Stealership Service Department - Advice Needed

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Nick1994

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As many of you may know, I had the flywheel replaced on the Beetle last year. Here's my dilemma, and I'll try to keep t short and simple.

The Beetle was previously serviced its entire life at Berge VW with the same service advisor. He told me that the flywheel was bad (VERY distinct chattering noise) and needed replacement. By the time I got around to having it replaced, he switched over to another dealership, Chapman VW. I decided to take the car there to keep the same service advisor (nice guy, doesn't upsell). I had the flywheel replaced for about $1,700-$1,800. It was dead silent, no chattering, and all was well for 2 months and 2,600 miles. One day the flywheel chapter noise came back (like I said, VERY distinct noise). I brought the car back and they diagnosed it as a bad flywheel again, that it was defective and had a broken spring. I received the car back as it still made the same noise. It has gotten louder and I decided to take it to anther dealership, Camelback VW. The service advisor says I need to sign a paper that, if during the diagnosis of the sound, they need to remove the transmission to see the flywheel and see if it passes their visual test. About $800 in labor if they say that isn't the problem.

My issue: They didn't need to remove the transmission in the first place to diagnose the issue, and we're more than happy to take my $1,800. Now when the repair is on their dime, I might have to pay $800 in labor if they decide to tell me the flywheel isn't bad.

Chapman VW says the sound "must be" the "Mechatronics" in the transmission making the noise. While buying parts recently from Chapman VW I spoke to the parts department guy (former mechanic) and even he said that's bologna, I spoke to a different service advisor at Camelback VW and he said it was bologna, and I also spoke to an independent repair shop German Motors and they said that was bologna.

If this were the problem, then WHY did the sound completely go away for 2 months? I mean it was dead silent. To me, it almost seems like a scam since they were so eager to take my money, but don't want to do the right thing and look at my car. The 12,000 mile warranty will be up in 1,500 miles which is only maybe a month for me.

I have also been told by the service advisor at Berge VW and Camelback VW, as well as the parts department guy that "you wouldn't believe how many parts come in from VW and are defective right off the bat".

My fear is that the flywheel will fly apart and cause catastrophic damage to the engine and transmission (which is what happens when these flywheels go bad) and it won't be under warranty.

I have called and left a message with the service department manager at Chapman VW and am waiting for a call back.

Any other advice for me to pursue this further? Thanks.
 
Hmm, I would seek advice on a VW forum as to the exact problem(s) / solution.
It could get very expensive very quickly.

Your VW is 12 years old, are you willing to put more $$$ into the car ?
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
..The 12,000 mile warranty will be up in 1,500 miles which is only maybe a month for me..

Reads to me like their original diagnosis, parts, and labor should cover its now-recurring issue. Good luck!
 
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Hmm, I would seek advice on a VW forum as to the exact problem(s) / solution.
It could get very expensive very quickly.

Your VW is 12 years old, are you willing to put more $$$ into the car ?

I know the issue is the flywheel, it's extremely common on these cars. I am not willing to spend $800 for them to pull the transmission to diagnose it and have some bozo tech think the flywheel is fine or they just don't want to cough up the dough and do the right thing. I'm a college student and I'd rather not spend $800 on gambling what they decide to diagnose the issue as.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I decided to take it to another dealership, Camelback VW.

Dont ever take a car to a dealer named Camelback or else you'll taken for a ride.
27.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
As many of you may know, I had the flywheel replaced on the Beetle last year. Here's my dilemma, and I'll try to keep t short and simple.

The Beetle was previously serviced its entire life at Berge VW with the same service advisor. He told me that the flywheel was bad (VERY distinct chattering noise) and needed replacement. By the time I got around to having it replaced, he switched over to another dealership, Chapman VW. I decided to take the car there to keep the same service advisor (nice guy, doesn't upsell). I had the flywheel replaced for about $1,700-$1,800. It was dead silent, no chattering, and all was well for 2 months and 2,600 miles. One day the flywheel chapter noise came back (like I said, VERY distinct noise). I brought the car back and they diagnosed it as a bad flywheel again, that it was defective and had a broken spring. I received the car back as it still made the same noise. It has gotten louder and I decided to take it to anther dealership, Camelback VW. The service advisor says I need to sign a paper that, if during the diagnosis of the sound, they need to remove the transmission to see the flywheel and see if it passes their visual test. About $800 in labor if they say that isn't the problem.

My issue: They didn't need to remove the transmission in the first place to diagnose the issue, and we're more than happy to take my $1,800. Now when the repair is on their dime, I might have to pay $800 in labor if they decide to tell me the flywheel isn't bad.

Chapman VW says the sound "must be" the "Mechatronics" in the transmission making the noise. While buying parts recently from Chapman VW I spoke to the parts department guy (former mechanic) and even he said that's bologna, I spoke to a different service advisor at Camelback VW and he said it was bologna, and I also spoke to an independent repair shop German Motors and they said that was bologna.

If this were the problem, then WHY did the sound completely go away for 2 months? I mean it was dead silent. To me, it almost seems like a scam since they were so eager to take my money, but don't want to do the right thing and look at my car. The 12,000 mile warranty will be up in 1,500 miles which is only maybe a month for me.

I have also been told by the service advisor at Berge VW and Camelback VW, as well as the parts department guy that "you wouldn't believe how many parts come in from VW and are defective right off the bat".

My fear is that the flywheel will fly apart and cause catastrophic damage to the engine and transmission (which is what happens when these flywheels go bad) and it won't be under warranty.

I have called and left a message with the service department manager at Chapman VW and am waiting for a call back.

Any other advice for me to pursue this further? Thanks.


