UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

VW technician off another site...

We've had a Golfs in the shop. Only did an oil change with a new filter. Didn't want to start ever again. Doesn't occur much but it's a known VW problem. They have a timing chain that has tention put on it via oil pressure. If the pressure doesn't get on quickly enough when you stop or start the chain might skip. And thus busting the engine. Sometimes the damage is minor sometimes it's not...

Link is working. Thanks for the update.

Do you know exactly what the first garage did to the car?

This doesn't sound good on such a low mileage engine. Is it only 1.2 petrols that are affected? What about the 1.0?That said if this is a known issue on these engines what precautions should be taken?

This is one of the reasons that I would only take newish cars to a VW dealer for servicing. I find you have more bargaining power and less chance of them trying to wriggle out of it. Sorry to hear your predicament and I hope you get it sorted.

The AA came to the car first said the engine wouldn't turn over so it needed to go to a garage, so they took it to my family members who then tried to turn the engine over by hand in which it didn't. So that's when we sent it to Oakmere in Northwich Cheshire to have it inspected as they said prior to us getting there they'll try and see what VW would offer us knowing full well they weren't going to help but have strip it down with a bill of nearly £500

In this day, I can't find any reasonable excuse for VW Group having continued to churn out that 1.2 3 cylinder engine without having eliminated all the known issues that have hung around the heads of the owners of these cars from back in 2002, ie when that engine appeared in the 9N Polo.

Any court actions needs to be well thought out and kept as public as possible to shame this company, VW Group, into starting to supply only reliable engines in the near future. These later issues might be few and far between when compared with the earlier issues, but when it happens to you it certainly is not funny and should be getting dealt with rapidly to avoid court action being started.

Im just going through the process myself.
got myself an early Christmas present from vw.. same story different day, although im not as unlucky and escaped with just 4 bent inlet valves.

I tried to squeeze vw but they just say there is not recall for my car and it is 6 years old, also they have never heard of the problem, very laughable.
Ive give up with them and decided to fix it myself.

Currently the engine is all back together just awaiting on the uprated timing chain kit (RS0042 Timing chain kit) to turn up then i should be back up and running.

I feel very let down by this company but looking at your post i feel lucky.

good look and if i can help in any way let me know.

I think that it is good to keep all these failures very public, while some may be in part down to other issues, though I can't exactly think of what and why, all VW Group product owners should be getting to know exactly how VW Group will treat you and your wallet in the event of an unfortunate incident with these engines, that VW Group pretend do not happen or are nothing to do their design integrity - this car company really do need to start hanging their heads in shame and I can't see things being any better with the current range of engines, though I am hopeful and if I have the need to get an engine sorted out for some stupid already known, I'll be using all the facts that I have already discovered to move quickly to a fix without me needing to spend too much money.

Potential VW Group buyers out there, take note, this does not happen everyday to every version of every VW Group engine, but when it does happen to you, it will hurt, a lot!