Ongoing 2.0 TDI DSG Saga.....

[golfturbo]

My car has been loosing coolant for around 4 months. In that time the turbo has failed and has been replaced. My service dealer (Turners of Erlestoke) stated that the coolant loss was because of the faulty turbo but 300 miles after having the new turbo I got the STOP - Check Coolant message.

Contacted my dealer again and the car has been back twice, 1st occasion with no decision made on it, then it was there for another 2 days and after much tooing and frooing it has been decised that there is a leak on the shiled around the EGR valve. 3 weeks later and I am still awaiting the part.

Spoke with dealer yesterday and the service manager (Kevin) went on a training course last week and apparently there have only be 3 other instances in the UK where there has been coolant leak from this area. It also came out in conversation that they weren't really sure as it's a 3 hour job to strip down to this part and they haven't actually done that! Apparantly there are none of these parts available in the UK although another dealer has one for another car with an issue but might not need it so he is waiting for the part to become available. I'm starting to get impatient!

In the meantime I'm having to top my car up with water every 200-300 miles and to be honest sometimes I just don't stop as I know the coolant has only just dropped below minimum and 1/4 litre of water will fill it up (I know this is wrong as one time it will be more serious, bit like the boy that cried wolf my car is!). I've opened my bonnet so many times that the bonnet release handle has come off 3 times in the last 2 weeks so now needs replacing too!

I love the car, it performs, handles and drives great. I find it comfortable for long journeys and the bluetooth kit fitted by VRStu is just brilliant. Just wish I could get this stupid problem fixed. Car is now on 54k and will be out of warranty due to mileage by the end of the year.....

[peterg1955]

As you may or may not remember, my car was losing coolant before my turbo imploded taking the intercooler, EGR valve, engine (head and block) and exhaust system with it.... the original suspect for the problem was the EGR valve as no other area seemed to show any signs of a leak so it was somehow getting burnt off... anyway, everything was replaced and it ran fine for a couple of thousand miles and then it started going into limp mode again with warning light for exhaust, I took it back to the dealer and it turned out to be the EGR valve sticking, they replaced it and car has been fine now for 8000 miles so the reason there is no stock of EGRs is because there are problems with them so they've used them all up

[golfturbo]

Thanks for the reply Peter, I remember your saga!

Getting fed up of topping the damm thing up!

[motr]

Originally Posted by golfturbo

Car is now on 54k and will be out of warranty due to mileage by the end of the year.....

Another sorry tale, but as your problem started long before the warranty expired (if it isn't sorted by the time it expires), that will be down to the dealer and Skoda. You should and hopefully would still be covered.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

[golfturbo]

Starting to loose my patience... everytime I call the dealer I have to explain what the problem is and what part they need. Seems they don't know their ar*e from their elbow

[cheezemonkhai]

Have they checked the radiator out?

Mine dumped coolant and left me stranded, was topped up and lost no more, but they replaced the whole rad under warrenty due to a manufacturing fault.

[cheezemonkhai]

Originally Posted by motr

Another sorry tale, but as your problem started long before the warranty expired (if it isn't sorted by the time it expires), that will be down to the dealer and Skoda. You should and hopefully would still be covered.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

I'#d put it in writing to get it confirmed though.

[Superted]

Originally Posted by golfturbo

Starting to loose my patience... everytime I call the dealer I have to explain what the problem is and what part they need. Seems they don't know their ar*e from their elbow

Dealers don't like being told what the fix to a problem is or what parts they need, indeed, if they even get a whiff of 'local' knowledge or 'people power' i.e. forums, they get unbelievably ars*y! Not just Skoda dealers either!

Good luck to you in sorting and hope it is all resolved....

[peterg1955]

- that's not been my experience with the dealer I use (Winchester Motor Company)

I mentioned this forum several times, partly so they knew that I had checked to see what it could be going wrong and partly so they looked after me otherwise I'd moan about them on here

I got to talk to Robin in their service dept quite a bit over the 4 months it took for all the things to get sorted (not their fault, it was mostly Skoda UK getting them to try changing bit's instead of just sticking a new engine in it like they and I knew it needed...) it developed into a weekly update/chat on every Friday where we wished each other a good weekend and hoped that maybe the car would be finished 'next week'. When the new EGR valve failed after only 2000 miles Robin guessed correctly that it had to be that part causing the problem and had one ordered before the car was even recovered to their workshop!

Can't fault them in sales or service, so much so that we'll probably take SWMBO's VW Golf their for servicing as well.

