[fordfreak]

Originally Posted by baskar

My car has hit the same reverse camera issue. 42K is the estimated cost. For no apparent reason, there is some water damage.

Same issue of rear sunshade also for my car. The hook/clip is so fragile that a few times usage can break it apart. Are you planning any jugaad work to at least use it as a manual sunshade?

Bit of coincidence that our cars are hitting the same problems in nearly identical ODO readings.

In my case, the water had apparently seeped in through the rubber boot/seal at the base of the RHS boot-lid hinge (as I understand). The quotation your dealer has given you is similar to what I paid. It is expensive, but unfortunately there isn't an alternate solution to this problem.

Not planning to do anything with regards to the sunshade for now. I will consult a reputed FNG to see if they can help source parts, but not going to do any jugaad type of repair on it.

Not a nice coincidence. Hope your problems are solved soon and for good!

Originally Posted by Prash

Would you be able to please share the cost that they took to service the starter motor.

It was just shown as a labour charge of Rs. 708, not too sure of the process they followed.

[fordfreak]

Update:-

Another issue seems to have sprung up over the last weekend. The engine started rattling like a tractor's engine all of a sudden. Diesel engines do have a characteristic clatter, but this was way more than what is considered to be normal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b-Q...ature=youtu.be

The problem randomly occurred without any warning. At that point the car had been driven about 9 - 10 KMs from a cold start, before this happened. The noise started while the car was waiting (idling) at a traffic signal. Even after the issue cropped up, the car seemed to drive fine and there were no warning lights or indications towards anything being wrong. Upon revving the engine slightly, the noise went away but came back again when the accelerator was let go. I have tried to record it the best I could (see the video above).

The problem went away as suddenly it had appeared. While checking under the bonnet, my driver pressed on the circled part (refer to image - I'm guessing it is a sensor or something in the air intake). He claims it clicked into place when he pressed on it gently and then when we cranked the vehicle again, the noise had vanished. All this happened in front of me.

However, the car still seems to sound a little rougher than normal. I don't know if it's just me imagining things after this experience or is the problem actually there.

There are no warning lights or any sort of indication that there is something wrong with the car. The car had been serviced in December (2017), so there is no question of a service being overdue. No smoke from the exhaust, no oil leaks anywhere, oil level was also found to be fine.

Would really appreciate some pointers about what is this all about. Also, anyone ever faced something like this?

Following up from my previous posts, the starting problems have been solved to an extent but it does occasionally occur. I'm guessing that the starter motor will have to be replaced eventually.

[driven646]

Could be the 'flywheel' in the gearbox, I had a rattle issue crop up in my 2011 Passat just post the 6th Annual service, it had done 69K.

At start up in the morning, there was a not very loud but distinct 'khat khat' sound that would then disappear upon revving the Engine - I sent the car to the Authorised Service but it didn't come up again & the service head asked to make a video when it did.

Two days later, the sound came back & I sent a video to the service head - he told me the Flywheel needs to be replaced at Rs 70,000 cost inclusive of labour.

Anyway, i got the replacement done by a team of trusted Ex VW mechanics in Chandigarh who've opened their own workshop at exactly half the cost quoted by the Authorised Service guys.

Since the Car is more than six years old & out of warranty I wasn't keen to spend so much.

The mechanic did tell me that unless the Flywheel was replaced, the rattling sound would progressively get louder and louder.

It's been 2 weeks now & the Car is running smoothly as before - first & only issue I've had crop up in the 6 years plus I've owned the Passat.

[fordfreak]

Originally Posted by driven646

Could be the 'flywheel' in the gearbox.

The Flywheel has been identified as one of the offending parts. My car has just a little under 50K on the ODO and I've had plenty of issues on my car (as is evident in my thread). Planning to get the critical jobs done and ignore the unnecessary work for now.

Update:-

The car has been at the workshop since Thursday. A couple of days was spent diagnosing and attempting to fix the issue. They called my driver for a test drive on Saturday to check the car after they had done some work on it. I had been told up till that point, that there are no charges for the work. Unfortunately whatever they had done, hadn't solved the issue and the noise was still there.

The SA had told me after the initial diagnosis that there were noises coming from a number of areas - Engine, Suspension and AC.

The engine was obviously not functioning normally. I know that the suspension has a very very minor rattle (it's never been changed in almost 50K of running), but this isn't close to requiring any repair. But I was confused about the AC. The AC works perfectly and I remember getting some work done on it earlier to fix a cooling issue.

The SA looked into the car again after the test drive with my driver and sent me the following estimate:-

• AC Compressor - Rs. 64,300
• AC Drier - Rs. 5,038
• Alternator - Rs. 35,000
• Flywheel - Rs. 65,000
• Front Suspension Lower Arms (both) - Rs. 28,000
• Labour (will change depending on what work is carried out) - Rs. 19,000
• +Taxes

I am getting the Flywheel & AC Compressor changed for now on the advice of the SA. I have been told the Compressor is in bad shape and will fail soon (it had been serviced sometime in 2016). The other items will not be changed. I will see how the car behaves when I get it back and take a call on the other jobs if required.

