Not sure if this is new and I know there was a problem on VAG 1.8 Coils but my brother has just called asking to borrow my car for going to work on nights as his 03 plate Golf - 1.6 16V (105 bhp) has just burnt out all 4 coils.
The car is registering an emmissions fault and will just not start.
The local dealer has told him 1-2 weeks for the bits and they have 3 other 1.6's with the same problem waiting.
VW have said they will pay even though the car is out of warranty but he is now inconvenienced without a car for 2 weeks.
Thankfully he has my trusty old Corolla to rely on !!!!!
|
|
Wasn't this covered recently and the outcome was that the miss-fire the coils are being changed for is a red-herring and the valves have been damaged by inferior petrol ?
|
|
Thanks for that Alec, I'll tell him - although the dealer has definitely said all 4 coils burnt out according to the diagnostics.
|
Thanks for that Alec, I'll tell him - although the dealer has definitely said all 4 coils burnt out according to the diagnostics.
Strange that four would go down together. More to this than meets the eye I suspect!
|
|
|
|
|
One very good reason to go for a diesel.
It would be interesting, wouldn't it, if the reliability surveys could distinguish diesel from petrol cars. My Golf TDI estate and A4 Avant TDI were both 100 % reliable.
|
>>Strange that four would go down together. More to this than meets the eye I suspect!<<
That was what I was thinking Aprilla - I spoke to him again last night and said was he sure they said all 4 were gone - he is sure that is what they said and quoted £330 to repair although VW are paying.
I would like to understand in more detail what they do when it is fixed but having asked all the questions he is convinced all 4 went at the same time.
The question is what caused all 4 to go and will they fix the source of the problem.
I;ll keep you posted.
|
There could be the chance that 1 has gone but VW have said all 4 need to be replaced (as they should)
I would think the car would start and run (badly) on three tho.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
If all four have really failed then I would suspect that they are casualties of a fault elsewhere on the car - although I can't say what that would be. Your new coils would likely be killed in the same way.
If just one has failed and they are changing all of them as a precaution then that's another matter entirely.
|
He did say that the car just would not start at all - when he tried he could he the strater turning the engine, there was a bit of a banging noise and then they pushed it in to the delaer.
It just happens he was next door to the dealer on some other business - how's that for luck.
I will get an update and keep you posted.
|
>>Coorrr Twooo.
There at it again,sub standard gear,
according too?<<
According to my brother, his BIL 1 month ago, the 2 that HJ mentioned and the 3 Golfs sat at the dealer in front of my brothers golf waiting for the same problem parts.
Also according to the dealer that told hom they will try and get the parts quickly but UK dealers are all ordering these parts and there will be a first come first served priority, suggesting that many more cars are out there with the same problem.
It's good to see the forum cynics out there still shooting from the hip with no knowledge of what they are talking about.
|
>>It's good to see the forum cynics out there still shooting from the hip with no knowledge of what they are talking about.
How did that VW advert go...............If only everything was as reliable as a VW.
Unfortunately it seems VW are have a large drop in reliability, shame they could not match their advertising claim.
cardriver I hope your BIL gets his car fixed quickly.
--
Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
|
|
Motoring history is littered with rather unfortunate advertising claims. Some of these I am sure certain manufacturers would rather we forgot about...
|
|
|
Thanks Roger, I will post an update as soon as I get one.
My little dig was actually in support of HJ and the post having a go suggesting an over re-action to just 2 incidents.
The irony is all too evident with VW and their poor reliability record and their advertising campaigns claiming to be reliable (Golf), tough (Polo), classy (Passat) etc etc but my OP was not meant as a VW dig - I was just reporting what happened.
Personally I am not a VW fan as I think you get so little engineering for so much more money (relative to other cars in the class) but I do understand why others do like them - and each to their own.
|
>>their advertising campaigns claiming to be reliabl>>
This advertising campaign was conducted at least 10 years ago.
I've had three VW vehicles in the last 15 years and I've never had any qualms about jumping into any one of them and embarking on a journey to the other side of the UK; I've always been utterly convinced that I would get there and back without drama.
I've never been proved wrong.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
>>I think you get so little engineering for so much more money>>
I just can't believe that observation.
It's because of the higher than average level of engineering and build standard that I buy Volkwagens.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
It's because of the higher than average level of engineering and build standard that I buy Volkwagens.
