Advice needed. Faulty Gearbox or just Mechatronic unit

[saady]

In need of help, please advice. I'll try to keep it as brief as possible.

 

Few days ago, my 2013 skoda octavia 1.6 tdi se plus which has dsg7 gearbox had loss of power and would not go in gear.

 

Called the mobile mechanic and i was told the error was "Hydraulic pump play protection" meaning the hydraulic pump was not generating pressure.

 

Sent it to the main dealer as i was told there has been a recall on this gearbox and that i should not worry they'll get it fixed for me. 

 

Day later i get a call from branch manager stating i owe them £57 for investigating the matter and if mechatronic unit is faulty it'll cost £2000 if not the whole gearbox will need to be changed which will be £4000. He also said recall was only about software update and it didn't fix it. (Please note i was not told about any of this in my first conversation, so i basically felt ambushed)

 

I contacted Skoda UK customer services and a case was initiated and was assured if I was promised by the main dealer that they ll fix it then they will have to. The caseworker then called me today and said that she had a word with the branch manager and repeated everything what the branch manager had already told me. Told me to repair the car on my own. She also said if I can prove and get that recording in which i was promised the car will be taken care of, i might then have a stronger case. Branch manager initially hesitated to give me the recording but then agreed and wants to charge £35 for providing the recording.

 

Questions: 

 

1. Shall i pursue a legal case against them as i am 100% sure i was told there is a recall on dsg7 gearbox and my car falls under that recall. 

 

2. Is it possible that gearbox failed  because the software update wasn't done? also is there a way to find out?

 

3. should i get a used gearbox (cheapest quote i received was 1500 for whole gearbox) and get it replaced by a skoda specialist or stay with main dealer?(£2000-4000 depending on the fault)

 

 

 

Bought the car 6 months ago through Arnold Clarke at 45k and current mileage is 68k.

 

[john999boy]

Is this a mk3 or mk2 car? 

[themanwithnoaim]

Have you no warranty from Arnold Shark ? cos, the Skoda warranty ran out last year.

 

You can try it on with Skoda & Arnold Shark but, kinda don't think you've much chance myself but, I am not a lawer

[Ootohere]

Welcome.

So do you have a 12 month Warranty with Arnold Clark?

Then that is that, major component failure, and as usual Skoda / VW will do a deal with them or the Warranty Provider.

(World Wide Recall excluded Europe, Rest of world got a Warranty Extension.)

New Zealand cars got a new Mechatronic Control Unit. 

http://skoda.co.nz/news/dsg-service-campaign 

 

 

?

Has the car had the Service Campaign, either 34F7 The Synthetic Oil changed to mineral & a software update.

Stated May 2014 in the UK.

Sticker in the spare tyre well if done, with '34F7'.

 

Or if your DSG had Mineral oil from the factory, the Service Campaign started last November on some DSG 2013-2015.

35H5,  Software Update.

 

Or is the first one outstanding.

http://master.skoda-auto.com/mini-apps/recall-actions 

Edited 6 September, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[saady]

Thankyou guys for such a quick response, really appreciate it!!

 

I believe its mk1 but on my car details its says m1 i am assuming its the same..

 

Also for a second hand gearbox i am even quoted £654. Thats cheap considering its done only 30k miles and new one cost £4k new and fitted. Would you go for it if it was your car? (sorry a bit confused as i drive for uber and do not want to have a situation where it breaks down again)

 

my main concern is that if gearbox became faulty because software update wasn't done then effectively i do not need to have the car under warranty. Skoda should bear the expenses as there was a recall on my particular version of car. 

[saady]

@ Headinawayoffski

 

I bought the car in dec 2016 at 45k miles and do not know if the first software was done. However, i was told by the main dealer that it needed software update and it will fix the problem. They gave me their word and did not mention any alternate scenario where i might have to spend to fix it. Once i sent the car to them they then said software update did not fix the issue and now will need to spend 2k-4k depending on if the mechatronic unit is gone or the whole gearbox. 

 

[saady]

I am assuming it was done because up until 45k there is full skoda dealers service history. 

[Ootohere]

Best ASSUME NOTHING, see stuff in writing, and get stuff in writing.

 

 

Arnold Clark are the Warranty Provider or their underwriter are, and Skoda UK know the Fundamental Design & Manufacturing or Material / Component / Fluid / Quality Control Issues.

So spend nothing yet.

 

Which Recall is due, remembering there was no Recall just a REcall Action / Service Campaigns.

 

So the 2009-2014, or the 2013-2015 on some DQ200 DSG .

Edited 6 September, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[Ootohere]

Ask Skoda UK what the Warranty & Service History is and which Campaign was done.

 

Does one show outstanding here ?  it would be 34F7 if it does.  34H5 does not come up.

http://master.skoda-auto.com/mini-apps/recall-actions 

 

Mechatronic Control Units have been replaced recently because '34H5' never sorted anything.

 

Is the Main Dealer an Arnold Clark Dealership as well, or who are you dealing with?

Edited 6 September, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[saady]

i had already tried this link and it didn't turn up with any results. However after speaking to my local dealer they asked me of my vin number and then confirmed recall service was due and also assumed that this had caused the gearbox to malfunction in the first place. 

[saady]

I think that would definitely be a staring point for me to check service history and which campaign was done. Thankyou for giving me a lead. Meanwhile i am having loss of earnings for the last five days, i am thinking to get it fixed while i am fighting this. 