I have already been informed that out of all the parts listed above, only the suspension parts are in stock. I guess I'm faced with a wait for a week to ten days atleast before the car is back on the road again.

[driven646]

Wow - just Wow, so you're looking at 2.16L worth of Repair work in total...

That's just unreal - besides the Flywheel replacement all I've spent on my Passat has been for the Annual Services and to change the brake pads.

I've really enjoyed my Passsat and was contemplating upgrading to the new Passat sometime this year - but your experience really scares me.

[jalajprakash]

Originally Posted by fordfreak

The SA had told me after the initial diagnosis that there were noises coming from a number of areas - Engine, Suspension and AC.

The SA looked into the car again after the test drive with my driver and sent me the following estimate:-

• AC Compressor - Rs. 64,300
• AC Drier - Rs. 5,038
• Alternator - Rs. 35,000
• Flywheel - Rs. 65,000
• Front Suspension Lower Arms (both) - Rs. 28,000
• Labour (will change depending on what work is carried out) - Rs. 19,000
• +Taxes

Seems like a classic case of "Now that his warranty is over, let's tell him that everything is wrong with his car". Would suggest you to get an FNG to take a look at your car and determine what is wrong. The dealership seems to be out to fleece you.

[baskar]

Originally Posted by fordfreak

The Flywheel has been identified as one of the offending parts. My car has just a little under 50K on the ODO and I've had plenty of issues on my car (as is evident in my thread). Planning to get the critical jobs done and ignore the unnecessary work for now.

Update:-

The car has been at the workshop since Thursday. A couple of days was spent diagnosing and attempting to fix the issue. They called my driver for a test drive on Saturday to check the car after they had done some work on it. I had been told up till that point, that there are no charges for the work. Unfortunately whatever they had done, hadn't solved the issue and the noise was still there.

The SA had told me after the initial diagnosis that there were noises coming from a number of areas - Engine, Suspension and AC.

The engine was obviously not functioning normally. I know that the suspension has a very very minor rattle (it's never been changed in almost 50K of running), but this isn't close to requiring any repair. But I was confused about the AC. The AC works perfectly and I remember getting some work done on it earlier to fix a cooling issue.

The SA looked into the car again after the test drive with my driver and sent me the following estimate:-

• AC Compressor - Rs. 64,300
• AC Drier - Rs. 5,038
• Alternator - Rs. 35,000
• Flywheel - Rs. 65,000
• Front Suspension Lower Arms (both) - Rs. 28,000
• Labour (will change depending on what work is carried out) - Rs. 19,000
• +Taxes

I am getting the Flywheel & AC Compressor changed for now on the advice of the SA. I have been told the Compressor is in bad shape and will fail soon (it had been serviced sometime in 2016). The other items will not be changed. I will see how the car behaves when I get it back and take a call on the other jobs if required.

I have already been informed that out of all the parts listed above, only the suspension parts are in stock. I guess I'm faced with a wait for a week to ten days atleast before the car is back on the road again.

That is a lot of money to shell out for 6 year old car. For my car, A/c Blower and front suspension lower arm (both ends) have been replaced. Price similar to what you mentioned. Do you need to replace the A/c compressor if it is working fine? I understand flywheel may need to be replaced. I am hoping mine will last for some more time. I replaced the reverse camera module and it is working ok now.

Definitely my next car is not going to be a Passat. while it is great to drive, beyond a point, it gets scary to own and enjoy. The only good thing is that whatever parts that are replaced are good and they seem to be made with the same build quality. good luck with your repairs.

[fordfreak]

Originally Posted by driven646

Wow - just Wow, so you're looking at 2.16L worth of Repair work in total. That's just unreal - besides the Flywheel replacement all I've spent on my Passat has been for the Annual Services and to change the brake pads. I've really enjoyed my Passsat and was contemplating upgrading to the new Passat sometime this year - but your experience really scares me.

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love my Passat. My main complaints are about the patchy reliability and inconsistent service experiences with the authorized dealer. It just hasn't matched up to the Japs (Toyota and Honda) in my garage, on the reliability and service front. Apart from the normal wear & tear items + services, I have had a lot done to my car as is evident in this thread.

I love the new Passat and will be test driving it as well. But I am very very anxious about dealing with similar issues again. On the other hand, I'm not sure of what to buy as a replacement.

Originally Posted by jalajprakash

Would suggest you to get an FNG to take a look at your car and determine what is wrong. The dealership seems to be out to fleece you.

