GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

PSA: Check your suspension for shipping pucks

hugoender1

Ready to race!
Location
South Florida
Long story short:
Had engine issues with 2016 VW GTI. Dealer had car for 54 days. I invoked lemon law and VW gave me a 2018 GTI. I drove the new GTI for 1.3k miles and noticed that small pot holes and uneven surfaces on the highway would caused, what felt like, the suspension bottoming out. It was violent! Being that I had just had a 2016 GTI I knew this was not normal. I eventually remembered a post I had read years ago about people finding strut pucks still installed on their cars. Strut pucks are installed by VW for transport and are supposed to be removed by dealer. Not removing them can lead to damage.

So this is a PSA. If you think your suspension is "just not right". Jack it up, pull the boot up and check for pucks. Be sure to stick your fingers in the boot even after you pull it up because they may be stuck towards the top.

Needless to say, I am PISSED AF! :mad::mad: Remember, this is after months of going through the lemon law process. I just don't get VW. They make such awesome cars. If only they could get their shyt together!

Tomorrow I am calling VWoA to see how to proceed. I have no idea what kind of damage this may have caused in the 1.3k miles I've driven the car. Any idea what I should check for?

Here are pictures:



 

Wrath And Tears

Go Kart Champion
Location
Azusa, CA
Car(s)
17 Sport, 99 E36
It caused no damage, VWoA won't do anything. This issue was first posted in 2015 and as far as I know even people who had them in for like 10k had no issues in the end. It's a dealership issue and nothing to do with VWoA. Lots of people don't seem to understand that the dealership is not VWoA and VWoA is not the dealership, they are two completely separate entities. I've pulled them out of a 05 Golf with 150k on it, no damage.

Edit: It does suck though, no doubt about it. I've been dealing with VWoA and my local dealership a lot lately, so I feel your pain. Dropping the car off tomorrow for the 4th time for the same issues.
 
Last edited:

Gr33nBunny

Drag Racing Champion
Location
610-SePa
Car(s)
18 GTI SE 6mt
It caused no damage, VWoA won't do anything. This issue was first posted in 2015 and as far as I know even people who had them in for like 10k had no issues in the end. It's a dealership issue and nothing to do with VWoA. Lots of people don't seem to understand that the dealership is not VWoA and VWoA is not the dealership, they are two completely separate entities. I've pulled them out of a 05 Golf with 150k on it, no damage.

This. VWoA has nothing to do with dealership employees who are lazy/forgetful/have a stressful day and just overlooked it. Call the dealership, not VWoA.
 

southpawboston

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Somerville, MA
If anything, you might get the dealership to give you some coupons for future services, or maybe some accessories, gratis, as an "oops" goodwill gesture. It blows my mind that dealer techs are overlooking this at PDI. It's clearly on their checklist. My guess is that the techs who do the PDIs are the newest and most inexperienced. No one ones to have that job. That and oil changes.

I checked for pucks on my GSW, there were none, so my dealer at least got that right.
 

nype

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Vancouver, B.C.
Didn’t you start another thread on this topic already?

Maybe it was someone else, has happened to many people...
 

Jumpy

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Austin, TX, USA
Car(s)
'18 GTI Autobahn
Are those pucks even necessary? Is that really helping anything?
 

cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
Keeps the front of the car high for loading into shipping containers and on trains and what not. So yes!
In addition, it also helps stabilize the car when tied down.

Perhaps enough people will contact VWoA and they will send out a TSB as a reminder to the dealerships.

While VW and the dealerships are separate entities, VWoA clearly can influence the actions of the dealerships. VWoA doesn't want dealerships to do foolish things like leave pucks in the suspension.
 

Wrath And Tears

Go Kart Champion
Location
Azusa, CA
Car(s)
17 Sport, 99 E36
In addition, it also helps stabilize the car when tied down.

Perhaps enough people will contact VWoA and they will send out a TSB as a reminder to the dealerships.

While VW and the dealerships are separate entities, VWoA clearly can influence the actions of the dealerships. VWoA doesn't want dealerships to do foolish things like leave pucks in the suspension.

There is a TSB about it, as well as cars ship (or are supposed to ship) from factory with a tag around the mirror that says "Remove shipping pucks before sale" or something to that effect. Some users have posted pictures of it, after asking for the dealership to make sure they were removed. The PDI tech placed it with the owners manual and documents.
 

nype

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Vancouver, B.C.

bluesforchallah

Passed Driver's Ed
I had my springs switched out yesterday and sho-nuff, after 1000 miles, pucks were still on the struts. Not expecting anything in return, but I will be politely returning them to my dealership. Even bad feedback is valuable feedback.

 

vbrad26

Autocross Champion
Location
St. Petersburg FL
Car(s)
'15 CSG GTI 2DR M/T
I can't believe this is still an issue.
Just take the pucks and start throwing them at the techs while telling them what a bunch idiots they are.
 
Top