Hi All,
Although this is my first post, have been using MKIV's for a long time for advice with various problems and updates with my 150PD Golf. Excellant advice on sorting our my rear wiper and installing cruise control etc. so about time I gave something back.
My recent experience has been through the PD Camshaft problem - something totally unknown to me until 2 weeks ago, in the midst of the Welsh mountains. It sounded like a the big ends had gone so had to dump the car in a local dealer in Criccieth. When they diagnosed it to be a camshaft problem I questioned it seriously - how can it happen so quickly and with catastrophic failure on a part that normally outlasts the engine. Research on MKIV's again pointed that this was a common problem and so after reading the posts where some of you had been offered good-will from Volkswagen, I naturally tried.
There response was typically Volkswagen, 53 Plate, 90k miles and no dealer service history with VW from 60k miles - I didn't stand a chance. So my car is now at Atlas Road Garage, in the kind hands of Jim and Wayne who are putting it back together.
And then I started to think, I talked to Jim again and he said that he was doing 1 or 2 of these a week - that's getting into 100 a year in one garage in the UK so how many of these are done worldwide. I decided to phone Volkswagen Customer Care and once I had persuaded them that I wasn't trying to change their mind about the good-will (although I wanted it), I asked them if this was a commonly reported problem. Much typing later didn't produce much news and I was passed onto the technical bloke who decides who gets the good-will - again he had never heard of the problem on their system. And then it dawned on me, if they don't give the good-will, it isn't logged as a common fault on their computer system. And most of the cars just borderline their 5 year, 100k miles and FSH criteria.
So without become a warrior attacking the giant car manufacturers, I want Volkswagen to admit that they have a design problem with their engine. Luckily I am in engineering and I want to get the shaft and lifters materials tested to see if they are at fault, or is the long life servicing just not working, or does the PD oil not do it's job ?
Volkswagen won't listen or take advice from internet forums, but if we could produce cold hard data - i.e. reg no., miles, FSH, age etc. then maybe we could help protect those whose cars haven't yet been affected and help them get replacement parts free. So can we organise something and get VW to admit they have a problem ? If we can hear from VW fitters, independant, owners or anyone else, it would be great.
And for those who are wondering, my symtoms were a week before, sounded like tappets on start up and the engine was beginning to produce smoke on acceleration. Apparantly, the lifters have gone so badly, it has worn a hole through the top, and it is blowing through the inlet !
Cheers.
Although this is my first post, have been using MKIV's for a long time for advice with various problems and updates with my 150PD Golf. Excellant advice on sorting our my rear wiper and installing cruise control etc. so about time I gave something back.
My recent experience has been through the PD Camshaft problem - something totally unknown to me until 2 weeks ago, in the midst of the Welsh mountains. It sounded like a the big ends had gone so had to dump the car in a local dealer in Criccieth. When they diagnosed it to be a camshaft problem I questioned it seriously - how can it happen so quickly and with catastrophic failure on a part that normally outlasts the engine. Research on MKIV's again pointed that this was a common problem and so after reading the posts where some of you had been offered good-will from Volkswagen, I naturally tried.
There response was typically Volkswagen, 53 Plate, 90k miles and no dealer service history with VW from 60k miles - I didn't stand a chance. So my car is now at Atlas Road Garage, in the kind hands of Jim and Wayne who are putting it back together.
And then I started to think, I talked to Jim again and he said that he was doing 1 or 2 of these a week - that's getting into 100 a year in one garage in the UK so how many of these are done worldwide. I decided to phone Volkswagen Customer Care and once I had persuaded them that I wasn't trying to change their mind about the good-will (although I wanted it), I asked them if this was a commonly reported problem. Much typing later didn't produce much news and I was passed onto the technical bloke who decides who gets the good-will - again he had never heard of the problem on their system. And then it dawned on me, if they don't give the good-will, it isn't logged as a common fault on their computer system. And most of the cars just borderline their 5 year, 100k miles and FSH criteria.
So without become a warrior attacking the giant car manufacturers, I want Volkswagen to admit that they have a design problem with their engine. Luckily I am in engineering and I want to get the shaft and lifters materials tested to see if they are at fault, or is the long life servicing just not working, or does the PD oil not do it's job ?
Volkswagen won't listen or take advice from internet forums, but if we could produce cold hard data - i.e. reg no., miles, FSH, age etc. then maybe we could help protect those whose cars haven't yet been affected and help them get replacement parts free. So can we organise something and get VW to admit they have a problem ? If we can hear from VW fitters, independant, owners or anyone else, it would be great.
And for those who are wondering, my symtoms were a week before, sounded like tappets on start up and the engine was beginning to produce smoke on acceleration. Apparantly, the lifters have gone so badly, it has worn a hole through the top, and it is blowing through the inlet !
Cheers.
] The garage i'm taking mine to have been servicing all types of VW's for 30 years and have told me they only use quantum longlife oil in the PD engines,this makes me feel a bit better knowing it will be serviced properly.After this service is done the oil will be dropped every 6k to be on the safe side.Hope the camshaft lasts throughout my ownership!
