Engine mounting failed - advise please? (UPDATE)

[LouCyffer]

Interesting that the service manager was so adamant that the bolts weren't loosened/removed when you first spoke to him. So is he:

1. trying to cover up?
2. ignorant of workshop proceedures?

Either way I'd think twice about patronising him again. Good job you stuck to your guns on this one. I feel that without forum input, it's likely that they would have wriggled out of any blame at all.

Great to hear it's getting sorted though. Must be a huge relief for you

[david25]

This might total rubbish, but I remember reading (somewhere on the Internet) cambelt changes on
the early AXX engine were difficult, this was made better on the later BWA engines.

What engine do you have?

Edit, I see you have an 07, so have the later BWA engine.

This is the post about AXX engines, http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=14588.0

[barlimow]

Interesting that the service manager was so adamant that the bolts weren't loosened/removed when you first spoke to him. So is he:

1. trying to cover up?
2. ignorant of workshop proceedures?

Either way I'd think twice about patronising him again.

I know, I did wonder why he said that. Said he subsequently spoke to the Master Tech and was told differently.

Difficult one about going there again... I paid for a 2-yr service plan 

[LouCyffer]

Interesting that the service manager was so adamant that the bolts weren't loosened/removed when you first spoke to him. So is he:

1. trying to cover up?
2. ignorant of workshop proceedures?

Either way I'd think twice about patronising him again.

I know, I did wonder why he said that. Said he subsequently spoke to the Master Tech and was told differently.

Difficult one about going there again... I paid for a 2-yr service plan 

Well, I think that you should ask to have a little one to one chat with the service manager & explain to him that you are going to have a serious confidence issue with him & his staff. Planting this seed in his mind should ensure that you get someone who's paranoid about the state of any work done. Worked for me a long time ago...

Given the consequences of this error, I think that you would be within your rights to ask the dealer to refund your service plan, invoice you for any work they carried out, and you'll be free. However I'd use this incident to your advantage by explaining how thin the ice under the service staff is. That way you should be good as they'll break into a sweat when they see you arrive for your next service....

[Eccie]

Is the service plan with VW? in which case you can go to any dealer.

That said, it maybe in your interest to use that dealer for the next service, just in case you have any associated problems that develop down the line

[barlimow]

Not sure how to play it to be honest re future servicing - my confidence is knocked in them (but dealing with it well now, albeit after the event), but at the same time I think it would be useful to use them again, as they can sort out any other problems that are consequential (god forbid) next time. And they owe me good service!

Plan isn't with VW, it's with the dealership chain. (all they "owe" me now on it is an MoT and a minor service... what can possibly go wrong?.... )

Is the service plan with VW? in which case you can go to any dealer.

That said, it maybe in your interest to use that dealer for the next service, just in case you have any associated problems that develop down the line

Well, I think that you should ask to have a little one to one chat with the service manager & explain to him that you are going to have a serious confidence issue with him & his staff. Planting this seed in his mind should ensure that you get someone who's paranoid about the state of any work done. Worked for me a long time ago...

Given the consequences of this error, I think that you would be within your rights to ask the dealer to refund your service plan, invoice you for any work they carried out, and you'll be free. However I'd use this incident to your advantage by explaining how thin the ice under the service staff is. That way you should be good as they'll break into a sweat when they see you arrive for your next service....

[Saint Steve]

So has he actually said what went wrong? or what failed? and why has he replaced everything required F.O.C if he says he's going too? but not admitting liability..

At least then it might give you peace of mind if it was Product failure or like we thought VW Tech error.

Great result though..

[barlimow]

So has he actually said what went wrong? or what failed? and why has he replaced everything required F.O.C if he says he's going too? but not admitting liability..

He said that 2 bolts had sheared off (sheared was his phrase). And that the state of them was such that they could not determine whether they were faulty or just not secured properly. So it's either a product fault (warranty) or tech error (dealer fault), so they need to sort regardless.

I will try to get to the bottom of it when we next speak, but don't think I'll get a lot more than that. They're not NOT admitting liability, he just hasn't said the words "it's our fault".

Overall much happier than I was last night though 

[Saint Steve]

So has he actually said what went wrong? or what failed? and why has he replaced everything required F.O.C if he says he's going too? but not admitting liability..

He said that 2 bolts had sheared off (sheared was his phrase). And that the state of them was such that they could not determine whether they were faulty or just not secured properly. So it's either a product fault (warranty) or tech error (dealer fault), so they need to sort regardless.

