[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

3. He does have extended warranty from shaman motors but not sure if it covers engine repairs. Something called "Shaman Shield".

Doubtful that a dealer warranty covers anything but there's no harm in trying. These warranties are usually underwritten by some insurance companies.

The warranty doesn't seem to be VW extended warranty, but a cover from the dealer with its own caveats.

The largest caveat is that the car must only be serviced at Shaman outlets.

Is there something he can push to get the injectors replaced out of goodwill/warranty?

It is fully dependant on the dealer and VW themselves. Problem is they are not stopping at injectors. 3.5L will include the DPF, rail, etc.


We have cut our losses and "upgraded" to an Ertiga. I am sure it will serve us much better than the trash from VW.

[anandharamanp]

I am a highway driver majority if times and i never faced any such unreliability in ,my 4 L Santro even once. I had happily taken it on highways wiht my family the entire night between states and it was a gem.

Upon reading through all horrible experiences of VW unreliability issues like injector failure, nowadays i am very uncomfortable to give it a try during night on highways, but usually i prefer to do such long highway trips during night when:
1) the engine at optimum performance
2) there exist not traffic
so that i can spend the rest of the day with family.

Any precautionary measure through which i can make sure that i can travel safely or sail through during such standstill times?

[shibujp]

I've owned a Polo GT TDi for a little over 2 years now and done around 64K kilometers in it. As I read through the thread and moralfibre's initial post, there was so much I could relate to both positive and negative. Here are my takeaways from my experience regarding this:

• The driving experience is fantastic. There is so much more consistency in braking, acceleration and handling. The operative word here is consistency.
• The interior fit and finish is spot on. It spoils you to the extent that when you go and looks at interiors of the Asian brands you pick up things that never bothered you when you were having a ball in a Swift.
• Service is expensive. There are lot of folks who justify this by saying that it is once in 15K kms and they have spent so much for their Swift etc. But I spent around 34K for 90K kms on my Swift and for my Polo I am already past that. It costs a minimum of 8K per sevice and that is if you haggle and ensure you kick all unwanted stuff off the bill.
• Service is incompetent. Diagnosis is pathetic. Everything is "replacement". I recently went with a clanking suspension. The estimate was 30K and replacement of lower arm, link and steering rack. When home, spent my time diagnosing the problem. Swapped out the links for a pair of old ones, tightened them and that was that. Issue solved. Even if I had to purchase a pair of new links it would cost 2K tops.
• Volkwagen is least interested in customers. As a corporate VW has the most pathetic direct customer relationships. Perhaps I've been spoilt by Maruti. But the minute you ask VW Customer Service a question directly, you get offloaded to the incompetent dealer whom you wanted to by pass in the first instance. This lack of transparency is clearly shown in the piece of crap they call the service booklet. It is a piece of literature that aims to keep the customer as ignorant as possible. A far cry from the books of Hyundai and Maruti that have so much more information on what needs to be done for each service.
• Sourcing OEM spares and supplies in the open market is a difficult task. And all the above points make it abundantly clear why. Ironically it also asks the questions why not? After all this, I am sure making the spares available would at least increase their sales by a bit as it would give more flexibility to owners to use a trusted mechanic after the warranty.
• Everything else okay, an oil change(every 15K), diesel filter change (every 30K kms) and a brake service (5/10K interval) is sufficient to keep the car in great working condition. I do get a glow plug warning light every now and then, but switching the engine off for 10 seconds solves this issue.

