VW dealership brainless monkeys

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From a thread on vwvortex. Dealership incompetence is well documented on tdiclub.com but this kind of stuff is just ridiculous! :

"Hello- First time posting so bear with me please,
We took our 2008 Jetta to dealer for the 10,000 mile service/oil change. This is the same dealer where we purchased the car. We live about 40 mile from dealership, and by the time my wife got home, the oil/service light came on and she pulled into the drive and shut the car off. It has been raining all day and shortly the driveway looked like the Valdez oil spill. I opened the hood and found that there was no no oil registering on the dip stick. Called the dealer and they arranged a tow truck to take the car back to the dealer. I followed along and when put on the lift it was determined after pulling the filter, that the VW filter gasket was defective. They replaced the filter/gasket and added about 5 quarts of oil before it was at the proper level, started the car and it seemed to sound normal, but they said they will keep it overnight and start it cold tomorrow morning. As you can understand, we are both very concerned about this. Any ideas what damage has been done?? Thanks for your time"

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4366687
 
Why is a faulty filter gasket considered to be dealership incompetence? They didn't make the filter. It is possible that the leak didn't manifest itself until she got on the highway.

I mean, I am not a fan of VW service by any means, but I'm just not sure I would blame them in this particular case.
 
I would document everything and get it all in writing. Just because it runs good now doesn't mean there hasn't been some residual damage that will show up later.

This is just another example of why I change my own fluids in our cars.

Oh, and I'd make them come and clean my driveway too!!
 
a defective filter gasket could happen to a dealer tech or a home user. its not the dealers fault at all if that was the real reason for the failure.
 
I think alot depends on exactly when the light came on and whether she shut it down right then or tried to make it home so you could see it.[Something the ladies in my house would almost certainly do] Just a little oil oozing on a driveway in the rain will look like alot and it could have largely drained out by then on the drive home. If she caught it quick, I'd say you're ok. If not then you've probably got accelerated engine wear. Either way, the dealer needs to step up and "make you whole" for their mistake.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Why is a faulty filter gasket considered to be dealership incompetence? They didn't make the filter. It is possible that the leak didn't manifest itself until she got on the highway.

I mean, I am not a fan of VW service by any means, but I'm just not sure I would blame them in this particular case.

I don't buy that the gasket was defective for one second. First of all the Hengst or Mann stock filters have a high quality gasket. It is not like on a spin on filter. I have never seen nor heard of a defective one but it is possible it could happen. Second, if the gasket were defective, it should be immediately obvious to any competent lube tech. as he has to physically remove the old one from the canister and put the new one on. Blaming the gasket is a convenient way to avoid responsibility but it is the tech's responsibility to put on a gasket that works. Makes you wonder whether he remembered to put the gasket on at all.
oilfilter.jpg
 
There is a reason to check for leaks after an oil change, and if the gasket is defective in any way that would make it leak, it should have been noticed. If the gasket is oomplete and goes all the way around it isn't going to leak. A monkey could see that. It was their fault in any case, probably for reasons they aren't going to tell.
 
I didn't realize it was the cartridge-type filter. A faulty gasket in this case should have been easily identifiable by the tech.

I'm also surprised that the engine lost 5 quarts of oil in such a short time, just due to that faulty gasket alone. Sounds a little fishy.
 
Quote:
I don't buy that the gasket was defective for one second.

Of course they are going to blame the gasket and not their incompetent lube tech.

If owner really cared about his car, he would do his own oil changes and not let some idiots touch his car.
 
at least on our 2.5 rabbit, there is a spin-on top (unlike other euro oil cannisters that have one or two bolts to hold the cover), with a drain valve in it. You drain it, then spin off the cartridge holder, pull the carridge out, replace gasket and re-install with new filter...

I would venture to guess that it was not the gasket, but rather the drain valve. If it was partially open, it could drain slow with the cover screwed on, but then as oil pressure increases and viscosity decreases, could move out much quicker... Ive wondered a few times if the drain valve was all the way closed/sealed...
 
Agree with above. Bad gasket or bad installation, same result and it should have been inspected for leaks.
Great move by the op, however, to stop/check/ and call instead of driving back to the dealer.
 
Originally Posted By: Newtonville
There is a reason to check for leaks after an oil change, and if the gasket is defective in any way that would make it leak, it should have been noticed. If the gasket is oomplete and goes all the way around it isn't going to leak. A monkey could see that. It was their fault in any case, probably for reasons they aren't going to tell.


Exactly.

At most US dealerships the test drive after service, if they go on one at all, is a drive from the service area to customer parking, or a drive around the block. At my dealer in Germany, the test drive is a 15 minute drive, followed by a thorough visual inspection, with the car going back up on the lift. A master tech performs the test drive and final inspection, and he has to sign off before handing the car back to the customer.
 
Originally Posted By: saaber1
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Why is a faulty filter gasket considered to be dealership incompetence? They didn't make the filter. It is possible that the leak didn't manifest itself until she got on the highway.

I mean, I am not a fan of VW service by any means, but I'm just not sure I would blame them in this particular case.

I don't buy that the gasket was defective for one second. First of all the Hengst or Mann stock filters have a high quality gasket. It is not like on a spin on filter. I have never seen nor heard of a defective one but it is possible it could happen. Second, if the gasket were defective, it should be immediately obvious to any competent lube tech. as he has to physically remove the old one from the canister and put the new one on. Blaming the gasket is a convenient way to avoid responsibility but it is the tech's responsibility to put on a gasket that works. Makes you wonder whether he remembered to put the gasket on at all.
oilfilter.jpg



I change my own oil (BMW 740 and Ford Explorer) because I know that it's done right, and I know exactly what oil is used. Last month I changed the oil in both vehicles, and a day or two later my wife said she'd noticed some oil drops in her parking spot at work. There were also some drops in our driveway. I'm meticulous in how I install the filters so I knew it wasn't a case of a loose filters. I got under the Explorer and there was oil all over the underside. The filter was nice and tight. I drained the oil and removed the filter and found that the gasket was almost detached from the filter and was distorted. That's why it was leaking. Put on a new filter (different manufacturer) and no further problems.
 
Quote:
found that the gasket was almost detached from the filter and was distorted.

Thats what happens when the lube tech doesn't put any oil on the gasket.
 
Don't even get me started on the [censored] we've had to go through with warranty work at the VW dealership in our town, on the TDI. The OP's story does not surprise me one bit.
 
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