Volkswagen of America, Pathetic Customer Service

[FowVay]

I haven't read all the replies to this post so please forgive if this has already been addressed.

Your '05.5 TDI has a emissions warranty campaign pending at the moment and it's not Volkswagen's choice to comply. This is mandatory. While you're not required to bring your car in for this campaign, the dealer is required to do the campaign if the car is there. Have you received a recall notice in the mail? If not and you have engine code BEW, BHW, or BKW then you will receive a notice.

VW is replacing the ceramic tipped glow plugs with metal tipped plugs. The voltage on the metal tipped plugs is below the design parameters of the computer software so it requires a computer reflash to adapt the system to recognize the new low voltage plugs. The recall campaign is to replace plugs, reflash computer, clear codes.

If VW refuses to do this then I'd first try getting another dealership to do it. If they're not complying then a telephone call to the states EPA will get the ball rolling.

I'd personally like to see several hundred of VW's dealerships put out of business. There's NO excuse for this type of service from anyone toward any other person.

I absolutely LOVE Volkswagen cars,, but I simply can't and won't deal with their dealerships. They have NO customer service so it's a waste of time calling their customer care line. It's staffed with idiots.

 

[XS650]

Was there an actual problem buried someplace in that rant?

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: FowVay
Your '05.5 TDI has a emissions warranty campaign pending at the moment and it's not Volkswagen's choice to comply. This is mandatory.


they said for his VIN, all it covered was a PCM reflash, no parts replacement.

 

[LoneRanger]

Correct. The only campaign that comes up in the VIN campaign database maintained by VOA is Emissions Service Action 24P9/P5. The campaign Fowvay refers to is Emissions Service Action 28E6/R8. However, our car has virtually every attribute which Emissions Service Action 28E6/R8 is correcting on other cars (other cars covered by the recall equipped the same): 2005 TDI Pumpe Duese 5-speed manual transmission with Bosch ceramic glow plugs p/n N10591601 as factory original equipment. So why our VIN is not coming up for the 28E6/R8 campaign is a mystery.

 

[LoneRanger]

Originally Posted By: XS650
Was there an actual problem buried someplace in that rant?


Yes. Here is a pictorial summary of the repair which I contest as non-compliant to the TSB that was an imbedded link you may have missed:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=254379


The glowplug on the far left which is the different one, 11 volts spec, is for up to 2003 model VW's with engine code ALH. Ours is a 2005 with engine code BEW. Two different animals. VW went to the Unit Injector or 'Pumpe Duese' engine in 2004 and produced it through 2006. The engine in our car runs the glow plug systenm at 7 volts, not 11. Regardless of whether or not throwing an 11 volt plug into a 7 volt system on a car *still under factory warranty* is "okay" or not, there was a TSB in force at the time of the repair that directed to NOT do this and NOT install a single plug, and SPELLED OUT *in detail* that a new 5 volt steel glow plug p/n 105-916-07 be installed *as a complete set* (that would be four for them) and the ECM re-programmed to accomodate them (to run the gp system at 5 volts).

So yes, there is an actual problem described in the post.

I'm guessing no one here would be satifisfied if their under-factory-warranty car was rigged in such manner by a dealership service dept during a warranty repair when there was a TSB in force to prevent this exact thing from happening. It is completely unacceptable.

 

[FowVay]

XS650, if that was directed toward my posting then let me say that my frustrations with VW date back to 1981. It's just crazy the way that company has been run in this country. It's much too long to post here and it's not exactly relating to this topic.. but when I hear other VW owners get the royal treatment I tend to step up and voice my own frustration. I guess it's a sign of psychiatric disturbance when a person continues to buy these cars knowing what to expect.

Is that sadism or masochism? I can never keep it straight.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: FowVay
XS650, if that was directed toward my posting then let me say that my frustrations with VW date back to 1981. It's just crazy the way that company has been run in this country. It's much too long to post here and it's not exactly relating to this topic.. but when I hear other VW owners get the royal treatment I tend to step up and voice my own frustration. I guess it's a sign of psychiatric disturbance when a person continues to buy these cars knowing what to expect.