[Superted]

Originally Posted by peterg1955

- that's not been my experience with the dealer I use (Winchester Motor Company)

I mentioned this forum several times, partly so they knew that I had checked to see what it could be going wrong and partly so they looked after me otherwise I'd moan about them on here

I got to talk to Robin in their service dept quite a bit over the 4 months it took for all the things to get sorted (not their fault, it was mostly Skoda UK getting them to try changing bit's instead of just sticking a new engine in it like they and I knew it needed...) it developed into a weekly update/chat on every Friday where we wished each other a good weekend and hoped that maybe the car would be finished 'next week'. When the new EGR valve failed after only 2000 miles Robin guessed correctly that it had to be that part causing the problem and had one ordered before the car was even recovered to their workshop!

Can't fault them in sales or service, so much so that we'll probably take SWMBO's VW Golf their for servicing as well.

As i said, this is not just resigned to Skoda, many dealers are very reluctant to talk with the customer if the customer shows signs of knowing diagnosis, i am sure i am not alone in this opinion. Of course, you are lucky in the fact that this particular dealer will talk, and, is open to dialogue. I am sure there are others..

My point was that most are not that open and given that i am lead to believe that some have even joined Briskoda and in order to spy...

[jamesmckelvie]

[quote=Superted;1066830]As i said, this is not just resigned to Skoda, many dealers are very reluctant to talk with the customer if the customer shows signs of knowing diagnosis, i am sure i am not alone in this opinion. Of course, you are lucky in the fact that this particular dealer will talk, and, is open to dialogue. I am sure there are others..

they are probably so used to it - everyone hates a smart alec

[Superted]

they are probably so used to it - everyone hates a smart alec [/quote]

I am sure they do....And so frustrating that as a customer you have to repeat...Sooo many times.....

[car_freak]

Sorry my english is not perfect , but anyway if i understand correctly your engine was loosing coolant.
About year and half ago, my 02 2.0TDi was loosing coolant too. Dealer couldn't solved the problem for about 2 weeks At the end they find out, the radiator for the exaust was leaking For now my Skodilak runs OK
One of my customer leased a VW Passat 2.0TDi and it has the same problems, but worse. The dealer couldn't solved the problem so they change the whole engine for 2 times After that he bought Audi 1,9TDi

p.s. sorry for my english

[golfturbo]

Originally Posted by car_freak

Sorry my english is not perfect , but anyway if i understand correctly your engine was loosing coolant.
About year and half ago, my 02 2.0TDi was loosing coolant too. Dealer couldn't solved the problem for about 2 weeks At the end they find out, the radiator for the exaust was leaking For now my Skodilak runs OK
One of my customer leased a VW Passat 2.0TDi and it has the same problems, but worse. The dealer couldn't solved the problem so they change the whole engine for 2 times After that he bought Audi 1,9TDi

p.s. sorry for my english

Thanks for the reply. They did mention something about water possibly evaporating on the exhaust...

[golfturbo]

Update, apparently part is not available. Car booked in on Wednesday, have told them I don't really want it back until all the outstanding issues are fixed...

1. Coolant Loss
2. Lumbar Support in Passenger Seat doesn't work
3. DSP Speaker Issue (fault code found when Stu fitted Bluetooth)
4. Ventilation problem (fault code found when Stu fitted bluetooth)
5. Bonnest release handle now falling off (due to be used soooo many times!)

I will have one of their loan cars so there is some encouragement to them getting it sorted! Fingers crossed

[Fluffmeister]

I have had the lumbar support go twice in the vRS, both times the cable had become disconnected from the mechanism. Eventually sorted with a refit of the cable to a new kn ob

[golfturbo]

Originally Posted by cheezemonkhai

Have they checked the radiator out?

Apparently so....

[golfturbo]

Originally Posted by Fluffmeister

I have had the lumbar support go twice in the vRS, both times the cable had become disconnected from the mechanism. Eventually sorted with a refit of the cable to a new kn ob

Useful to know, thanks.

[Lummox]

lol, had to chuckle about the turbo causing coolant loss. Yeah because the diesel turbo is water cooled, not.

I have heard of a few of the EGR coolers leaking coolant internally on both Skoda and VW. Also VW has had many problems on the BKD engine with pourous heads that leak internally just inside the intake to the inlet valves, usually on cyl 1.

[golfturbo]

Originally Posted by Lummox

lol, had to chuckle about the turbo causing coolant loss. Yeah because the diesel turbo is water cooled, not.

I have heard of a few of the EGR coolers leaking coolant internally on both Skoda and VW. Also VW has had many problems on the BKD engine with pourous heads that leak internally just inside the intake to the inlet valves, usually on cyl 1.

I thought as much!

EGR Cooler replaced today, lumbar fixed and new headlight swicth means front and rear fogs now work.

Heres the worrying bit.... The car was last in the dealer 4 weeks ago and had 2 fault codes reset, today there were 11 pages, Yes 11 pages! of fault codes. All have been reset and I am going back after a couple of hundred miles to get them checked out again....