Injector Failures - Possible recall

**fat controller** · 30-08-2011,06:48 PM

I got a call from a lovely lady at VW today, wanting to arrange to get my car into the dealer to have the injectors replaced, however as we are in the midst of packing up to move house, everything is going quietly mental here and I didn't have my V5 to hand - - not a problem however, she will ring back tomorrow (and I have since found the V5) so it will get booked in sometime soon.

VW are doing themselves proud with their customer service over this issue

**Quatrelle** · 30-08-2011,09:07 PM

Originally Posted by fat controller

I got a call from a lovely lady at VW today, wanting to arrange to get my car into the dealer to have the injectors replaced, however as we are in the midst of packing up to move house, everything is going quietly mental here and I didn't have my V5 to hand - - not a problem however, she will ring back tomorrow (and I have since found the V5) so it will get booked in sometime soon.

VW are doing themselves proud with their customer service over this issue

I appreciate you're happy - I'm trying to twist VW France's arm on this - but if VW's customer service is that good, why are owners having to contact VW? If VW was that good, they'd have been writing to you long before the poo hit the fan with a well-publicised recall. Owners are getting no more than they deserve - less, in my opinion.

**Stuart W2** · 31-08-2011,03:56 AM

Originally Posted by fat controller

VW are doing themselves proud with their customer service over this issue

Are they?

If it's a sufficient safety concern to replace all four injectors and the wiring loom FOC then shouldn't they be contacting ALL owners with the affected vehicles (whether a formal VOSA recall or not)?

After all, the vast majority of affected owners will very probably be completely unaware of the injector issue. And even if they are, that there's some kind of campaign going on to rectify the problem.

Therefore, thus far it's only a tiny proportion of affected vehicles that have been put right, and only because of the fact that that small proportion of owners have gotten to know about it and gotten in touch with VOSA/VW as a consequence.

So if it's such a safety concern then it seems a terrible way to go about things - relying on the ignorance of the vast majority NOT to do the necessary work.

Having said all that, at this point it's perhaps better to give VW the benefit of the doubt, because there's no doubt likely to be a supply problem which would prevent all the affected vehicles being done at the present time.

Thus perhaps judgement should be reserved until a few months down the line.

**Leggy** · 31-08-2011,06:36 AM

All,

Spoke to VW yesterday who were very helpful and car to be booked in for all four injectors and wiring loom to be replaced FOC. Can't argue with that.

Cheers

**fat controller** · 31-08-2011,10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Stuart W2

Are they?

If it's a sufficient safety concern to replace all four injectors and the wiring loom FOC then shouldn't they be contacting ALL owners with the affected vehicles (whether a formal VOSA recall or not)?

After all, the vast majority of affected owners will very probably be completely unaware of the injector issue. And even if they are, that there's some kind of campaign going on to rectify the problem.

Therefore, thus far it's only a tiny proportion of affected vehicles that have been put right, and only because of the fact that that small proportion of owners have gotten to know about it and gotten in touch with VOSA/VW as a consequence.

So if it's such a safety concern then it seems a terrible way to go about things - relying on the ignorance of the vast majority NOT to do the necessary work.

Having said all that, at this point it's perhaps better to give VW the benefit of the doubt, because there's no doubt likely to be a supply problem which would prevent all the affected vehicles being done at the present time.

Thus perhaps judgement should be reserved until a few months down the line.

Fair point

For those of us that have gotten in touch with VW, their response has been pretty swift and there has been no arguments, which is refreshing considering the brick wall of resistance that we were being met with as little as six months ago.

My injector failed last July, when the car was five months out of warranty, and I got such short shrift from the dealer that I ended up getting the part from Euro and then had it fitted by an independent, as much because I felt dismissed by the dealer as anything else. VW are now offering to refund this repair too (although I can only find the receipt for the part, but that is my fault not theirs), which is a refreshing turnaround.

I agree that this should be being done on a recall basis, given the safety implications, however we can live in hope that they are dealing with those of us who either have the problem, have had the problem, or know about it first before moving on to a full recall.

**rob1990** · 31-08-2011,10:56 AM

Mine has gone in this morning to vw

They said 'FOC? we'll have to call customer services about that'

I've just called the dealer now to see if any update. They've spoken to vw who've asks for a report on the injectors before they give the go-ahead for the replacement (although to be fair, the services woman didn't think this would cause an issue)

And as a treat for the car, I've taken them up on their cambelt and water pump change for £350 all in

I knew they'd get money out of me somehow..

**zilspeed** · 31-08-2011,12:42 PM

Well,

I haven't had mine a fortnight yet.

No breakdown, thankfully, but all of this understandably gives me the fear.

So, this morning, as per this thread, I called VW customer services to enquire as to where I stand.
I have a case number and a cas manager, so we'll see where it goes.

As I said, no breakdowns in my case, but it would be nice to remove the possibility of a breakdown for this particular reason.
Especially as I've just bought the car.

**grazzyman** · 31-08-2011,12:54 PM

Hi Everyone...would really appreciate some help here.

Last week my car died on a dual carriageway, near accident, police had to close lane etc. The usual symptoms of faulty injectors as explained by so many here.

Car is with dealers and VW have agreed to replace the injectors with a small amount of persuasion.

However, the VW dealer says that the fault that occurred was not with the injectors the wiring loom....but a different loom to that of the injectors. It will take up to 3hrs of labour to investigate the fault (£240+vat) and then they will know if they need to replace the loom (£1000+vat) or whether it is just a loose connection.

I am really confused... are the looms different? I plugged my fault code reader in and got: 04160 - 038 CAN BUS.

So, I really don't know if I'm being taken for a ride here. If the looms are the same, and they are replacing the loom with the injectors, am I paying for investigatory work unnecessarily? Even if it is different, it seems a loom fault on a 4yr old car seems strange.

I'd really appreciate your opinions,

Phil.

ps My car is a 2007 GT TDI 170 DSG

**zilspeed** · 31-08-2011,01:06 PM

In light of the failure, I would be looking to pursue this through VOSA and would advise VW customer services that these were my intentions.
It's hardly as if these failure are without precedent and having to get the police involved is pretty serious I would suggest.

Maybe these thoughts being articulated directly to VW Customer Services will perhaps give them cause to reconsider.

**grazzyman** · 31-08-2011,01:13 PM

Thanks zilspeed, have contacted VW customer service but they have said they will not pay for 'investigation work' but will speak to me again once the fault is known. It just seems strange, if there is only one wiring loom, then investigating a fault on a loom that will be replaced would be a waste of time...(but not for the dealer who will pocket my £££).