Tag: VW

Possible ex gratia rumour for DSG7 owners in Denmark

Few days ago, I’ve been notified about some reports that VW Denmark has issued ex gratia on DSG7 gearboxes. According to the rumours, which I was not able to confirm just yet, it will cover DSG7 gearboxes not older than 6 years, or 200.000 kilometers.

Al though it is not warranty, this could be positive in reassuring confidence in VW DSG7 gearboxes, that were hit with massive global problems on almost all markets except European.

Must point out that this rumour has not been confirmed, only something I’ve read on a Danish VAGcars.dk forums. According to posters of the rumour, they are either working in Volkswagen Service Partner or know someone who does. Which is of course positive, but I will need to have some written documentation, before I can take it as granted. Too many times I’ve been burnt by oral agreement and later on, they forgot all about it. So, for now, this is only to be considered as a rumour, and nothing else but that.

What does “ex gratia” means?

It means that Volkswagen covers partial costs of parts, and only, parts or repairs/replacements of parts, out of the goodwill/kindness. You will still have to pay hourly rate your service partner charges.

VW in China recalls imported cars as well

Some more news from China, about DSG7 (DQ200) gearboxes. VW in China is issuing recall on imported cars as well. That is, VW cars with DSG7, not manufactured in China. Which was the fundamental excuse for Volkswagen’s claim for not recognising the same problem in the rest of the world. Even thou symptoms and problems are 100% identical to those in China. Volkswagen, so far, is still refusing to acknowledge existence of the problem in Europe and elsewhere.

With this latest recall, one could conclude following;

  • VW is well aware of the issue with their DQ200 gearboxes and is trying to hide the extend of the problem.
  • All DQ200 gearboxes are manufactured in China, contrary to what VW wants us to believe.

To recap, for less informed readers on recall

Across Europe and world as well, VW is claiming that only Chinese manufactured gearboxes are defective and therefore, no other markets are affected by this problem with their DSG7 (DQ200) gearboxes. But this new recall, that is actually recalling imported cars (non-Chinese manufactured) with DSG7. Which throws out of the window VW theories/reasons for defective gearboxes. On all continents there are customers with DSG7 gearboxes, with same problems. Only difference there is, how Volkswagen is “forced” to react. Everything else about this problem is actually identical.

  • Power loss
  • Slipping clutches
  • Noise

Read the original article :: http://english.cri.cn/6826/2013/07/04/2702s773954.htm

Still waiting …

I stopped counting days and then even months…
It’s certainly been more than a half a year since submission of my case.
Last year… October or something…

But I am still waiting for the closure in the case, about problems with gearbox vows I have had since I bought my current VW car with DSG7.

Unbelievable that it takes a big corporation 2 years and counting, to fix a car problem. Or at least offer a new car, after all I did not buy a car, so that VW mechanics can practice on my car.

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VW Denmark is not budging in DSG7 problems

In the last few months, some major media, here in Denmark, reported on DSG7 problems, and had interviews with PR-reps from VW Denmark. VW Denmark is not budging in DSG7 problems. Journalists were mostly asking same questions, and getting the same answers. Or, perhaps VW Denmark only answered on selected questions.

But, common theme in the articles were mostly asking, if VW thinks they have general problems with DSG7 transmission (internally known as DQ200). They of course answered with “no”. Volkswagen is claiming that they know about very few cases with problems, and that these were taken care of, either under warranty or ex-gratia, where consumers were asked to pay a part of the repair.

Another common theme in the VW answers were, indirect blame of the consumer for the problems. Declining to acknowledge the problems and responsibility, VW is automatically blaming consumer for the problems. They even used numbers to deflect the blame, and informed  journalists they sold 8.500 cars with DSG7 transmission, out of those VW claimed “only” 311 had problems. This is a 3,66% error margin, if we are just to take look at their numbers. Which I am not completely confident that the numbers are true. Even if the numbers are true, there is a question about what models it was sold with.

There are some models and engines more suitable for DSG7 specifications, and others are less suitable. Eg. engine torque, and the size/weight of the car.

An example to illustrate the issue

Another example of this (bad engine combinations) could be following;

DSG7 is rated at max. output of 250 Nm of torque.

  • Polo 1.2 TSI 90-105 BHP has about 160 – 175 Nm of torque
  • Touran 1.6 TDI with 105 BHP has 250 Nm of torque.

As you can see… Touran with TDI engines is riding on the limits of the DSG7 gearbox specifications. And this is only asking for troubles. That VW went anyway with this combination of engine and gearbox is beyond my understanding.

And consumers are to be blamed and pay for their design/manufacturing flaws?

So, now if I could only get VW of publicising the numbers of sold Polo’s and other models well within limitations of the DSG7 gearbox, and deduct that number from those 8.500, I am pretty sure error rate will be a lot higher, than 3.66%.

DSG7 failure – Numbers do not add up…

We have new information about problems with DSG7 gearbox.

According to figures from VW DK, there are about sold 8.500 cars with DSG7 in Denmark. And only 311 of them would have had problems with the gearbox. It is about 3.7% of cars with DSG7 …
We do not know what the overall margin of error is on the cars, but 3.7% may not sound like much … Or?

