He isn't talking about the Powershift gearbox issue, but the 'degas pipe' problem on 1.0 Ecoboost, engines, and have at least now taken responsibility by repairing all problems at their expense. If that problem is fixed, all they are doing re: future problems is saying that just because some other problem crops up, this doesn't mean the degas pipe issue is to blame (as it was fixed).

As far as I know with the DSGs or the Powershift dual clutch gearbox problems, VAG and Ford seem to be doing similar things, namely that in-warranty claims are valid if properly maintained, some within the 6 year cut off for 'engineering defects' at manufacture are treated reasonably sympathetically IF entirely maintained at a main dealer, not so much otherwise.

Oh believe you me that the Ford situation hasn't gone down well either. The difference is that Ford haven't been pretending to make cars that are the epitomy of reliability, unlike (IMHO) VAG.

Technically (as I understand it), VAG haven't even admitted the DSG box HAS any issues, at least formally. Ford obviously has, as why would they have changed back to TC auto boxes for their latest cars, even though they aren't as efficient.

From reading the 'Good and Bad/ Section for, say, the current VW Golf and compare that to the last two Focuses, most of the Ford's issues are related to the Powershift gearbox and the degas pipe. Take out them and it fares quite well. The Golf has lots of issues with its DSG box, but it has lots of other (unrelated) niggling and not-so-niggling issues across the board, many of which appear to take ages to resolve, if at all.

As with certain Mercedes tendancy to 'crab' when on full lock at low speed, the German manufacturers, in my view don't like admitting their cars sometimes have inherrant design flaws. I've lost count at the number of cases publicsed when such brands tell irate customers that such-n-such fault is a 'characteristic' of the car. Unacceptable. Not saying Ford are whiter tha white, but at least (eventually) they hold their hand up and admit a problem, even if that is after many months (or even years) of negative publicity.