[stringbh]

My Vento highline Tdi is 2013 model (extended warranty ends in a weeks time) and during the last service in January 2017, engine oil leak was noticed. The SA asked me to come back in February before warranty expires for repair. I thought it would be covered under warranty.

After I left the vehicle at the workshop yesterday (27 February), following is quote i received today. I am clueless as to what to do. Unsure if this is the right quote.

WASHING & CLEANING Paid 390.00
GENERAL CHECK UP Paid 3,900.00
Sum Labor 4,290.00
Service Tax 643.50
Group Total 4,933.50


CYLINDER HEAD COVER Paid 1 13,957.21
GASKET Paid 1 1,252.40
SILICONE ADHESIVE SEALANT Paid 1 1,369.43
INSULATING HOSE IN COILS OF 5M Paid 1 135.37
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER Paid 1 1,806.99
APPLICATOR Paid 1 255.90
Sum Item 18,777.30
Sales Tax 2,722.71
Group Total 21,500.01

Grand Total: 26,433.51

Questions:

1. Should I get it checked outside? Is this not covered under warranty?

2. Rs. 3,900 for General Check up? Is this normal? Surprisingly, the technician came out with a fantastic all fine report, where he did not notice the leak. I had to intervene and point it out to the SA about engine oil leak and then he remembered (that he noticed oil leak during my last service in January 2017) and re-check confirmed the same.

3. More deeper question: Is there anything I could have done to avoid this (driving style dependent?). A bit dissappointed as I generally take good care of my car.

In just 45,000 kms, these damages seem too much. I generally follow usual rules of being gentle on a cold engine and a minute of idling after a good drive etc..

4. Any contacts of VW higher ups I can write to and request for full coverage. If this is normal, then, I just accept, pay the damages and get the vehicle repaired at the workshop immediately.

Any help much appreciated. I would be going to workshop first thing tomorrow morning. Thanks.

[volkman10]

Originally Posted by stringbh

My Vento is 2013 model (extended warranty ends in a weeks time) and during the last service in January 2017, engine oil leak was noticed.

Guess it is the petrol variant? The 1.6P initial batch has a design flaw in the oil sump drain plug boss arrangement.

I had noticed sweating/dripping in two service calls and finally got the sump changed free of cost. Saw a Vento having the same issue as shown by the SA.

Here is the link.
Link (Welcomed into the family of Das Auto - VW Polo1.6)

[stringbh]

It is the Tdi. Was there any mass recall for petrol variant? Could not find issues related to diesel oil leak issue in the forum. I too believe that repair should be done free of cost. Need some points to argue with the service head.

[stringbh]

Cylinder head and head gasket are covered under extended warranty as checked from the forum link here:

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Attached is what I was able to get from the dealer for my Vento.

Cylinder: "head cover" (as mentioned in the quote above) and "head gasket" (as mentioned in the warranty manual), are not same?

[Mr.Boss]

Originally Posted by stringbh

Cylinder: "head cover" (as mentioned in the quote above) and "head gasket" (as mentioned in the warranty manual), are not same?

Item 20 is mentioned as "Head Cover". It is not same as Head Gasket.


Source

[stringbh]

Thanks. So, after cylinder head (item 1), cylinder cover (item 20) is the most costliest. So, it seems i have no choice left.

What is the moral behind providing extended warranty to selected parts of the engine? How do they get to decide on this?

[CrackedHead]

Originally Posted by stringbh

Thanks. So, after cylinder head (item 1), cylinder cover (item 20) is the most costliest. So, it seems i have no choice left.

What is the moral behind providing extended warranty to selected parts of the engine? How do they get to decide on this?

The head cover is not a wear and tear item. It could only have been damaged if it was opened for some maintenance and then not torqued down correctly. It should be covered in warranty.

If not, and this was my car - I would just buy the gasket and try to get it replaced at a FNG to see if that solved the leak before changing the head cover.

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by stringbh

Questions:

1. Should I get it checked outside? Is this not covered under warranty?

2. Rs. 3,900 for General Check up? Is this normal? Surprisingly, the technician came out with a fantastic all fine report, where he did not notice the leak. I had to intervene and point it out to the SA about engine oil leak and then he remembered (that he noticed oil leak during my last service in January 2017) and re-check confirmed the same.

3. More deeper question: Is there anything I could have done to avoid this (driving style dependent?). A bit dissappointed as I generally take good care of my car.

In just 45,000 kms, these damages seem too much. I generally follow usual rules of being gentle on a cold engine and a minute of idling after a good drive etc..

4. Any contacts of VW higher ups I can write to and request for full coverage. If this is normal, then, I just accept, pay the damages and get the vehicle repaired at the workshop immediately.

