Help me diagnose this check engine light error.

[woofy]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing. I can barely spare the time to have any of my cars off the road.

[Mysticality]

why don't you get the manifold fixed while its having the transmission done. why go back and have the car off the road for longer? youll only have to wait for them to order the parts and receive it.

Because the tech wants to flash it back to stock to do the diagnosis (who knows why) and that means I need a 4wd+trailer/tow truck to get it tuned again. No DPF in the pipe work = CEL = cuts boost

[woofy]

Oh didn't realised you had the DPF cut out. That's quite a big no no, surprised you found someone dodgy enough to do it. How does it pass the NSW rego inspections each year?

[brad]

Oh didn't realised you had the DPF cut out. That's quite a big no no, surprised you found someone dodgy enough to do it. How does it pass the NSW rego inspections each year?

They probably don't look.

My rego inspection this year consisted of a guy in a hurry checking half my lights (he only stood at the back). He did a reprint of somebody elses brake test. Didn't lift the bonnet, didn't drive the car.

He did try & knock back my tyres for edge wear. I told him they weren't illegal yet. He said they would be soon. I said he's checking the car for today, not 3 months down the track and that I'd change them when needed. He passed the car. I checked the edges when I got home & they had 3.5mm tread left. Minimum is 1.5mm. What a joke. (and I think he might have charged me more than the schedule fee as well).

It doesn't worry me because I'm anal about looking after the car / my safety but this was in Cambelltown and there are plenty of really crap cars around here that are driven by people that don't care / can't afford to care.

Next year I'll go back to the place I had it done in 2013 - they put the car on the hoist & had a good look around.

[drc13]

OK guys need some advice ASAP if possible.

Just had it looked at by Peter Warren Skoda at Warwick Farm and they have quoted me $1172 to fix the intake manifold fault (apparently the $170ish inspection fee comes off this if I go ahead). When I asked about good will warranty I was quickly cut down as it is "way" out of warranty.

What are my options here?

Is this something I could get repaired significantly cheaper by getting the work done away from the dealership?

Have to get back to them with an answer within a couple of hours so any advice is appreciated.

Cheers

P.S During my reading I read something about the ECU may be flashed during the repair process. Am I going to need to obtain a new stage 1 tune off bluefin before I reflash it or is that irrelevant?

[brad]

OK guys need some advice ASAP if possible.

Just had it looked at by Peter Warren Skoda at Warwick Farm and they have quoted me $1172 to fix the intake manifold fault (apparently the $170ish inspection fee comes off this if I go ahead). When I asked about good will warranty I was quickly cut down as it is "way" out of warranty.

What are my options here?

It's not Peter Warren's call if it's a goodwill job or not. That's up to Skoda Australia. Time to start documenting & getting all the ducks in a row. You have statutory warranty rights under ACCC laws. That is "An item should last for a period of time as expected by a reasonable person".

1) Ask Peter Warren if they will make a goodwill submission to Skoda on your behalf. The warranty period is irrelevant.
2) If PW refuse then contact Skoda Customer Service direct. Ask them to create a case file.
Mention that this is a known issue. I think it's TSB 2019394/1 or possibly TSB #TB-01-11-25 but don't quote me as there appear to be dozens of TSBs on the Inlet Manifold Runner Control Motor & Position Sensor.
Ask them why this is covered under a 120,000MILE warranty in North America & not in Australia.

It will take a week or two to sort out so go & pick up your car & take it to the snow. No damage to your vehicle will result. If VW don't come to the party you can shop around for a good independant to do the job.

I had similar issues with an N75 Valve. I was a week out of warranty & the dealership flat-out refused to go into bat for me because I wasn't a regular customer. Direct dealing with Skoda Customer Service sorted it out.

Is this something I could get repaired significantly cheaper by getting the work done away from the dealership?

It depends. Certainly the part is cheaper from OS than direct from VW. Supply your own part & warranty is out the window though, so you have to weigh up if it's worth it.

When my independant guy does stuff like this, his qualified tech works on it, not the apprentice, so even if the $$$ are the same I think the independant does a better job.

Have to get back to them with an answer within a couple of hours so any advice is appreciated.

Tell them to leave it & as you wish to take it up with Skoda Customer Service

P.S During my reading I read something about the ECU may be flashed during the repair process. Am I going to need to obtain a new stage 1 tune off bluefin before I reflash it or is that irrelevant?

Just plug your Bluefin controller back in & reload the Bluefin map.

[drc13]

Time to start documenting & getting all the ducks in a row. You have statutory warranty rights under ACCC laws. That is "An item should last for a period of time as expected by a reasonable person".

Hi Brad,

Thank you so much for the very detailed answer I think I'm going to go down this route!

Interestingly enough I just got off the phone with my father who has just been at VW with a Golf TDI with 75,000km on the clock and guess what it has an engine light which points towards the intake manifold!

Ok so just to make sure I'm getting the process correct.

I will head back to PW and pickup my car (paying the $176 inspection fee) while there I ask them to lodge a case for warranty coverage with Skoda Australia before proceeding with any further repairs. If they refuse I will have to contact Skoda directly and decide how to proceed from there?

Thanks again

[brad]

Yes, as above.

It's not warranty, it's goodwill. One implies an admission of failure & liability, the other a gesture in order to cement a fine and ongoing business relationship

[vEnOm_oz]

I'm surprised how each state set their own law pertaining to safety checks. As far as I'm aware there is no such check in Victoria unless the car is being sold or re-registered or been issued with a notice of unroadworthiness. I personally think it is a good idea to have a mandatory safety check on cars after a certain age.

Oh didn't realised you had the DPF cut out. That's quite a big no no, surprised you found someone dodgy enough to do it. How does it pass the NSW rego inspections each year?

[woofy]

Do exactly what Brad said, especially if you have had the car serviced there the whole time. We had a $500 ($100job in the UK) covered at 5 yrs old for the diverted valve as it was a known issue with heaps of TBs. you are barely out of warranty so what a crap dealer to fob it off so fast.

Also on that note Brad said it's about time we got the same DSG warranties etc the rest of the world get.