Another MK7 GTi blown engine post..

[shrmntank]

Another MK7 GTi engine blown. 35,500 miles

My wife purchased a 2016 GTi that had about 800 miles on it from a VW dealer as a “new” car. Over the years she did the usual exhaust and intake with APR stage 2 tune.

A few months ago at about 33,500 miles she mentioned that the check oil light came on. I checked the oil and it was about a quart low. I added some oil and pulled the plugs to assess any issues. I found that the plug in cylinder 4 was much darker than all the others and had signs of burning oil. We took the car to the dealership.

The dealership said they would have to do 3 oil changes and weigh the oil to determine if it is actually burning oil. We said ok and started this process.

We were on the last cycle of oil changes right before we were due to bring the car in. After driving it about 2k miles from the initial trip to the dealership. My wife was on her way home and the EPC, check engine light come on and the car goes into limp mode. I pull the cylinder 4 plug and it’s almost all the way fouled out.

We got the car to the dealership and after a couple days the dealership starts to diagnose the issues. First issue they tell us about is a chipped valve. A couple days later they tell us that cylinder 4 had failed and parts of it were in the oil pan.

A day later they call my wife and say they have ordered a new engine and will be repairing it. A day after that they called back and said that VW had denied the claim for the engine due to a modified ECU.

I understand how and why they would deny the claim due to the TD1 flag. What I am struggling with is that the car was driving fine and working when we originally brought it to the dealership. They told us to keep driving it and then that’s when the issue happened. I feel like we might have been able to salvage it had they listened. Any ideas on what we can do?

 

[2slowvw]

While it wasn't performed on my current car, when I had my a4 (a previous gen 2.0t) when I brought my car in for a leak down test, they kept it in shop and did it all there, they didn't send me home with the car to drive around. Seems kind of dumb to have you continue to drive around on it without diagnosing the problem. Unfortunately I think there is no real recourse here and you might be sol.

 

[Golfs everyday]

VW does not warrant ECU tunes to start. Unless your dealer flashed it and had a separate warranty to cover the tune and related damage you’re out of luck.

I would just pay for the repair and move on.

 

[cb1111]

You pay to play.

That said, I would call VW and open a case, but I'd approach this from a different angle.

I would argue that the dealership should have kept the car instead of sending you home with it. Had they done that, then the damage would have been far less - accordingly, the dealership (or VW) should foot the majority of the bill - and they should offer some sort of goodwill repair.

 

[AtlantaDad]

You pay to play.

That said, I would call VW and open a case, but I'd approach this from a different angle.

I would argue that the dealership should have kept the car instead of sending you home with it. Had they done that, then the damage would have been far less - accordingly, the dealership (or VW) should foot the majority of the bill - and they should offer some sort of goodwill repair.

This. And good luck!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[SugarMouth]

The tune throws your warranty out the window in this case. Trying to make the dealer responsible for the failure based on their "performed test" will be extremely difficult.

At this point I'd find a used motor and have that installed.

FWIW, I don't think the tune was responsible. Out of curiosity how often did you change the plugs while the car was tuned?

 

[shrmntank]

The tune throws your warranty out the window in this case. Trying to make the dealer responsible for the failure based on their "performed test" will be extremely difficult.

At this point I'd find a used motor and have that installed.

FWIW, I don't think the tune was responsible. Out of curiosity how often did you change the plugs while the car was tuned?

Car was still on the original plugs at 33k when the problem popped up. 1-3 looked great when I pulled them.

 

[Juggar]

Tuned car = no warranty.

You can try to fight the dealer but if that is their standard oil procedure and its a reasonable one, you have no leg to stand on. Would be a VERY uphill battle and VW will offer no help because TD1.

Like the other posted said, toss a used engine in.

 

[Hoon]

The motor was hurt before you brought it in, that's why it started burning oil to begin with. At that point, you were going to need an engine.

While the dealer procedure was bizarre IMO, they are not at fault.

 

[cb1111]

The motor was hurt before you brought it in, that's why it started burning oil to begin with. At that point, you were going to need an engine.

While the dealer procedure was bizarre IMO, they are not at fault.

The motor was burning oil for who knows what reason. For all we know it could have been a stuck piston ring.

By allowing the owner to continue to drive the car, they allowed the engine to grenade.

We'll never now how badly the engine was damaged when they first took the car in, but we do know that continuing to drive it caused catastrophic damage.

 

[Jose_Gti]

Where you using colder plugs or the OEM ones?
I change mine every 10k miles.

 

[Juggar]

The motor was burning oil for who knows what reason. For all we know it could have been a stuck piston ring.

By allowing the owner to continue to drive the car, they allowed the engine to grenade.

We'll never now how badly the engine was damaged when they first took the car in, but we do know that continuing to drive it caused catastrophic damage.

On what earth do dealers just take the customers word for it and tear down an engine? They have to test before they tear down the engine. Thats reasonable and fair.

Any argument that the "dealer caused this" is out the door because the engine was TUNED and tuned engines have no warranty. This would be a very open and shut case in court if OP tried to sue.

 

[cb1111]

On what earth do dealers just take the customers word for it and tear down an engine? They have to test before they tear down the engine. Thats reasonable and fair.

Any argument that the "dealer caused this" is out the door because the engine was TUNED and tuned engines have no warranty. This would be a very open and shut case in court if OP tried to sue.

You overdose on narcotics and are taken to the ER. Because the narcotics were illegal, the ER sent you home telling you to take an aspirin and see your regular doctor in the morning.

You die.

They could have administered NARCAN but didn't because you used illegal drugs.

Does the ER have any liability?

 

[JC_451]

This situation is in no way analogous to a medical malpractice situation.

If the OP wanted the dealership to do more intensive testing he should have declined the "3 oil change test" and suggested they move past that step and go directly to taking things apart and scoping the cylinder.

He chose to continue driving the car in its current state, whatever happened has no correlation to the dealership visit. No way they can be held responsible for not saving the car.

 

[Hoon]

The motor was burning oil for who knows what reason. For all we know it could have been a stuck piston ring.

By allowing the owner to continue to drive the car, they allowed the engine to grenade.

We'll never now how badly the engine was damaged when they first took the car in, but we do know that continuing to drive it caused catastrophic damage.

Yes because a 35K mile engine that has been regularly serviced and run on 25+ psi of boost is much more likely to have a stuck piston ring than internal damage from a tune that was much hotter than stock and was never datalogged or verified safe.

BRB gonna go tear down my 35k mile engine to make sure my rings are ok.

Do you read the shit you type?