I would contact VW corporate and explain your delema. If they have any reason to believe its a transmission problem they should cover the labor on their dime IMO. This is off topic, but why did you sell your Camry again?
 
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
As many of you may know, I had the flywheel replaced on the Beetle last year. Here's my dilemma, and I'll try to keep t short and simple.

The Beetle was previously serviced its entire life at Berge VW with the same service advisor. He told me that the flywheel was bad (VERY distinct chattering noise) and needed replacement. By the time I got around to having it replaced, he switched over to another dealership, Chapman VW. I decided to take the car there to keep the same service advisor (nice guy, doesn't upsell). I had the flywheel replaced for about $1,700-$1,800. It was dead silent, no chattering, and all was well for 2 months and 2,600 miles. One day the flywheel chapter noise came back (like I said, VERY distinct noise). I brought the car back and they diagnosed it as a bad flywheel again, that it was defective and had a broken spring. I received the car back as it still made the same noise. It has gotten louder and I decided to take it to anther dealership, Camelback VW. The service advisor says I need to sign a paper that, if during the diagnosis of the sound, they need to remove the transmission to see the flywheel and see if it passes their visual test. About $800 in labor if they say that isn't the problem.

My issue: They didn't need to remove the transmission in the first place to diagnose the issue, and we're more than happy to take my $1,800. Now when the repair is on their dime, I might have to pay $800 in labor if they decide to tell me the flywheel isn't bad.

Chapman VW says the sound "must be" the "Mechatronics" in the transmission making the noise. While buying parts recently from Chapman VW I spoke to the parts department guy (former mechanic) and even he said that's bologna, I spoke to a different service advisor at Camelback VW and he said it was bologna, and I also spoke to an independent repair shop German Motors and they said that was bologna.

If this were the problem, then WHY did the sound completely go away for 2 months? I mean it was dead silent. To me, it almost seems like a scam since they were so eager to take my money, but don't want to do the right thing and look at my car. The 12,000 mile warranty will be up in 1,500 miles which is only maybe a month for me.

I have also been told by the service advisor at Berge VW and Camelback VW, as well as the parts department guy that "you wouldn't believe how many parts come in from VW and are defective right off the bat".

My fear is that the flywheel will fly apart and cause catastrophic damage to the engine and transmission (which is what happens when these flywheels go bad) and it won't be under warranty.

I have called and left a message with the service department manager at Chapman VW and am waiting for a call back.

Any other advice for me to pursue this further? Thanks.


I would contact VW corporate and explain your delema. If they have any reason to believe its a transmission problem they should cover the labor on their dime IMO. This is off topic, but why did you sell your Camry again?
I forgot to mention I have previously contacted VW customer care corporate and they didn't really have anything to tell me, just to work it out with the dealer. The Camry had a hard shifting transmission and a dying A/C compressor and a what I believe was a bad catalytic converter. It also needed new rear control arms.

The flywheel isn't a transmission part, the transmission just has to come out to get to it.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Warstud
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I decided to take it to another dealership, Camelback VW.

Dont ever take a car to a dealer named Camelback or else you'll taken for a ride.
27.gif

Lol. The only reason I had a dealership do it and not an independent shop was for a good warranty, which obviously they don't stand by.
 
Nick,

If the flywheel was a known problem (and very expensive) in these cars, it was basically an hour glass running out of sand. You should have avoided. Hopefully they will warranty their parts/labor and you won't have to spend the $800.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994


Any other advice for me to pursue this further? Thanks.


Agreed with the others here. Contact VWoA and have them
open up a trouble ticket. VWoA can
apply the right pressure to force the dealer to make thing right, don't let up call VWoA back, and tell them that how this is handled will determine if you will purchase another new VW in the future. Fact is that the problem they supposedly repaired came back BEFORE the warranty expired, MAKE SURE YOU GET THE PROBLEM DOCUMENTED in writing on your Repair Order, and also have your favorites service writer enter it into their computer system.

The dealer that made the repair needs to correctly diagnose the issue and implement the necessary service to the unit to make it perform correctly as well.

I would also contact the service manager and dealer principal with your issue and you want the correct service to be done.
 
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They must smell a sucker. Not saying you are one, but they're just trying it out.

Take it back where you had the work done (is the warranty through the dealer or VW?) and demand that they fix it. Sign nothing authorizing money, give them the keys, and tell them to get to work.
 
If you paid for a repair at a dealership and the part is warranted by vw the repair should be covered at any dealership.
Take it elsewhere and have it fixed.
 
Stupid idea those dual mass flywheels.Just something else to go wrong and chop peoples legs off when they explode.Every day I am more and more reminded that the 1990s are when the stupid factor in cars came into being,and that buying a 1980s vehicle is the smartest move anybody could make.
 
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Stupid idea those dual mass flywheels.Just something else to go wrong and chop peoples legs off when they explode.Every day I am more and more reminded that the 1990s are when the stupid factor in cars came into being,and that buying a 1980s vehicle is the smartest move anybody could make.


The car makers got even greedier and realize that creating more complex critical parts can result in them making a killing one way or another, either you pay through the nose for the repair, or you buy a new car. Both very expensive propositions.

Definitely think that the cut off for this nonsense was around the mid-late 90s after that the extreme screw factor comes into play.
 
Ok here's an update. The service manager of Chapman VW called, seems like a nice guy, and he set up an appointment for me on Monday and won't charge me a diagnostics fee. Hopefully I can get this sorted out, and I'll update this again with what will happen next.

Thanks guys!
 
Originally Posted By: wemay
thumbsup2.gif
Good luck Nick, you have been through enough with this...
Thanks, yeah I know. Maybe they think I like having my car fixed and WANT my transmission pulled for the 3rd time, lol.
 
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