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my tuned GTI suffered a catastrophic engine failure...

Escape Hatch

Autocross Champion
Location
USA
Car(s)
Mk7 GTI
Yup, wife has known about every mod and dollar spent on the econo box and hasn't batted an eye. Great woman, friend, and mother. Been married 18 years and counting.
 

Genegenie

Drag Race Newbie
Location
North Yorkshire
Car(s)
VW Golf
My partner said v similar she said: "it's a bit expensive (other cars obv cheaper) but if it's what you want, then get it you'll be driving it", girlf doesn't drive, has no interest and I obv pay for the car. She almost 'blows it' but then 'brings it back'; "I don't see what the fuss is about, it's just a car :oops:". "It IS nice though :) :D", there it is....
 

Dnkltd

New member
Location
Las Vegas
Went through same exact scenario at 15k miles. Fortunately, mine got covered by VW. Also had a tranny go out on a Stasis tuned Audi S4 prior to the GTI.
I’m at 70k now. Stock since repair. No more tunes going forward. Maybe just bad luck, but I’m done.
 

D.Gage

Autocross Champion
Location
Virginia
Car(s)
17 Gti
Went through same exact scenario at 15k miles. Fortunately, mine got covered by VW. Also had a tranny go out on a Stasis tuned Audi S4 prior to the GTI.
I’m at 70k now. Stock since repair. No more tunes going forward. Maybe just bad luck, but I’m done.

what tune did you have?
 

Escape Hatch

Autocross Champion
Location
USA
Car(s)
Mk7 GTI
My wife and I just passed 29 last month, over 30 years together. We've been through a lot and people still think we're newlyweds.

Get out of here with that liberal bullshit!

😁
 

Dnkltd

New member
Location
Las Vegas
oh man... what happened?
Long story short, check engine light came on. Car started to sputter and misfire. Towed to dealership. All 4 plugs were wet of fuel. #2 had broken. #1 had 100% leak coming from the crank case & #2 had a 10% leak. 3 & 4 passed. They replaced the long block.
 

D.Gage

Autocross Champion
Location
Virginia
Car(s)
17 Gti
Long story short, check engine light came on. Car started to sputter and misfire. Towed to dealership. All 4 plugs were wet of fuel. #2 had broken. #1 had 100% leak coming from the crank case & #2 had a 10% leak. 3 & 4 passed. They replaced the long block.

Not cool. Doesn’t necessarily sound like a tune problem though, sorry that happened.
 

AquaTone61

New member
Location
Third rock from the Sun.
Car(s)
2015 GTI SE DSG
Thanks very much for clearing my head, @cb1111!

According to my USA Warranty and Maintenance booklet, in the section on "What's not covered" on page 7, it says:

Damage or malfunction due the misuse, negligence, alteration, accident, vandalism, or fire
This limited warranty does not cover:
  • Damage, malfunctions, or symptoms resulting from modifications of the vehicle, including but not limited to the installation of engine management components, not approved by Volkswagen
From the language, doesn't the dealer have the burden of proof to show a software tune directly caused my engine damage/failure? By extension of the statement above, there exists "damages NOT resulted from the installed engine management components modifications."

What happens if I tell the dealer that, what proof do you have that it is the software tune that caused my engine failure, not a "defect in manufacturer's material or workmanship"? Can you say conclusively that ALL engine failures like mine that you've seen are from tuned vehicles?

As soon as you tune an engine, it is running outside the parameters that VW designed it to run in, whether it be boost level or timing or whatever else is modified. Once outside those parameters, their responsibility ends based on what they state in the manual and warranty guidelines. Proving otherwise is an almost impossible feat partially because their lawyers have more money than yours and because of the way the warranty disclaimer reads.
 
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