Exhaust emission warning light???

Post by **alexperkins** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:00 pm

Hehe is that a main dealer? Mine goes in on the 1st for some bits to be fixed, including a change of gearbox oil/linkage adjustment

, and I get a nice new loan car for the day hehehe

Cheers,

Alex

collywobbles · Post by **collywobbles** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:04 pm

alexperkins wrote:Hehe is that a main dealer? Mine goes in on the 1st for some bits to be fixed, including a change of gearbox oil/linkage adjustment , and I get a nice new loan car for the day hehehe

Cheers,

Alex

No it's not a main dealer Alex, i'm surprised it would be that quick though, perhaps it's not as bad as i first thought.

I wouldn't mind having a nice new car to pimp around in for the day though lol

Post by **alexperkins** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:08 pm

Hehe fair play. Well i had the offer for it to go in next weds, but i couldnt get a car for the day

so the first opportunity was the 1st

Going in for a new drivers door lock barrel, finding and removing the rattle in my drivers door, gearbox adjustment, and sourcing the radio code for the head unit hehehe. Annoying little problems, but hopefully all fixed under warranty

Cheers,

Alex

JWC · Post by **JWC** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:36 pm

Don't get too excited yet! I had this and when the guys at VW looked at it, no fault codes, no problem.

Then just as I'm driving home, it comes on again. Then I book it in, then it goes off again. They had it back 3 times, including over a weekend.

In the end I bought a VAG-COM lead and drove round with my laptop for a couple of days until. Ah HA, gotcha!

Its not the fault that bothers me, its that feeling of being a fraud, you go in and you have to say, 'well its not doing it now!"...

collywobbles · Post by **collywobbles** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:39 pm

Awwww JW

Destroy a girl's dreams why dont you boohooo

JWC · Post by **JWC** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:42 pm

Sorry yes, you're right, those guys at VW know what they are doing.

(That's a nasty cough I seem to be developing....)

collywobbles · Post by **collywobbles** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 6:12 pm

collywobbles · Post by **collywobbles** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:41 am

True to their word, had it back by half eleven

It was something to do with the brake switch

But it's all fixed now wooohoooo

JWC · Post by **JWC** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 2:47 pm

Ah the brake switch....

That means they cleared the fault code memory and don't have a clue what the problem is. And probably charged an 80 quid diagnostic fee?

So long as they know, if the light comes on again, you will be driving through a VW shop window somewhere near them....

polo power · Post by **polo power** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:28 pm

Ah the brake switch....

That means they cleared the fault code memory and don't have a clue what the problem is. And probably charged an 80 quid diagnostic fee?

So long as they know, if the light comes on again, you will be driving through a VW shop window somewhere near them....

you dont seem to take anything that a dealership says very seriously do u jwc?

Redline · Post by **Redline** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:37 pm

polo power wrote:you dont seem to take anything that a dealership says very seriously do u jwc?

From past experience I'd have to agree with JWC. The last time my GTi was serviced by a local VW dealer, it came back to me with the air-con blowing out luke warm air no matter what it was set to along with other issues caused by the ham-fisted chimps.

I took it back in the next day and explained about the air-con. One of the technicians went and played with it for 15minutes. He came back and told me there was nothing wrong and he hadn't had to alter a thing and that it was blowing out cold air as normal.

That's why I agree with JWC in being cynical about what dealerships say. The technician essentially said that I was making things up, when I knew damn well he had to have altered something to get it blowing cold air again.

JWC · Post by **JWC** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:45 pm

No.

What I do like about VW is that the proper parts are cheap to buy from the trade counter.

What I do not like is that they just come out with any excuse other than the don't actually know, or can't be bothered to find out.

Read around you see people call them the stealership. With good reason. My car went back and forth about 5 times for the same fault, and they said they fixed it. On all occasions they just cleared the fault codes. Then I complained whilst under warranty that the pedal box was broken. They knoew full bloody well what the problem was, but they really didn't want to do anything about it, so they fobbed it off just long enough for the warranty to expire.

I am fortunate that I am in a position to instruct them what the problem is and exactly what needs doing. They know I know what is what.

In a recent survey around oxford, 20 different cars were sent with purposely created faults. None of the garages found all the faults, half of them invented unnecessary work.

What still amases me is when a car has a few faults, and people think that when it goes in for servicing they will all magically get fixed. In reality, you probably gain other faults.

Birmingham VW and Banbury VW botht overtightened my wheel nuts, and Spirit motors over filled the oil. These are basic things that any hairy arsed machanic should know. Especially at the stupid rates they charge for labour.

I just feel sorry for people who are not in such a position and rely on these garages.

Which is why I post my findings on here, so that hopefully other people can go to a garage armed with information.

Its easy to tell if a garage is pulling the wool over your eyes, always get a second opinion. That way you will usually find a comon theme and get that fixed. Never let them know you are in a hurry, and always ask where you stand if the bit the replace breaks.

If you ever do a job yourself, do what I do and ask to speak to a VW mechanic, if you speak to them without patronising them, they are always happy to help. They feel good and you go away knowing all the nifty short cuts.

polo power · Post by **polo power** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:59 pm

ive personally never had a problem with the dealership where i live

JWC · Post by **JWC** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 4:02 pm

Then you are very lucky, and they should get an award.

Recommendations are worth a great deal.

collywobbles · Post by **collywobbles** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 6:18 pm

As said earlier, i didn't pay it was under warranty