I'm a little nervous about taking a complicated car like the Passat to an FNG. Plus they don't give any guarantee on their repairs. Yes, authorized workshops are WAY more expensive, but I can pull them up if the job done is not up to the mark and VW gives a 2 year warranty on the replaced parts.

Originally Posted by baskar

That is a lot of money to shell out for 6 year old car. Definitely my next car is not going to be a Passat. while it is great to drive, beyond a point, it gets scary to own and enjoy. The only good thing is that whatever parts that are replaced are good and they seem to be made with the same build quality.

I am considering selling my Passat at the moment. Even though it is 6 years old, it's not run much (got 49,750 on the ODO currently) compared to my other cars. However, I'm not sure what to replace it with? Camry Hybrid and Accord don't make sense at their price point. We don't like the Skoda Superb. C-Class/3-Series/A4 are more expensive and not as spacious. Only alternative is another Passat (which I really like), but I am very nervous about dealing with the patch reliability and service again. The good thing about the new parts is that they come with a 2 year warranty.


Update:-

Got the car back on the 24th of February (bit more than 3 weeks off the road). After many phone calls and pressuring, they gave us a courtesy car (diesel Vento Comfortline) to use on the 17th of February. This greatly reduced our inconvenience for the remaining time my car was off the road.

When my driver went to receive the car, the handover was anything but perfect. All the engine noise had been sorted out. But, he found the headlamp washer bottle to be leaking water and the TPMS + Traction Control light to be glowing in the instrument cluster.

I don't know what checks are carried out before delivery, but I fail to understand how they don't bother noting and investigating such issues which were not there when the car was given to them! I was furious at them for wasting my driver's time and making him wait despite telling me that the car was ready for delivery.

The SA looked into these issues again and finally returned the car after multiple attempted fixes and test drives. My driver spent a little over 2 hours at the workshop going back and forth with me over the phone about the problems.

To cut a long story short, some clip seems to have been broken that is causing the washer bottle to leak. The SA has promised to rectify the problem FOC once the parts arrive after 5 - 7 days. Before returning the car, they did something to make the warning lights go away. Happy with the result, my driver collected the car and returned home. Total charges for all the work carried out was approximately Rs. 1,43,000 (parts + labour + taxes).

The car now sounds and drives like normal. Unfortunately, the Traction Control light is back on again and so is the TPMS. I couldn't do anything by pushing the Traction-Control button as well. The Auto-Hold function doesn't seem to be responding as well.

As for the TPMS, I will have the tyre pressures checked tomorrow morning and reset the system. Hopefully that should solve that.

Got a feedback call from the service center and told her about these issues. I have been asked to send the car back again after Holi to have these checked. Told her I would like these issues to be addressed when I send the car back for the washer-bottle repair.

One issue that I forgot to tell them to look into, was the electric hand brake. Every time I engage the hand brake, there is a loud squeak from the rear-right wheel. Nothing abnormal happens while dis-engaging it. Hopefully it isn't anything serious. Let's wait and see what happens during my next workshop visit.

P.S. - Will be keeping an eye out to see if the starting problem resurfaces. Nothing so far.

[lamborghini]

This patchy reliability & poor service attitude is what's keeping us away from Audi as well - our A6 having faced several issues over the last 6 years and 40Kkm.
Whilst not as severe as the issues your car has been facing, we have had problems where new problems cropped up very close to when the car was returned from service (like a suspension noise cropping up within a week from when the car was returned - probably earlier too (as in just after delivery from workshop) but don't want to commit to it as the car wasn't used a lot during the period - less than 100kms).
That coupled with long wait times to get an appointment makes it a process to get the car repaired unlike other Japs and even BMWs.
Same story for Skoda (though now improved) where I had to send the car to the shop 3 times to get a bulb changed!

Since you're looking for an upgrade - one word comes to mind: BMW!

Honestly our E60 525D was the most trouble free German we've owned, and I've seen lots of friends also clock miles on their BMWs without any trouble.
Part of the reason I was comfortable picking up a pre-owned 2012 F30 328i over a new vRS.

If this isn't an option - try finding an independent mechanic who will solve the problems at a fraction of the cost.

[jalajprakash]

Originally Posted by fordfreak

I'm a little nervous about taking a complicated car like the Passat to an FNG. Plus they don't give any guarantee on their repairs. Yes, authorized workshops are WAY more expensive, but I can pull them up if the job done is not up to the mark and VW gives a 2 year warranty on the replaced parts.

Guarantee of quality depends on the FNG. My FNG here in Noida, stands by his work and will replace parts if there is a fault. I got a new Charcoal filter installed with him recently since I constantly kept getting a CEL for Charcoal filter. (known problem in Skoda TSI, does not affect the running of the car whatsoever), after that for some reason even the new part, which he took out of the box in front of me, threw a CEL, he readily replaced the part with yet another unit and I haven't faced any problems since.