So why did I buy it

• No, I was not conned into the purchase. Loved the GT specs the minute it was launched. Was looking for a deal and got one when VW had a 50K off on previous model years. I knew exactly what I was getting into.
• There is a reason why European brands are so popular in Europe. As per EU mandate basic service procedures, manuals etc have to be made openly available by manufacturers. This helps customers manage service costs much better. AFAIK manufacuturers have to honor warranty even if the work is done in an FNG so long as the service procedures are followed.
• Two markets, the US and India where the above rules do not apply, have the perception that European products are expensive to maintain.
• My DIY experience with the Swift gave me the confidence to take a chance with Polo. Till date this is the only reason other than performance that made me stick with the car. So far any issues have been manageable with my limited mechanical skills. Again I made sure I took the plunge with a model relatively low in the VW model range.
• My strategy has been to drive a lot during the standard warranty period. I believe that cars that hold up without any major issues for around 50K kms will be fine. So far the Polo honors this. I am out of warranty now.
• My car now gives me the confidence that it is reliable. Will I say the same for a brand new VW? No, it's difficult to have that confidence with so many issues reported in ownership logs and also given the discomfort I have with the service. No, I am not the kind of guy who believes that injector failures for a regularly serviced car is normal let alone paying for fixing it.
• There is so much material available on the internet if you are into DIY service of your car. If you have a passion for working on your car, this is a huge huge plus. There is not an single issue where you are left completely at the mercy of the service guys. In this regards, VW is better than Maruti and Hyundai though this is a benefit borne of EU regulations more than a VW strategy.

To wrap up, when people ask me about buying a VW, I tell them that the car is great but if you are a total noob about cars it's better to stay away. But if you are prepared to put in the effort of being involved it might just be a great experience.


Drive on,
Shibu.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

We have cut our losses and "upgraded" to an Ertiga. I am sure it will serve us much better than the trash from VW.

Isn't Karma a b***h.

Just got an update from Bombay - apparently two of the injectors have to be replaced. The lady has been given a 25k estimate (only????) per injector.

Will have to dig deeper and get a more detailed estimate of expenses.

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Isn't Karma a b***h.

Just got an update from Bombay - apparently two of the injectors have to be replaced. The lady has been given a 25k estimate (only????) per injector.

Will have to dig deeper and get a more detailed estimate of expenses.

See the invoice scans in post # 1. We got one injector replaced for ~ Rs. 6,400/-. But I am not sure whether I am reading the bill correctly.

[el lobo 6061]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Isn't Karma a b***h.

Just got an update from Bombay - apparently two of the injectors have to be replaced. The lady has been given a 25k estimate (only????) per injector.

Will have to dig deeper and get a more detailed estimate of expenses.

Injector prices have increased a lot. Back in Feb 2014 it was around Rs. 15000 and in July 2014 Rs. 18000. So two years later I'm not surprised with per injector cost.

I would suggest you to push it for Goodwill Replacement as it's a well known case of faulty injectors which are manufactured prior to 14 June 2012. Tweet, write to VW customer care at customer.care@volkswagen.co.in. Yes they do reply.

Here is the advisory.
1 6l CR Injectors_Electrical fault-2.pdf

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

See the invoice scans in post # 1. We got one injector replaced for ~ Rs. 6,400/-. But I am not sure whether I am reading the bill correctly.

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

Injector prices have increased a lot. Back in Feb 2014 it was around Rs. 15000 and in July 2014 Rs. 18000. So two years later I'm not surprised with per injector cost.

I would suggest you to push it for Goodwill Replacement as it's a well known case of faulty injectors which are manufactured prior to 14 June 2012. Tweet, write to VW customer care at customer.care@volkswagen.co.in. Yes they do reply.

Here is the advisory.
Attachment 1567366

Thanks guys. It's a little more tricky with me handling it remotely in a different continent.

As for now, I have asked the car to be parked and not used (to create more issues). Will have to dig deeper and get a detailed estimate of the costs, and see what can be salvaged.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

Injector prices have increased a lot. Back in Feb 2014 it was around Rs. 15000 and in July 2014 Rs. 18000. So two years later I'm not surprised with per injector cost.

Here is the advisory.
Attachment 1567366

Originally Posted by moralfibre

See the invoice scans in post # 1. We got one injector replaced for ~ Rs. 6,400/-. But I am not sure whether I am reading the bill correctly.

Guys, reviving an old issue - I want to get the car checked to understand what is the core issue. Don't want to rely onVW workshops. Any FNG in Mumbai I can approach to get the car checked?

[ninjatalli]

So here's the current status. The car's sounding like a tractor with the glow sign flashing and the engine management system light on. The RPMs are steady; no fluctuations.

My situation seems to be an exact copy of @vik0728's experience. I checked with the better half on the injector 'issue'; apparently our driver had given her this feedback; no tests have been yet run on the car.

