[balenoed_]

Posting this on behalf of my friend who is going through a hardship in fixing a problem with his Vento.

The issue is with Air Bag warning!



The Air Bag warning light keeps glowing on the console panel even after the service centre "fixed" it multiple times. It seems like the service center is not able to identify the root cause of why the warning comes up. At every visit, they reset the error code, and after he takes the car back and drive around for few kilometers the warning comes up again. It has been almost 9 months that he has been running around with this problem and numerous visit to the service centers with absolutely no luck.

Off late the car was in service center for 18 days for diagnosis and they gave back the car saying it is rectified. But the issue re-appeared the next day after driving for few kms. Escalating the matter to higher ups and through various forums (twitter, FB page, emails) is not helping either. He is having a harrowing experience with the customer support with no prompt or proper response.

Lately, I tried to get the error code from him, but he is being told by the service center that the systems are down now due to some virus attack and they do not have the error code handy.

The service center is Elite Volkswagen- Bangalore.

Any directions on what is going on with the car or any other leads much appreciated.

[Turbohead]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

The service center is Elite Volkswagen- Bangalore.

Any directions on what is going on with the car or any other leads much appreciated.

It will be nice if your friend can try another service station, if he hasn't, like VW Palace cross, which has a great reputation in this forum. We had a similar issue in an i20 and they changed some spring type of mechanism.

Airbag systems wouldn't vary much between manufacturers and it may not hurt to try your luck at a reputed FNG who specialises in Germans.

[Crank]

Originally Posted by Crank

After a long drive to the hills and back (1300 kms), today morning, I saw some amount of engine oil under the hood, especially around the intercooler hose/pipe. When the mechanic opened the pipe, little bit of oil dropped (say 5 ml). Is this normal or I need to worry? I do not see any performance loss and the smoke from the exhaust is normal. Mechanic advised to wait for a week and check oil level and if it goes down drastically, we may conclude that the turbo charger needs a change/overhaul. Have you encountered this problem?

Originally Posted by Crank

I checked the oil today morning it is at normal levels, confirming no more bleeding of oil. However haven't driven hard in the last few days as it was just regular commute to office.

I did drive a bit hard last week and checked the oil. It is still fine. Any idea why oil would have leaked in the first place? Or is it normal?

[Crank]

Apologies for the back to back post. As I am not getting a response, I am writing again and again. :-(


After another 200 kms run, I do see some oil in the inter-cooler pipe/hose. probably 5/10ml. Oil level has not decreased anything noticeable though.


Need your help to tell me whether this is normal or something wrong with the turbo.

[arun_747]

Hi Crank,

Looks like the issue with Your car must be investigated thoroughly as any sort of oil leak cannot be ignored. So, request You to consult a mechanic from another authorized service centre as soon as possible.

Regards,
Arun

[Crank]

Originally Posted by arun_747

Hi Crank,

Looks like the issue with Your car must be investigated thoroughly as any sort of oil leak cannot be ignored. So, request You to consult a mechanic from another authorized service centre as soon as possible.

Regards,
Arun

I had consulted a mechanic who claims that the turbo is kaput as stated in my post.

Originally Posted by Crank

Mechanic advised to wait for a week and check oil level and if it goes down drastically, we may conclude that the turbo charger needs a change/overhaul. Have you encountered this problem?

Hence asking in this forum, is that true and any of the members had the same issue.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Crank

After a long drive to the hills and back (1300 kms), today morning, I saw some amount of engine oil under the hood, especially around the intercooler hose/pipe. When the mechanic opened the pipe, little bit of oil dropped (say 5 ml). Is this normal or I need to worry?

Originally Posted by Crank

I checked the oil today morning it is at normal levels, confirming no more bleeding of oil. However haven't driven hard in the last few days as it was just regular commute to office.

Originally Posted by Crank

After another 200 kms run, I do see some oil in the inter-cooler pipe/hose. probably 5/10ml. Oil level has not decreased anything noticeable though.

5-10ml oil is okay. Just keep a check on the oil levels regularly. If it reducing at a drastic rate then you'll need to investigate deeper.

Oil (slight quantity) will be seen at the turbo plumbing and intercooler plumbing. Nothing to worry. I think some oil comes into through the PCV (correct me if I'm wrong!). If you have doubts, get the intercooler cleaned once.

Oil at the base of the intercooler


Oil collected in a 1L water bottle. 10-15ml or more may be was obtained when I had done a intercooler cleaning DIY on my Swift ZDi that had run 70K kms


Since you have got doubts on the turbo health, is there a difference in driveability?

Do you have a OBD reader? If yes, check boost values. If they are in the optimum range, your turbo is fine.

[Crank]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Since you have got doubts on the turbo health, is there a difference in driveability?

Do you have a OBD reader? If yes, check boost values. If they are in the optimum range, your turbo is fine.

Thanks a ton for detailed reply with pics.

There is no difference in the driveability. Its absolutely fine. I do not have an OBD reader. Probably I'll check with the mechanic. BTW, what is the optimum range?

[Col Mehta]

Drove our Vento (petrol Highline) for a long drive - New Delhi to Dehradun/Mussoorie. And let me say this clearly - it's not a TSI but everytime I slammed the A pedal, it brought a wide grin on my face. Yes, it isn't as exciting as other powerful motors but isn't a dull machine either. It was a absolute pleasure to drive a fast manual petrol car in GT Karnal road. God knows how many times we crossed legal speed limit (90 KMPH) without even realising it - wouldn't recommend it to anyone though.

