks to all those who have contributed - I found it extremely helpful. I discovered recently that my 2005 Passat Estate Highline TDI 130 bhp had developed the corrosion on both front wings, and so it was with some trepidation that I visited my local VW main dealer today to raise the issue with them. I had already been to the dealer's Bodyshop to discuss it with them, and they advised me to discuss it with the Warranty Manager at the dealership - which I did today.


The Warranty Manager could not have been more helpful. He looked at both wings, took some photos, and then told me that VW would pay for the repair or replacement (most likely replacement). He explained that he had authority to make this decision as it been delegated down to him by VW UK. All he had to do was submit a report to VW with full details of the claim. The dealership would pay for the work, and then he would submit the bill to VW to reclaim the costs.


He took the following details about my car: the registration number, the chassis number, and the mileage. He also asked when I purchased the vehicle and from whom, and where I had been having the car serviced, but this did not seem to have influenced his decision. So I now wait for him to call back with some dates when the Bodyshop can carry out the work (which is likely to be in about 3 weeks time).


If it is any help to others, this is the situation regarding my Passat Estate:


a. I purchased it in 2006 from a VW main dealer when it was just under one year's old.
b. It has 81k miles on the clock.
c. I had it regularly serviced at a main dealer until 2012 when I moved to south west Wiltshire. I now get it serviced at a local independent VW/Audi specialist garage (because the latter is more convenient (and probably cheaper) than having to drive to my nearest VW main dealer).
d. I was cool, calm and polite in my dealings with the Warranty Manager.


I will put updates on this thread as they happen… and am keeping my fingers and toes crossed for now…!

[djmx5]

Knoxman…….similar situation vehicle wise to mine age wise, though my car has never been near VW garage for repairs/servicing.

I had no problem with VW paying for the replacement of both wings and courtesy car for the duration last November. Great service.

D

[knoxman]

Received a telephone call from the Warranty Manager to tell me that my car has been booked into the body shop for 4th August. It wil be required for the whole week. Things are looking very promising now uncrossing my toes....).

[soundout]

Reporting another success story on this matter. I bought a 2004 Passat estate a month ago, immaculate apart from the rustywings issue. It was a 3 owner car, private purchase, FSH but non-main-dealer. I emailed my local VW dealer, Sytners in Huddersfield, took it in for assessment, waited 2 weeks with no reply, jogged their memory this morning and got an immediate 100% offer from VW as a goodwill issue. I think the reason it can't be classified as a warranty matter is because the car is 10 years old now. A further 12years paint warranty would not really be justifiable!
Here is the email I sent which resulted in the offer:

Dear Sirs


I am a lifelong VW fan and in my time, I have owned 4 Golfs, 3 Passats, an Audi 80, an air-cooled Transporter and Beetle, and 2 LT vans.


About 10 days ago I bought privately a B5 Passat with FSH (not all main dealer). Reg no MF04 WJN. I noticed some rust on one of the front wings and the beginning of some bubbling on the other, but the car was in great condition apart from that, so I took the plunge.


I've been a member of the VW/Audi Forum on the internet for some time so I looked to see how many others had the rusty wing issue. I was disappointed to read that this is a common problem usually caused by accumulated debris caught in the soundproofing foam. I never had that issue on my many other VWs. Anyway, many owners reported good treatment under warranty from their local VW dealers, once the problem was reported. I have also seen the internal VW bulletin to dealers concerning the issue.


In the case of my own car, it was last at a VW dealership in September 2012 for a cambelt change. The visual check record shows no bodywork faults at that stage.


So I'm duly reporting that I have what appears to be this same problem. I understand that you have a procedure which must be gone through to determine the cause of the rusting and I am of course keen to set the ball rolling with my car. I am not in a hurry to get the job done but obviously want to register the problem with you. I will be pleased to bring in the car for inspection at a time to suit. I am working away from home a lot this month but I am sure we can fix a time.


Looking forward to hearing from you, preferably by email but phone is OK too.

there you have it forum folks - feel free to use the wording I have used - and many thanks to the forum for helping so many of us out on this issue.