[saady]

sorry to reply in bits and pieces, I am dealing with Skoda dealership in ruislip. Arnold clarke rep could not even bear to hear the full story. Simply asked me if i was under warranty , I said no and then bam! call dropped!

[Ootohere]

?

What Warranty have you with ARNOLD CLARK where the car was bought?

 

They can chase SKODA UK, they usually do, and Skoda / VW pay up, provide parts etc, and pretend there is Dealers Goodwill and want some dosh from the innocent owners.

 

EDIT,

I am on a slow / poor connection, hence slow reply.

 

?

So no Warranty with Arnold Clark????

Edited 6 September, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[saady]

I guess i can try Arnold clarke again and be more persistence since other venues seems to be closing down on me. I had 60 day warranty with them. 

 

Do you think at the time when the car was sold to me and the software update wasn't done then i might have a case since all service history was from Skoda main dealership? and in that case would be able to identify who is at fault?

[saady]

skoda itself have already refused me any goodwill since the ruislip dealership cannot offer it to me since i was never their customer. 

 

No reply is better than slow reply, thank you for your time mate!! 

[saady]

i mean slow reply is better than no reply, Loosing my head just a lil

[saady]

/

 

[Ootohere]

If it is not the Software Update started by Skoda in the UK May 2014 with the Synthetic Oil changed to Mineral, 

 

then the latest one, 34H5 only started late 2016 and some got done through this year, and many are outstanding, 

not all DQ 200 DSG 2013-2015 need 34H5. 

So who knows with Arnold Clark, 

They never serviced the car before sale did they, and it was not a Skoda Approved Used car.  

 

You need legal Advice and the Service & Warranty History, and then to know if '34H5' was due, and recently correctly done.

[saady]

Thank you for your input and helping out a brother! much appreciated!

[Ootohere]

Sorry using your case as an example in other threads, 

really because i am 'certain' Skoda UK Seniors will be reading this thread today and others, as will some Motoring Journalists,

Those with the same Disability as VW / Skoda, Deaf Dumb & Blind when it suits them, 2nd biggest car manufacturer in the world never does wrong....

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/437930-dsg-7-speed 

Edited 7 September, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[saady]

Skoda uk called to say they have spoken to the main dealers and confirm recall service had nothing to do with the gearbox failure. Also said, They will send a written decision on the matter. 

The recall service that was due on my car started last year so i am assuming it was 35H5 Recall campaign. Would be interesting to see the contents of this recall and how not having this particular software update can damage the gearbox. Could not find anything online on this matter. Called dozens of Dealerships and no one seems to know anything about this. 

Slowly accepting my fate and will have to bite the bullet. 

I now have three options:

1.Get a reconditioned gearbox for £1895 with 2 year unlimited mileage warranty

2.Get a used gearbox costing me atleat £1300 + £350 = £1650 with no warranty 

3.Get it fixed through main dealers in which case if mechatronic unit is faulty will cost £2k or if whole gearbox is faulty then £4k with some sort of dealers warranty.

 

Really confused 

[Ootohere]

I will try to find the thread where a very helpful Briskoda member has all the Gear & an Idea and got the info from a Russian Source.....

 

The threads are all over the place on 34H5, 

So tagged on to the pinned DSG Recall thread up in the Fabia Mk2 Section, in the RAPID section, 

and various others, in the General Maintenance & Help sections of Briskoda, 

here is another.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/425419-dsg-gearbox 

http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1647939 

 

Edited 7 September, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[Ootohere]

I will try to find the thread where a very helpful Briskoda member has all the Gear & an Idea and got the info from a Russian Source.....

 

Sorry, not finding now as not getting chance to search, 

Maybe 'The Client' will remember which thread in, there are loads, 

& somewhere a recent one of a Mk2 Fabia vRS 2014's here and the members mum getting a new MCU because of a leak.

Then in the pinned thread up in Fabia Mk2 a member that recently had 34H5 having issues and happy the car is going back to Skoda soon and fineto.

[saady]

Found the russian source link: 

https://www.drive2.ru/l/464525796745150999/

 

Very useful. If it is true how can Skoda say having no software update did not cause the damage?

[themanwithnoaim]

4 hours ago, saady said:

Skoda uk called to say they have spoken to the main dealers and confirm recall service had nothing to do with the gearbox failure. Also said, They will send a written decision on the matter. 

The recall service that was due on my car started last year so i am assuming it was 35H5 Recall campaign. Would be interesting to see the contents of this recall and how not having this particular software update can damage the gearbox. Could not find anything online on this matter. Called dozens of Dealerships and no one seems to know anything about this. 

Slowly accepting my fate and will have to bite the bullet. 

I now have three options:

1.Get a reconditioned gearbox for £1895 with 2 year unlimited mileage warranty

2.Get a used gearbox costing me atleat £1300 + £350 = £1650 with no warranty 

3.Get it fixed through main dealers in which case if mechatronic unit is faulty will cost £2k or if whole gearbox is faulty then £4k with some sort of dealers warranty.

 

Really confused 

With respect, I ran the hell out of the same gearbox for 36-1/2k miles over 3-1/2 years albeit in 1.4tsi & it was good, no sign of a fault. If yours has issues at your mileage, I'd get rid of it especially, if my living depended on the car.

 

Regards out of warranty claims, you need to think how much you didn't pay for a brand new car before crying about expensive repairs, I paid £12,732.48 in PCP payments & deposit over 42 months to have an OEM Warranty, thats probably about what you saved by NOT buying new.

 

Old saying but, buy cheap buy twice, I feel for anybody who has to pay lots of money but, a car costs what it costs to run.