I will try to get to the bottom of it when we next speak, but don't think I'll get a lot more than that. They're not NOT admitting liability, he just hasn't said the words "it's our fault".

Overall much happier than I was last night though 

Great result!

[QD MBE]

So has he actually said what went wrong? or what failed? and why has he replaced everything required F.O.C if he says he's going too? but not admitting liability..

He said that 2 bolts had sheared off (sheared was his phrase). And that the state of them was such that they could not determine whether they were faulty or just not secured properly. So it's either a product fault (warranty) or tech error (dealer fault), so they need to sort regardless.

I will try to get to the bottom of it when we next speak, but don't think I'll get a lot more than that. They're not NOT admitting liability, he just hasn't said the words "it's our fault".

Overall much happier than I was last night though  

I am assuming all is sorted now?  Did they ever say why the bolts sheared?  

[Saint Steve]

So has he actually said what went wrong? or what failed? and why has he replaced everything required F.O.C if he says he's going too? but not admitting liability..

He said that 2 bolts had sheared off (sheared was his phrase). And that the state of them was such that they could not determine whether they were faulty or just not secured properly. So it's either a product fault (warranty) or tech error (dealer fault), so they need to sort regardless.

I will try to get to the bottom of it when we next speak, but don't think I'll get a lot more than that. They're not NOT admitting liability, he just hasn't said the words "it's our fault".

Overall much happier than I was last night though  

He has said dave 

[QD MBE]

So has he actually said what went wrong? or what failed? and why has he replaced everything required F.O.C if he says he's going too? but not admitting liability..

He said that 2 bolts had sheared off (sheared was his phrase). And that the state of them was such that they could not determine whether they were faulty or just not secured properly. So it's either a product fault (warranty) or tech error (dealer fault), so they need to sort regardless.

I will try to get to the bottom of it when we next speak, but don't think I'll get a lot more than that. They're not NOT admitting liability, he just hasn't said the words "it's our fault".

Overall much happier than I was last night though  

He has said dave  

Sighing.........

He has not said Steve.  Terms like 'I will try to get to the bottom of it', to me means that he had not been given full explanation at that time.  At the time of his post above I believe his car was still in VW getting sorted, which I assume he would have collected by now,  and had a face to face with the Service manager.  

The info would be useful to know, as a lot of the MK5's are now coming up to Cambelt changes at 80K, or indeed at 4 years - especially the Ed30's, so as much info on this occurrence is useful to the forum.

So call me old fashioned he has not said, I would like to find out why, just so the forum can benefit.

also if failure mode was shear, and not them being loose, then it backs up VW's instruction to Renew after use.

 

[56OctyVRS]

Glad you got this sorted

My bet is that the bolts werent torqued down rather than faulty bolts.  Either way I am impressed that they are fitting a new cambelt free of charge, which didnt really need doing as that hadnt failed. They are fitting a new engine mount and doing checks on the engine to make sure that there is nothing else a foot.  Id be quite happy at that as they have gone above and beyond what they actually needed to do to rectify the problem.  I wouldnt worry about the minor service as they only really change the oil and perhaps the air filter if needed, so not mich can go wrong with that.  They have realised the mistake is theirs and not many dealers would be quite so customer friendly and most would shy away and say it wasnt their fault.  Good result all round

[barlimow]

Sorry folks, been away this weekend...update is...

Car is back    And feels good as new (but maybe that's in comparison to driving a Passat 2.0 diesel!).

Anyway, they dropped a courtesy car (the Passat) at my house on the Monday, and during the week fitted new mounts (both sides, at my request), new cambelt, offside cambelt cover (apparantly), did whatever they do (compression tests etc) to confirm all working OK, and delivered back to me on Thursday.

No, I never did get a "better" answer than "the bolts sheared off", as they said they were too damaged to determine the cause (they said they could have been faulty, or not secured properly). I wasn't there when they looked at it (I had to drop the car off on the Bank Hol weekend, and then I was 20 miles away at work on the first working day afterwards (Tues)), so couldn't examine them myself, and they dropped the car back for me as well.

The service manager said he will send me a photocopy of the internal recharge invoice (not sure to whom?) that details what was changed etc, and presumably (?) will say why they had to incur said cost. I will chase if I don't get this.

So overall, of course I'm not happy that it happened (obviously). But I do think they dealt with it well (so they should, some might say), and can't fault them for doing the work with no quibble, keeping me informed, getting me a courtesy car etc. And they also did a small amount (£30 worth) of additional work that was totally unrelated and didn't charge me.

[Hedge]

Overall sounds like a result to me.