High Level Brake light update....Should be warranty Main Dealer says otherwise

[GTISPEC]

Hi Guys....Just  thought I'd post a topic about my recent dealings with my local VW dealer and the dreaded high level brake light problem....

Took my car to get serviced a couple of weeks back and at the end of the service they said the high level brake light was 'in op' (all LED's had gone completely) and under possible warranty....(i had about 3 weeks to run on my warranty).

As it still had warranty i booked it for them to do a week later....i got a phone call at the end of the day from the workshop manager, he told me they had stopped work on it/ hadn't started work on it as they found a bit of spray paint residue on the back windscreen and he suspects the spoiler and brake light had been tampered with, and there was water and moisture in the light...i brought the car second so i couldn't confirm either way..but i still suspected it was bull sh*t and after all how could i prove that its not warrantied once cut of in the bodyshop??.... so i decided not to go ahead with it as he couldn't confirm how much it would cost me if if turns out it wasn't warrantied..basically writing himself a 'blank cheque'

after this i went on this forum and have read about all the problems with the high level brake light and the crap procedure of 'cutting' and 'cheese wiring' the spoiler off etc, all the read numerous threads about water getting in the light....and how a couple of people have done it themselves.....basically a damn awfull design by VW!

Anyway, i got in touch with the previous owner and she told me that she put a bike rack on upside down and scratched the boot..so it had been touch up and thats were the spay must have come from! and she said its nver been messed with or changed etc...i say to myself 'great news'..definitely covered under warranty!...i book the car certain it hasn't been messed with....although a bit worried with all the comments ive read on here

So yesterday, it went in to VW to get done.....i got a phone call from them saying its not covered under warranty as its been took off before and when re tightened its cracks the seal and then then water got in.....now i knew this was absolute rubbish as I've read how many people this has happened to!(again how can i prove it, there word against mine)..anyway they tell me it will cost me £178 plus Vat (half than what i read on a different thread to be fair)....obviously i had to pay it to get me car back...handed the credit card over with disgust and got out of there....although i must say they seem to have done a good job...but hey its still should have been done for free


So basically i am thinking about writing a very stern letter to VW UK, about this and how peed off about paying over £200  when it is covered under warranty!...(no matter what those robbing bast**ds at the dealers say), even if they don't do anything for me at least my mind is at rest as it has proper greaved me!...Ive been MK5 GTI owner for almost a year now...loved every minute except for my recent time at the main dealers!

Has anyone tried writing letters to VW UK before? got any money back etc?...or just a heartfelt apology?.


(Sorry for the long thread, but had to tell the whole story)

P.S its Stafford Volkswagen

[edd666999]

my car was in last month for the brake light, told me yep covered by warranty but you have to go to a different dealer, off i trot to another dealer a little annoyed that im doing the leg work, they said yep covered under warranty, they would call me back. They didn't.

i chased it up 2days go, got a call today telling me that its not covered under warranty.

Im going in tomorrow and god help who ever asks if they can help me.

[vRSAlex]

What I dont get with warranty work is that the dealer will get paid by VW for doing the work so it doesnt cost the dealer.  Even if there was a little bit of paint near the light, its still worth their while doing the work under warranty.   

With all the evidence showing a poor design i think you should be able to get your money back.

[no golf clubs at all]

What I dont get with warranty work is that the dealer will get paid by VW for doing the work so it doesnt cost the dealer.  Even if there was a little bit of paint near the light, its still worth their while doing the work under warranty.   

With all the evidence showing a poor design i think you should be able to get your money back.

That is my Daily Mail view of the world too..(sorry no offence intended...it's my view too!!!)...however I think that they have to provide the duff parts or something and most likely are measured against the number of warranty claims nationally or something. I'd love someone with an insight into the whacky world of warranties to educate us all....

[stealthwolf]

There's a guide on here somewhere that makes changing the rear light so easy that I'm gonna have a bash when all of my tailgate brake lights have gone. Think it was £40 for the light unit - much cheaper than getting the stealer to do it and you don't need to remove the spoiler.

[GTISPEC]

yer i was tempted to have a bash at it myself......but with the added info from the previous owner i took my chance's with the dealer. just glad it wasnt £400 like ive seen someone quoted on here!

I could have got the part from Midland VW for about £32/£34... i originally asked the to try and do it....but they didnt want to mess anything up by doing it the 'wrong' way

Not too keen about the whole cutting off the spoiler scenario but it looks fine and seem to have done a good job. fingers crossed

[cmdrfire]

Mine's been out for awhile. I need to swap it soonish as I've got an MOT in January which it will fail unless it's swapped. Don't really want to cut the spoiler off and fit a new one. Will do the "breakout" replacement instead.

One thought is drilling a small hole in the replacement module to allow water to drain out, as it's clear it doesn't work very well as a sealed unit!

[Moschops]

The dealership principal for Stafford VW is Jon Mills, very nice and extremely helpfull chap. 

You make have to contact him via the Stoke branch 01782-337900  explain the problem to him in a pleasant and calm manner and I'm sure Jon will be able to assist you.

[B3n]

Mine's been out for awhile. I need to swap it soonish as I've got an MOT in January which it will fail unless it's swapped. Don't really want to cut the spoiler off and fit a new one. Will do the "breakout" replacement instead.

One thought is drilling a small hole in the replacement module to allow water to drain out, as it's clear it doesn't work very well as a sealed unit!

Your car shouldnt fail its MOT if the light is out!!!! As it isnt a brake light its a reflector Thats what I was told to tell the MOT tester who failed my car and he passed it. Apparently as you can not see a wire going directly into the light unit there is no proof it is a brake light or just stick a piece of electrical tape over the light Bobs your uncle Fannys your aunt no more rear brake light

But still I had my rear brake light changed by my local dealer all for the grand total of £34 and a few beers for the technician who done it. He done it with out removing the rear spoiler.

But imo the rear light wouldnt be covered under warranty anyway they are bulbs so are classed as a consumable item.

Ben

[cmdrfire]

Hmn, I thought if a car was manufactured after a certain year they were required to have a third brake light and be tested as such on the MOT?

About the consumable thing, the rear light doesn't contain bulbs, it contains LEDs which are meant to last the life of the vehicle (which is why the third brakelight is a supposedly sealed unit).

[edd666999]

Went and had a rant today. I'm getting it done under my extended warranty