Is that sadism or masochism? I can never keep it straight.


We are on the same page. I couldn't figure out if you were just venting or had an actual problem.

From what I have heard and experienced, VW dealers in general draw a vacuum.

My only previous VW was a 1971 bus with a nice aftermarket camper conversion. Liked the vW, despised the incompetent dealer.

Now with my 2005 Jetta TDI, this dealer isn't any better. Love the vehicle, the dealer is incompetent.

 

[tangojetta]

VW TDIs should come with a VAG-COM and Bentley manual. VW dealers sucks when comes to fixing TDIs. You not should get a TDI unless you know a good non TDI dealer mechanic or work on your own TDI.

 

[WGermany]

Spoke with VW Customer Service a couple months back after buying my Passat. No complaints here, they were friendly and quite helpful.

 

[LoneRanger]

Oh don't worry WGermany (p.s. Germany is unified now...) if you own your Passat for a few years, you're going to have plenty of opportunities to experience repairs at Volkswagen dealer service department(s) and maybe additional contacts with VOA.

Tangojetta is quite right. I'm not saying their aren't exceptions, there certainly have to be some VW dealers that are competent. My local is not.

 

[Mr Nice]

All cars have problems, some more than others.

I like the Rabbit, but would never buy one.

 

[Tornado Red]

Originally Posted By: harley145000
vw wont be here long

They are passing GM and taking aim at Toyota to be the #1 auto maker in the world. I don't think pulling out of the North American market is part of their plan.

VW will be here when you are gone.

But they really, REALLY need to fix their dealer network. It sucks big time. I often tell new owners to find an independent shop to care for their VW after the warranty period... but seriously, owners should not wait that long. Forget the warranty, it is not worth the hassles most of the time.

 

[harley145000]

who gives a [censored]

 

[Audi Junkie]

My local VW dealer is awesome, in just about every way.

I had some tires installed at a dealer in Phila and they charged extra for wheels weights. That didn't sound right.

 

[Vizzy]

Originally Posted By: FowVay
I haven't read all the replies to this post so please forgive if this has already been addressed.

Your '05.5 TDI has a emissions warranty campaign pending at the moment and it's not Volkswagen's choice to comply. This is mandatory. While you're not required to bring your car in for this campaign, the dealer is required to do the campaign if the car is there. Have you received a recall notice in the mail? If not and you have engine code BEW, BHW, or BKW then you will receive a notice.

VW is replacing the ceramic tipped glow plugs with metal tipped plugs. The voltage on the metal tipped plugs is below the design parameters of the computer software so it requires a computer reflash to adapt the system to recognize the new low voltage plugs. The recall campaign is to replace plugs, reflash computer, clear codes.

If VW refuses to do this then I'd first try getting another dealership to do it. If they're not complying then a telephone call to the states EPA will get the ball rolling.



Absolutely correct. VWoA doesn't have a choice about performing mandatory federal emissions work when a car is not performing accoring to factory specifications..

I would call VWoA and request that a factory service rep contact you and your dealer to resolve this issue. DO NOT let VWoA tell you this cannot be done. Set up an appointment at a dealer of your choice to have the factory service rep (district service rep ) confirm the problem and have the correct repairs made FREE OF CHARGE!

I'd personally like to see several hundred of VW's dealerships put out of business. There's NO excuse for this type of service from anyone toward any other person.

I absolutely LOVE Volkswagen cars,, but I simply can't and won't deal with their dealerships. They have NO customer service so it's a waste of time calling their customer care line. It's staffed with idiots. [/quote]



VWs problem is not the product it is the US distributor VWoA. They are a seperate entity from VAG in Germany and are basically independent from the manufacturer.

I agree about the stupid ads from VW "Punch Vdub" I mean just whom are they appealing to anyhow..These ads ONLY run in the USA and are the result of what VWoA wants for marketing. VAG in Germany needs to [censored] VWoA and start from scratch!