They have plush interiors, a pleasant sounding thud when closing the doors and tactile plastics- does not mean they are well engineered! I know your VW trilogy have been exemplary, but the exeption rather than the rule maybe? I did have a 1986 Passat once, it was quite good actually, but nowhere near as good as all the Japanese cars I've had since (some older, some newer).
|
|
I would not own any vehicle that I did not have absolute confidence that it would take me anywhere I want to go with no preparation-"to the other side of the UK"-a whole 150 miles for me and I live in Essex.I would be happy to set out round the world in either of my cars,just as they are.Neither is a VW.The only VW I have owned was a Beetle back in the early seventies which while good was no better than cars owned before or since.
|
>>This advertising campaign was conducted at least 10 years ago.
I've had three VW vehicles in the last 15 years and I've never had any qualms about jumping into any one of them and embarking on a journey to the other side of the UK; I've always been utterly convinced that I would get there and back without drama.
I've never been proved wrong.<<
Funny my brother said the same.
And how silly of me to forget that advert was more than 10 years ago - do we assume it no longer applies then and we can consider Golf's to be unreliable now !!!!!!!!!
On a serious note stuartli - obviously this coil thing has come about again so be careful as (& I truly hope it does not) could affect you.
That aside - I do think people are fooled into paying more for superficial VW quality (rubber coated radio knobs and damped glove boxes) when the real reason why they are so expensive is they have high manufacturing and assembly costs. The subject of the latest embarrasing media coverage of corruption with the guy (now sacked) bought into to reduce costs made this all to public. And coupled with the fact that a Golf takes twice as many hours to build as any other car in it's class, so it's assembly costs are at least double the others. That is why I think VW's are expensive. The problem is they then start making costs savings in the area's people cannot see such as coils, plastic parts in the engine on the cam belts etc.
All of which is a great shame because they design some very good looking cars and when they get it right they get it very right. My issue is that they are still along way off in terms of reliability and as such I would not be confident buying one.
It is an interesting point though listening to VW owners (and jolly good luck to them) who claim that they are driving the paragon of reliability and durability yet every published survey (including the consumers association who's opinion I value) state otherwise.
The issue of quality is an interesting point as well as I was reading some information on JD Power surveys whilst in the US recently and the general thread was that with new cars the gap between US?European and Jap cars was closing but with older cars this was not the case - the older Jap cars always proved more reliable.
According to the article the reason is that the US and European makers are getting good at inspecting quality into the vehicle during the manufacturing process whereas the Japs were still designing and building it in.
|
>>driving the paragon of reliability and durability >>
Well it's based on mileages reaching a combined figure of almost 300,000 miles to date - the Bora is very close to 60,000 miles.
What's more, even my best mate admits that the Bora's interior is more classy than his 2004 Mondeo Zetec.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
Just a quick update because I think we were all a little doubtful about the possibility of all 4 coils failing at once.
Well, the Golf is now back on the road for a few days and I checked the paperwork and they have replaced all 4 coils. I am told the car runs much smoother, fuel consumption has improved and he has no starting problems which he had before. So I suspect that this problem was developing over a period of time and did not just suddenly happen.
He's on the look our for something reliable now he can trade it in.
|
|
If I worked at the dealership, I'd just replace them all and put 240v through the ones that were still OK before sending them back to VW Warranty. It's obvious they should all be replaced as a set so people don't have to go back and have each one done individually.
|
'What's more, even my best mate admits that the Bora's interior is more classy than his 2004 Mondeo Zetec.'
It's interesting that Fords are now being held up as something to compare VWs with. I've owned VWs for the past 20 years and liked them but since owning a Honda, there's no going back!
|
|
|
|
I think its the new Designers (Engineers) can't get things right anymore.
|
|
´Scuse my ignorance, but what are the coils, and what do they do, and why do VAGs have a problem with them?
|
´Scuse my ignorance, but what are the coils, and what do they do, and why do VAGs have a problem with them?
They sit on top of the spark plugs and provide the high voltage necessary to produce a spark at the plug.
Not sure of your age / experience, but until a few years ago cars had 1 coil that fed the high voltage through the distributor and along the HT leads to the plugs.
|
Thanks Bill.
Age - 34, experience - erm, oil changes, that´s about it.
|
|
|
|
|
My Father-in-Law's 2002 Renault Scenic has had 5 coils replaced inside 18 months and after only 8k miles. Unfortunately, it's out of warranty and dealer says its a common fault with Scenics.
|
Well after a couple of weeks after the replacement coils the Golf is playing up again and now takes 7-8 attempts to start from cold in the mornings.
VW dealers have performed as usual and cannot tell the bro what is wrong with it and are suggesting they start replacing parts of the fuel system including injectors etc at his expense.
I did not want to start a new post on this in the tech section as the history of the problem is contained here.
Whilst he is looking to part-x it for a relaible car does anyone here have any ideas as to what it can be.
It ran ok for about 2 weeks after replacing the coils.
If only everything in life was as reli..........stop it !
|
|
|
|