Skoda quoted me some 15k INR for the full replacement including labor, my FNG initially quoted me 7.5k but then at the day of installation, told me that it only cost him 3.5k so that is what he will charge me (plus labor).

You just need to take a good look around and find a reliable FNG.

[rpunwani]

Originally Posted by fordfreak

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love my Passat. My main complaints are about the patchy reliability and inconsistent service experiences with the authorized dealer. It just hasn't matched up to the Japs (Toyota and Honda) in my garage, on the reliability and service front. Apart from the normal wear & tear items + services, I have had a lot done to my car as is evident in this thread.

P.S. - Will be keeping an eye out to see if the starting problem resurfaces. Nothing so far.

Your current issue with the car is due to a faulty ABS sensor. Please have this checked !

[fordfreak]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

This patchy reliability & poor service attitude is what's keeping us away from Audi as well - our A6 having faced several issues over the last 6 years and 40Kkm. Since you're looking for an upgrade - one word comes to mind: BMW!

I love the Passat, but the regular issues and inconsistent service experiences have really put me off. Yes, I am looking for something new now and I love BMW's. But the BMW dealer in my city is the same as VW, and I haven't heard the greatest things about their (BMW) after-sales service in Kolkata. I'm still considering the options I have to choose from. Let's see where this goes.

Originally Posted by jalajprakash

You just need to take a good look around and find a reliable FNG.

This is something I will start doing in future. Let's hope I'm able to find a good one. Never really sent any of my car's to an FNG, other than for bodywork.

Originally Posted by rpunwani

Your current issue with the car is due to a faulty ABS sensor. Please have this checked !

Seems like it, but the problem has vanished on it's own. Must be the ABS sensor on it's way out.....again!

Update (50,000 KM's):-

So a few things have happened since my last update. I had mentioned that the car was returned with a couple of additional issues, which the SA had promised to rectify. Apart from these issues, I ended up finding one more thing wrong when I drove the car personally about 2-3 days after getting it back.

The car was pulling severely to the left, something my driver missed while taking the car back. I'm surprised that they did not even bother checking the alignment (since they had to have taken apart the front suspension to change the flywheel). Got these sorted (the ABS error lights didn't show up during my visit) after sending the car back to the service center yesterday (14th March). Not bothering to comment on the experience this time, but it wasn't the greatest.

Anyhow, now the car is mostly a 100% healthy. Amidst all these issues, I forgot to mention that I crossed the 50K milestone on the ODO. It has been a really eventful 50,000 KMs to put it mildly! Had plenty of highs and lows with my Passat and have thoroughly enjoyed the car when it has run fine. The inconsistent service experience and regular niggle have definitely left a very bad taste though.

Looking at the pattern of issues, age of the car, the headache of dealing with inconsistent service, etc., we have decided that it is time to let our Passat go to a new home.

Despite all the issues faced over the years, I still love the car very very much. I can never forget the time when my Dad & driver walked out without a scratch when they got rear-ended by a truck. Also, the Passat was the car that brought me and my wife home after our wedding. During the course of my ownership, I have met and spoken with some fantastic people at the dealership/service center as well (though there have been plenty of incompetent ones as well).

I am thankful for all the good times I have had with the car and will always look back fondly at them. For now though, it's time to bid goodbye to my beloved beast.

I will soon start looking for buyers and a replacement for the Passat. A bitter-sweet moment really, as I am excited for something new but going to miss the Passat a LOT!

[Prash]

Originally Posted by driven646

Anyway, i got the replacement done by a team of trusted Ex VW mechanics in Chandigarh who've opened their own workshop at exactly half the cost quoted by the Authorised Service guys.

Dear driven646,

I am facing a same problem and I need your help. Is there any way i can spea to you over the phone? I have dropped 2 messages but guess you have not checked your inbox on this site.

My numbers are provided, kindly pass me yours as well please.

Regards
Prashant

[Prash]

Originally Posted by fordfreak

I am getting the Flywheel & AC Compressor changed for now on the advice of the SA.

Dear fordfreak,

It seems i will also need a flywheel change in my Passat. But I am surely not going it through the authorized workshop.

Hence i need your help. If you could provide me with part number of flywheel mentioned on invoice provided to you, any make mark (company name) on your old flywheel and any more details if you can help me out with please.

Thank you

[fordfreak]

Originally Posted by Prash

Dear fordfreak,

It seems i will also need a flywheel change in my Passat. But I am surely not going it through the authorized workshop.

Hence i need your help. If you could provide me with part number of flywheel mentioned on invoice provided to you, any make mark (company name) on your old flywheel and any more details if you can help me out with please.

Thank you

Hi Prashant,

The part code for the flywheel is '03L105266DF' as per my invoice. The cost is Rs. 56,203.99, including taxes. I will check if any brand is mentioned on the old flywheel and get back to you (unless my driver has already gotten rid of it).

Cheers!