I was on my way to the Channel Tunnel when my 2011 Passat Sport suddenly lost power on the M1 and the engine warning lights came on. When the VW Roadside Assistance (RAC) guy arrived he believed the turbo had failed. The car is just over 3 years old and was, at the time just 3-weeks out of the manufacturer's warranty. It had only done around 23,000 miles so I was astonished.
The problem was confirmed by the VW dealership in Milton Keynes who carried out the repairs. As a 'goodwill' gesture VW paid for all parts (around £2,000 as I believe) and the dealership halved their labour charges. However, this still left me with a hefty bill of £393 for something I believe should not have occurred. In addition, as I was on my way to France, I had to cancel my holiday.
Although I believe the dealership acted fairly, I have since written to VW to try and claim back the remaining £393 that I am out of pocket. They have turned down my claim, stating that as the car is out of warranty there is nothing they are prepared to do and they consider that they have been more than generous in paying for the parts. My argument is that a turbo should not have failed on a car with such low mileage that has been serviced correctly at the right times. Under the Sale of Goods Act I believe I have a case to sue them for the recovery of this money because the life expectancy of the component has, in my opinion, not been reached by any means.
Due to Volkswagen UK's attitude, I have lost confidence in the brand.
Has anyone else had a turbo failure, especially at low mileage?
TURBO FAILURE
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