To be honest, I had stopped using Vento ever since we got Creta diesel SX AT. The sheer comfort it offers in city traffic conditions is unmatched. Now my brother in-law has borrowed Creta for a few days time (his Audi Q3 has been munching snacks in service station for some repair work) and since I had to visit our hometown in Dehradun, I decided to take Vento for a spin. And during this highway trip, this car made me realise why we bought it in the first place - for its space and comfort, mature ride quality and that responsive petrol manual motor. The car was packed with three adults and one child with lots of luggage but never we felt the car was underpowered, not even from Dehradun to Mussoorie - known for its steep inclined roads. The car pulled effortlessly without any fuss.

Here is the thing - this car never feels dull. That's the beauty of it. Be it the engine, interiors/exteriors or how it behaves on any given driving condition. The only gripe I have is the placement of armrest just over the handbrake which is such a joke. No issues apart from this. Four + years and not even a single rattle. No squeaking noise. No tantrums. Been a unsung hero. I think I have fallen in love with this car. Again

Attaching couple of pictures -

[KANNURAN]

Its my fault entirely, but not quite.
I purchased a used Vento Tdi 2011 last month through a broker, largely on faith and without a professional scrutiny. I had done a scan though, and found the following problems:
Mass Airflow Sensor issue (Decided to attempt solving it DIY, using IsoPropylAlcohol, based on Google advise)
Turbo Boost Pressure issue (Was quite content with the pickup and decided to keep it for later)
Left Airbag Sensor issue.
==
Based on elaborate Team-BHP reading, decided to give the car a fresh lease of life and care, with a change of ALL Fluids and Filters, including flushing with Liqui Moly Engine Oil Flush and Radiator Flush. The vehicle felt and drove great in city traffic and returned 16Kpl.

==
Yesterday, I drove back to my workplace, about 400Km away, I filled a full-tank of fuel and a 500ml bottle of Liqui Moly Diesel Purge. An hour into the journey, I felt a marginal lack of pickup. But was monitoring the fuel efficiency, which was consistently over 22Kpl.
Midway through the drive, I opened the bonnet and when checking the Engine Oil, I lost my head and heart, with the orifice spewing out gray smoke. It was no-brainer, that I was headed for a serious anti-climax to the initial euphoria of owning a superbly engineered vehicle.
Again, Google to the rescue and to compound my confusion: It may be piston rings and all, but how come I finished the drive with a fuel efficiency of 22.8Kpl?
Again Google is an all-pervading presence, and all the more so, when one is in trouble. I am completely confused if it could be the PCV valve that has done me in, or the EGR going kaput or of course, the primary suspect, the piston rings.
Can I please have some advise on a rational course of action to a SUSTAINABLE and COST EFFECTIVE solution to my Vento's ailments. Thanks in advance.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by KANNURAN

Midway through the drive, I opened the bonnet and when checking the Engine Oil, I lost my head and heart, with the orifice spewing out gray smoke. It was no-brainer, that I was headed for a serious anti-climax to the initial euphoria of owning a superbly engineered vehicle. ..

Don't worry about the smoke coming out of the dipstick. It's common for most 1.6 TDI engines. Just beware of the oil consumption.

[Guite]

Originally Posted by Col Mehta

Drove our Vento (petrol Highline) for a long drive - New Delhi to Dehradun/Mussoorie. And let me say this clearly - it's not a TSI but everytime I slammed the A pedal, it brought a wide grin on my face. Yes, it isn't as exciting as other powerful motors but isn't a dull machine either. It was a absolute pleasure to drive a fast manual petrol car in GT Karnal road. God knows how many times we crossed legal speed limit (90 KMPH) without even realising it - wouldn't recommend it to anyone though.

The Vento is a very stable car indeed. It is easy to lose track of the speed if you do not look at the speedometer. At 80 kmph it feels like 60 kmph. Firewall sound damping is also so good you rarely hear the engine noise, so you do not feel the engine speed.

[anandbangalore]

I have a 2011 Vento Highline Petrol.

I have observed that after every short or long drive, the front 2 wheels get dirtied with black goo. This 'black goo' seems to be seeping out of the discs behind the wheels.

I can the wheels clean with a wet cloth, only to see it dirty again after a drive.

The problem is seen only in the front wheels and the one obvious diff between rear and front wheels is the disc brakes up front.

The SE said it might be the worn out disc brakes which, which have since been replaced & so have the discs.

But the issue with the wheels getting dirty, continues.

Any advice?

[anandbangalore]

Is there a trick to better the cooling from the Vento AirCon?

I have a 2011 Vento Petrol. On hotter days the cooling in the Vento is not half as affective as that of a much cheaper basic Maruti Alto.

We had the AC filters changed and the AirCon shaft cleaned recently as part of regular service.

For the first few days, the cooling seemed more effective, and with the AC turned to full blast I could see droplets of water forming near the vents.

But after I fiddled with the AC settings, I can't get the cooling to be as effective and I wonder if it's some setting which I need to tweak (other than reducing temp to Min of 18 and putting the blower on Full).

[srishiva]

With horrible traffic on outer ring road in the mornings my Vento TDI, 7 years old is really stressed I think. It turns off the cooling sometimes and I need to stop and engine and restart to turn AC back ON. I intend to connect my OBD device and see what the engine temperature is.