1- Try for warranty only if they are not budging look outside.

2- Ya but no needed since you are here to attend the oil leak issue as reported in last service at valve cover assembly.

3- Nothing much, it can be as simple as loose bolts, so a simple opening, clean up and re torquing with required adhesives would be more than enough.

4- Don't both for a simple oil leak with such escalations, just use the normal customer care channel.

Do you have a picture of the leak, if it is leaking near part no 27, then it is most likely 21 the valve cover gasket that needs replacement. If so it would be 1300 INR. Just tell them to replace it under warranty, if not give it in writing that it is not covered under warranty.

[Mr.Boss]

Originally Posted by stringbh

So, it seems i have no choice left.

Unless it is replaced under warranty, there is no meaning to get it done from VW A.S.S
Take it to a competent FNG and get the problem diagnosed. There are possibilities that the leakage may be due to a worn out gasket or minor damage on the head cover, which can be repaired. Most A.S.S don't entertain these repair jobs and ask for a full list of parts replacement.

[stringbh]

Thank you all for informative replies. Just came back from service center. Also, wrote strong but polite emails to customer care and service head.

Service head says:

1. cylinder head cover is a rubber/plastic item not covered under extended warranty. Also, this part is external to engine and not internal ?!

2. The general check up price quote of Rs.3900 was a mistake (it should be one zero less ).

3. They are now going to do the actual diagnosis today to find out exactly where the leak is coming from. This makes me wonder how they gave me that quote in the first place?

4. Service head was nice to me and explained the difference between "new vehicle warranty" and "extended warranty". He assured me that he will do his best. What I understood is that he will be giving me a fresh quotation where some part will be covered by them and I will also have to pay something.

5. Service head also mentioned that there was no need to write an email to customer care and I should have just approached him first. Fair point. I accepted it.

Here are the pictures finally.

[Mr.Boss]

Originally Posted by stringbh

1. cylinder head cover is a rubber/plastic item not covered under extended warranty. Also, this part is external to engine and not internal ?!

2. The general check up price quote of Rs.3900 was a mistake (it should be one zero less ).

3. They are now going to do the actual diagnosis today to find out exactly where the leak is coming from. This makes me wonder how they gave me that quote in the first place?

4. Service head was nice to me and explained the difference between "new vehicle warranty" and "extended warranty". He assured me that he will do his best. What I understood is that he will be giving me a fresh quotation where some part will be covered by them and I will also have to pay something.

1. This is ridiculous. As a customer we didn't ask for a plastic / rubber part. It is their own design and most importantly that's not a wear & tear part. This should get damaged either because of mis-handling (during previous services), part quality or wrong design. I don't find any logic for them to wash their hands stating such a reason

2. Good, at least they accept and apologize

3. This happens every now and then. Once you escalate a level up, you will get one more diagnosis done.

4. Do you mind sharing what exactly he explained regarding normal warranty and extended warranty?

[stringbh]

I agree. But, if it was a design flaw, then it should have showed up in other cars well. We do not have data here to support. Once they generate a new quote, I will still argue along these lines. Thanks.

According to the service head, extended warranty does not oblige them to repair/replace faulty parts just like that. Unless the part that is faulty is word-by-word mentioned in the booklet, they will just wash their hands of the matter. Diagnosis anyway is totally in their hands. In this sense, extended warranty is more like insurance with ifs and buts.

Unlike the new vehicle warranty booklet (jetta/passat, he didn't have one for vento), Extended warranty booklet specifically lists parts which are covered and which are not covered.

[Jaggu]

For all you know from the looks of it (pics above), this seems to be a faulty oil filler cap seal. The leakage is from top of the valve cover and not bottom half, atleast from the picture.

[Mr.Boss]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

For all you know from the looks of it (pics above), this seems to be a faulty oil filler cap seal. The leakage is from top of the valve cover and not bottom half, atleast from the picture.

I was on the same understanding, until I rolled back to look at the first image. Finger pointing something else
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
If the leakage is from the filler cap seal, the cap should also have some trace of oil on it, but there is no such scene here (unless it is wiped recently)

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by Mr.Boss

I was on the same understanding, until I rolled back to look at the first image. Finger pointing something else
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
If the leakage is from the filler cap seal, the cap should also have some trace of oil on it, but there is no such scene here (unless it is wiped recently)

Neat observation, that's the injector! So does that mean its an injector leak lol funny a VW workshop cant see so much details in person, compared to Mr. Boss.

WRT Filler cap my guess was leaky seal, fumes escaping and getting trapped near by underneath the cover. Assuming there is a cover that sits on top of the injectors with an opening around the filler cap.