I suspect a faulty EGR; that needs to be cleaned. Options at my end:

1. Head to VW Downtown. Ask them to run tests and confirm if the issue is due to EGR or anything else. Listen to their extremely bloated up repair estimates and then take a call
2. Head to a FNG and get the EGR cleaned. Risk here - what if the issue is something else?

Suggestions solicited

Originally Posted by Vik0728

After a day, I get the news that the tests/diagnostics concluded that EGR was faulty. VW Whitefield could only placed order post the holidays and that meant that I could hope for a fix only a week later.

[srishiva]

During the last service, VW Palace Cross mentioned that one injector will have to replaced during the next service.

I have a FNG near, the owner is a good friend and he is doing the replacement for another Vento (cost he said was about 60K for all the injectors). He gets OEM parts from Chennai. He has good friends in the service departments and usually sources OEM parts from them.

He has asked me to drop my Vento with him for the repair too. There is also an option of getting parts from cars that may have met accidents.

I am seriously thinking about getting it done from him after he does the other Vento.

[mariner]

Dear Ninja Talli,

Was your car regularly serviced ?
My 2 cents about how to tackle the issue is to click a few good pictures and post on OLX , that's how I solved my problem and cut my losses. No offence

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by mariner

Dear Ninja Talli,

Was your car regularly serviced ?
My 2 cents about how to tackle the issue is to click a few good pictures and post on OLX , that's how I solved my problem and cut my losses. No offence

Ignoring the unsaid sarcasm, yes. Some of us on the forum keep our ventos well serviced and maintain the car pretty well. And document it on the forum too.

The car is still worthy of continuing an ownership IMO so I request feedback from others on FNG options

[mariner]

Dear Ninja Talli,

There was no sarcasm intended but was brotherly advice, I guess that's what the forum is for. The very fact that you are not getting the service done as per manufacturers advice nulls your claim above of upkeep of the car. But I am not here to judge anyone. Keeping or selling or servicing your car is personal choice of course. The gist of the entire thread in my opinion is that the car is unreliable and the cost for getting the car serviced as per manufacturers recommendation is more expensive than the resale value of the car itself . Getting the car serviced at a FNG is not the best solution as the spares tools etc are not as per the manufacturers recommendation and lots of parts are opened using contraptions which may cause more damage than help. I had opened my EGR and there was no blockage the fault lies in the solenoid which is a closed unit on the EGR and same cannot be dismantled for service. If you decide to replace the EGR or injectors which I have done after a period of time the problem will surface , my injectors surfaced in 2 years and EGR in a year spending the same amount every 3 years was economically not correct in my opinion hence I sold the car. However you do not have to go by my experience you are welcome to share your experience in the long run I sincerely wish it's better than mine ( no sarcasm intended) as no 2 machines are the same. But if you check the experiences on U.K. Forums where this engine was widely used will match my experience.

[moralfibre]

Hi All,
I'd like to bring to notice a major problem faced by one of my friends and a fellow Vento tdi (highline) owner. The car is a 2011 model, and had faced no major issues other than general maintenance and normal wear and tear since recently.

Hey Niranjan,

I am slightly confused. This post states that the car is owned by your friend. Couple of posts later, you are reporting issues on your own car.

Are we talking about two more faulty Ventos or its just your own car?

Here are my $0.02 worth from the whole experience:

- Replacing one injector resolves the probability of your car stalling and leaving you stranded by 25%. The other 75% can be achieved by spending ₹75,000/- on the other three injectors. Still there will be a transparent sword hanging over the car if at all the problem were to recur.

Fueling in modern day diesel cars is not akin to the age old DI engines where some jugaad by roadside mechanics would fix things. If you have to spend, you have to spend. There's no workaround known to me for fixing injectors in the aftermarket for cheaper. There are ebay sellers that could ship you a set for slightly cheaper but without warranty.

- EGR can be blocked but we have a growing sense of responsibility towards the environment. You could save yourself ₹65,000/-. Cleaning may fix it or may make matters worse. It is not a component that could be easily accessed. I'd suggest you replace the EGR and leave a better and cleaner environment for our future generations.

Do keep us posted on the status of your as well as your friends car.

Cheers!

[VeyronSuperSprt]

Rapid / Vento injectors can be repaired - please see my thread on the subject:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...replacing.html