Volkswagen to recall 2,500,000 cars

[MJK 24]

The BBC are reporting that Volkswagen are recalling 2,500,000 cars worldwide for issues regarding fuel leaks and DSG gearbox oil. It affects the Tiguan, Golf, Amorak, A1 and A3.

Sounds expensive!!

[MGgeordie]

I can't believe a 'premium' brand with renowned German engineering can possibly be having to recall cars for faults

[mnkiboy]

Article on Skyk news said:

Volkswagen is to replace the hi-tech synthetic oil used in dual-clutch gearboxes with traditional mineral oil

Why would that be? I've never heard of oil being 'too high quality'!?

[Terminator X]

Amazed at a recall, isn't it the done thing these days for manufacturers to bury their head in the sand and hope it goes away?! Good on VW though.

TX.

[wiliferus]

mnkiboy said:

Article on Skyk news said:

Volkswagen is to replace the hi-tech synthetic oil used in dual-clutch gearboxes with traditional mineral oil

Why would that be? I've never heard of oil being 'too high quality'!?

May be completely unrelated, but on some motorbikes fully synth is a no no as it caused clutch slip- only on bikes with a wet clutch though. I'm not familiar enough with the workings of DSG to say that may be it, but it's possible?

[dave7692]

Is this 2.5mil units worldwide?

[MJK 24]

dave7692 said:

Is this 2.5mil units worldwide?

According to the BBC, yes.

[Devil2575]

MJK 24 said:

The BBC are reporting that Volkswagen are recalling 2,500,000 cars worldwide for issues regarding fuel leaks and DSG gearbox oil. It affects the Tiguan, Golf, Amorak, A1 and A3.

Sounds expensive!!

A1 and A3 aren't VWs

[dave7692]

MJK 24 said:

According to the BBC, yes.

Well I know people will blow this all out of proportion but on a serious note how long does it take for a group like VAG to manufacture 2.5million cars across a range of 5 models?

The actual error itself could have been rectified pretty quickly just they build so many cars so quickly that a relatively large amount fell through the cracks?

[thatdude]

wiliferus said:

May be completely unrelated, but on some motorbikes fully synth is a no no as it caused clutch slip- only on bikes with a wet clutch though. I'm not familiar enough with the workings of DSG to say that may be it, but it's possible?

Just a sort of side-note / counter-argument - there are specific fully synthetic motorcycle oils. If a clutch begins to slip when using fully synth in a bike, its either car-specific oil (more friction reducers) or the clutch was buggered anyway

Seems strange to use mineral oil; im of the understanding that it wont be as stable to oxidation, heat, mechanical stress etc. Maybe its a quick qwork-around until the right lubricant is formulated?

[k-ink]

MGgeordie said:

I can't believe a 'premium' brand with renowned German engineering can possibly be having to recall cars for faults

Also, RE: DSG. Keep it simple. Keep it manual.

[Cyder]

dave7692 said:

MJK 24 said:

According to the BBC, yes.

Well I know people will blow this all out of proportion but on a serious note how long does it take for a group like VAG to manufacture 2.5million cars across a range of 5 models?

The actual error itself could have been rectified pretty quickly just they build so many cars so quickly that a relatively large amount fell through the cracks?

I don't know the detail but the problem may not have presented itself until 6-12 months in service, then say a month or so for investigation into the root cause and understanding how many cars are affected and then more time agreeing that the campaign must take place can mean lots of cars get built in that time.

(I've been involved in recalls from OEM side)

[hyperblue]

k-ink said:

Also, RE: DSG. Keep it simple. Keep it manual.

Great unless you want an automatic

Also here's a link - http://news.sky.com/story/1168639/vw-recalls-2-6m-...

[fireturk]

Devil2575 said:

A1 and A3 aren't VWs

but they are part of the vw group, are they not? do they share parts with VW?

[dave7692]

fireturk said:

but they are part of the vw group, are they not? do they share parts with VW?

Yes. Its just lazy reporting (shock horror). They really should address it as the Volkswagen Audi Group but that would be too complicated for them as a lot of people are still blissfully unaware that their A3 TDI is basically a slightly fancier Golf/Passat.

[GroundEffect]

Could be clutch-slip due the high lubrication properties of synthetic.

Still, ouch.

[morgrp]

MGgeordie said:

I can't believe a 'premium' brand with renowned German engineering can possibly be having to recall cars for faults

Whilst your comment is classically pistonheads and I'm sure very amusing to many - I think you'll find most manufacturers will discover faults with cars but don't have the decency to recall them - I'm no vw fan boy but but don't use this as an excuse to make out they are crap - looking at your garage on your profile you're hardly in a position to laugh at vw's - Maybe mg/rover should have recalled all those dreadful 1.8 k-series engines they shat out over the years before they wrecked what little reputation they still had?

[Bohemianesque]

morgrp said:

Whilst your comment is classically pistonheads and I'm sure very amusing to many - I think you'll most manufacturers will discover faults with car but they don't have the decency to recall them - I'm no vw fan boy but but don't use this as an excuse to make out they are crap - looking at your garage on your profile you're hardly in a position to laugh at vw's - Maybe mg/rover should have recalled all those dreadful 1.8 k-series engines they shat out over the years before they wrecked what little reputation they still had?

I think you'll find (if you look on VAG owners club sites) that there has been growing pressure on VW to act on this. I think without it, they would ignore it like they normally do....it's been a problem for a while. My own experience with VAG supports this - I'll never own another.

I do think that the Japanese manufactures seem to be the ones most willing to own up....but then it's a core part of the lean methodology that they have as part of their business culture.

[DonkeyApple]

dave7692 said:

fireturk said:

but they are part of the vw group, are they not? do they share parts with VW?

Yes. Its just lazy reporting (shock horror). They really should address it as the Volkswagen Audi Group but that would be too complicated for them as a lot of people are still blissfully unaware that their A3 TDI is basically a slightly fancier Golf/Passat.

The company is just called Volkswagen Group or Volkswagen nowadays, I think.

[schmunk]

dave7692 said:

fireturk said:

but they are part of the vw group, are they not? do they share parts with VW?

Yes. Its just lazy reporting (shock horror). They really should address it as the Volkswagen Audi Group but that would be too complicated for them as a lot of people are still blissfully unaware that their A3 TDI is basically a slightly fancier Golf/Passat.

VAG stands for Volkswagen Aktiengesellshaft (effectively 'Volkswagen Ltd' in German), not Volkswagen Audi Group.