At the same time when you read articles from the German DSG7 problems, they also have “several hundred cars” …
The same “numbers” found in the article linked to below.

If one were to stick to statistics, so Germany should have a greater share of problems, since there are more who bought the car with DSG7. But funny enough, the figure is more or less “the same” as in Denmark.

At the same time, there will be in this article from Jylland-Posten (http://epn.dk/privat/biler/ECE5429249/vw-kunder-klager-over-gearkasse/), said of the VW DK, the number of customers in Germany the problem is more significant.Reasoned, with the Danish tax and other geography, and higher speeds and longer distance driven.

So, who is creative with numbers here? Who are they trying to mislead? The Germans or the Danes?
And who buys these explanations?

When one thinks of “several hundred” what figure do they have in mind?
We would say about 200-300 …

In Sweden, VW deprecated Taxi companies in buying cars with DSG7 as there are too many start-stop situations. As a means to DSG7 obviously not suitable for short trips.
In Germany it is too long trips, too many hills. In Sweden, too short trips. In Denmark it is too little hills and low speeds, maybe even danish tax system, which evidently is causing the problem?

Many unanswered questions … Maybe it is the journalists who ask the right questions of the critical nature.

DSG DQ200 0AM – Problems and thoughts

Was sent this few days ago. It’s a document that dwells a bit more into problems of VAG 7-speed DSG gearbox. In a bit more detail, than I was able to do and found before.

DSG DQ200 0AM – Problems and thoughts

There is one interesting thing here, that I was not aware of before, and it is the knowledge of the problem. According to this document, VAG/VW knew about the problem, at the time I bought the car. They did not acknowledge this, when I was ordering my car. I asked them specifically about any problems with this gearbox, and they told me in a way, that it is “the best they made”.

VW to recall 21 different models, est. 680.000 vehicles…

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-20/volkswagen-recalls-384-181-vehicles-in-china-for-gearbox-faults.html

The company is recalling vehicles with the seven-speed variety of its direct-shift gearboxes, bearing the cost for replacing defective equipment and upgrading the software, it said in an e-mail statement. LMC estimates Volkswagen sold about 680,000 vehicles equipped with the potentially faulty DSG gearboxes.

Volkswagen China to “voluntarily” recall cars with DSG

Volkswagen has been and will continue to actively cooperate with the competent authorities. Volkswagen will launch a voluntary recall for DSG issues. Details in regards to the recall, Volkswagen will be announced in the near future.

Original Link from VW China :: http://www.vw.com.cn/en/corporate_information1/news/NewsIndex.suffix.html/News2013~2FNews_2013_6.html

More on a subject of defective DSG gearboxes in China :: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/motoring/2013-03/16/content_16313553.htm and http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/motoring/2013-03/18/content_16317719.htm

Court: DSG7 affected by a hidden defect preventing use under normal conditions

A consumer in France, filed a lawsuit against VW, for troubles with DSG7 gearbox, and won. Interesting thing is, that his/hers problems with DSG7 are identical to mine. Here is the verdict, the most important parts.

(Translated by Google Translate)

Receives a request for declaring the cancellation of the sale of a motor vehicle
VOLKSWAGEN POLO Comfort Line, 5th Room – 1st Section of the Tribunal de Grande
Instance PARIS, January 16, 2013, held:
“In this particular case, the nature of the noise (obviously wrong), frequency (certain
for city traffic), its origin (gearbox), the technical impossibility of there
overcome the uncertainty and its impact on anxiety and distraction that can
naturally cause at one time or another, are all elements
incompatible with normal driving (comfortable and safe) that could be
expected of a new vehicle quality at the forefront of technological progress.
(…) The hidden nature of this defect, and prior to the sale have not been challenged and
arising from the content of documents submitted in evidence.
It must therefore be held that the vehicle sold to VOLKSWAGEN POLO Mrs. J. is
affected by a hidden defect preventing its use under normal conditions or
satisfactory.
The resolution of the sale of the vehicle must be ordered. ”
Accordingly, the Tribunal issued the resolution for latent defects of the vehicle
VOLKSWAGEN POLO sold January 14, 2011 to Mrs. J. by the MS Society.,
VOLKSWAGEN dealer in Paris.
– Sentenced MS Society. payable to Mrs J. a sum of € 17,212.69 in restitution
price paid
– Sentenced MS Society. to pay a sum of € 1,783.22 as damages
for the costs incurred by the purchase of the vehicle,
– Sentenced MS Society. payable to Mrs J. a sum of € 1,000 in compensation for his
pecuniary damage,
– Ordained to Mrs. J. proceed without delay to the return of the vehicle purchased January 14th
2011 at the MS Society.,
– Condemns the MS Society. payable to Mrs J. a sum of € 2,000 per application
Article 700 of the Code of Civil Procedure,
– Condemns the Company VOLKSWAGEN FRANCE GROUPE to ensure all
convictions against the MS Society. in favor of Mrs. J.
The Company VOLKSWAGEN FRANCE GROUPE pay the costs.
Mrs. J. was litigator: Master Eric KLEIN Bar PARIS