Class action lawsuit letter (Waterpump)

[EpicTech]

My car is tuned and dealer tried to deny my aux water pump. I told them my warranty wasn't with them, it's with VW and to submit the claim.

VW approved in less than 5 min.

Dealers are sleazy make more when you have to pay vice the rate VW pays them.

Kind of sounds like my local VW dealer here. The service dept is a bunch yahoo's that only care about makin big numbers so that the manager can flex around in his Carrera. The Sales dept though I know all of them, as I have bought numerous cars from them. Anyway, they know my car is heavily modified, and I have told them to submit claims for, and VW approved for:

Battery
new axles
new haldex controller

They pitched a fit the first time, for the battery, saying some stupid shit like the battery isnt designed for those modifications, just go to AutoZone or something and get a battery there. I told them submit the claim anyway and VW approved it. Then to show their dislike for my actions, they made me wait for a week for them to put the battery in. Saying something about them being booked out because only dealer in the area, blah blah. I told them no worries, I will be sure the survey reflects equally to the treatment I received. I did the survey and not long after that, I was in for an oil change, and I noticed a new service advisors staff. I'll call that a win.

 

[Supermoto]

You'll do your own work and like it. Next thing you'll be doing your own tuning.

I don't have any issue doing my own waterpump or AC components, but evacuating the refrigerant is the only setback. That, and the new 1234Y shit costs 5x as much as R134, so if the dealer can do it under warranty I'd like to save some money.

 

[phoffman183]

I finally received an email back from the settlement, this is what they wrote:

A check is mailing 5/30/23, please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery.

 

[Supermoto]

Called the dealer today to see wtf is taking so long, it's been 1.5 weeks and they originally told me it would be done after a week. They say they still haven't checked the AC system... If I get my car back and diagnose both issues myself with evidence, I'm bringing them the bill for my rental car (and the next rental car). If they refuse I have no issue taking it to court.

 

[EpicTech]

Called the dealer today to see wtf is taking so long, it's been 1.5 weeks and they originally told me it would be done after a week. They say they still haven't checked the AC system... If I get my car back and diagnose both issues myself with evidence, I'm bringing them the bill for my rental car (and the next rental car). If they refuse I have no issue taking it to court.

Do what you got to do man. My dealer here has a standing process of drop your car off "so that it gets queued up in line" and they call you in a day or so when they have time to check the schedule and give an estimate of when it might get looked at. If you don't drop it off, they don't help you. - I dont like this so the tech that always works on my car just tells me to pull around to his service bay and he does whatever it needs and then bills out the service from his terminal he has there.

 

[Supermoto]

I contacted VWoA and got some actual help. First, she recorded all the issues I'm having with my car and with the dealer. My service tech has not contacted me once, I have to call them. Second, she's getting her managers involved and opening a line of dialog with the dealership general manager. Third, she is contacting other dealers to find one that can actually do this job correctly and expedite it. Lastly she is going to discuss paying for my rental with the general manager.

If the dealership employees cared as much about their work as this woman does, I wouldn't be in this position.

I just laugh because when I dropped the car off I told the service advisor a pressure test will NOT show a leak. He says ok good to know. The when I call a week later he says they pressure tested and there's no leak. Haven't heard from him or been able to even talk to him since. After my call with VW I just so happen to get a text from him.

So despite me specifically saying a pressure test won't show this issue (as it didn't on my 2015) and it needs to be visually inspected, he says they will pressure test it again.... I swear to God they hire any dumbass off the street these days.

 

[Tom1759]

So despite me specifically saying a pressure test won't show this issue (as it didn't on my 2015) and it needs to be visually inspected, he says they will pressure test it again.... I swear to God they hire any dumbass off the street these days.

That's awful, I'd consider trying a new dealer if there is another one close by.

Update on my issue - the 2nd dealer ended up replacing the thermostat housing and water pump under warranty! Crazy how one dealer said I'm not covered under the warranty (due to tune) and the next had no issue. Based on this experience I would recommend Garnet VW in West Chester PA for anyone close by. They even sent a video showing where the leak was.

 

[GTIfan99]

That's awful, I'd consider trying a new dealer if there is another one close by.

Update on my issue - the 2nd dealer ended up replacing the thermostat housing and water pump under warranty! Crazy how one dealer said I'm not covered under the warranty (due to tune) and the next had no issue. Based on this experience I would recommend Garnet VW in West Chester PA for anyone close by. They even sent a video showing where the leak was.

I'm glad it was covered. Remember, always tell them to submit to VW. It's not their call.

 

[sloopercat]

My 2019 GTI is not covered in this class action. It does however leak a bit of coolant. Around 30K I was smelling occasional whiffs of coolant from the Tstat water pump area, the coolant was down to the lower level of the add line on the reservoir, so I topped it up. The coolant smell is not constant, sometimes it is not detectable at all, it seems to be self healing. At 40K it is now only about 20% below the full line, the level is even with the top of the warning triangle. I assume the level was full at 20K, after my prepaid 20K service. I have pulled the lower panel off and saw no evidence of any trail of coolant. I just got back from a 900 mile round trip running 80mph, maybe it was just crying tears for missing the autobahn prior to this trip? I don’t think it used a drop that whiole trip and definitely zero smell, as I checked it at the end of these 8 hour drives.

I have not really kept up with this issue and what the dealer response is in all cases. My question is it a complete waste of time to bring the car in to have them look at it? My speculation is they pressure test it, pass it and I waste my time bringing it in. The car was purchased 2/2020, so my warranty has a ways to go. The only thing I can see as a plus is having documented issues recorded for potential issues down the road.

Any idea why certain VINs are excluded? Do I have a non-defective upgraded version number on the claimed non-defective parts?

 

[Supermoto]

Just wanted to update. They gave the car back and charged me for the coolant loss diagnosis since they couldn't find anything wrong. I had to pay to get my car and contacted my credit card company to dispute the charge. In the meantime, the coolant has once again dropped from 3mm over the full line to here:

This is with the car level and cool, I even opened the cap to relieve any possible pressure causing it to look low (there was none). The car has been smelling strongly of hot coolant in the garage and while at stop lights. But hey, Volkswagen said there's nothing wrong so I guess it's all in my head

 

[MonkeyMD]

Shitty dealership.

Anyway to get your VW Rep on a 3 way call with them

 

[TheBlondeFella]

I can't believe that here in the Uk we are still treated like 2nd class citizens by VW and have to pay in full for this ongoing issue while you guys in the US are getting it covered and paid for!!

 

[MSchott]

Just wanted to update. They gave the car back and charged me for the coolant loss diagnosis since they couldn't find anything wrong. I had to pay to get my car and contacted my credit card company to dispute the charge. In the meantime, the coolant has once again dropped from 3mm over the full line to here:

View attachment 285406

This is with the car level and cool, I even opened the cap to relieve any possible pressure causing it to look low (there was none). The car has been smelling strongly of hot coolant in the garage and while at stop lights. But hey, Volkswagen said there's nothing wrong so I guess it's all in my head

If they ran a pressure test and found no leakage there’s nothing else they can do. Of course you have to pay for the test.

 

[Supermoto]

If they ran a pressure test and found no leakage there’s nothing else they can do. Of course you have to pay for the test.

A lot of other people had a pressure test run and it returned normal but there was still a leak and the car losing coolant, and eventually the leak is usually found by the card owner spending the time to find it themselves. The dealer just runs a pressure test and calls it a day. On my 2015 the same thing happened and I took the car home and found the leak myself then brought it back to have it fixed.

Furthermore, the dealer also was supposed to fix my AC system as there's a leak. The car had 25% the amount of refrigerant that it should have had, so they refilled it but were unable to find the leak so they didn't charge me. So if they couldn't find the leak for the refrigerant despite there bring one and they didn't charge me, my argument is the same logic should apply to the coolant system.

Regardless, I got the money back and won't be going back to that dealer.

 

[sloopercat]

The dealership that tried to find the leak on mine did not charge me anything to do that.