My wife's car was returned after some extensive after sales and remedial work yesterday which was not solely about rectifying this timing chain related fault.
However, this post is specific to this timing chain thread and is an interesting outcome that should hopefully assist others who have active VW approved warrantied cars in the future, or in fact others who have bought cars from any UK motor trader because within the first 6 months of ownership, you do have clear rights as provided by the Sale of Goods Act.
Since buying the car in March, I repeatedly reported concerns to the selling dealership that there was timing chain rattle on start up. I was repeatedly told that there was nothing wrong with this aspect of the car. My understanding is that the fault denials were based purely upon their listening to the car starting and deciding nothing was wrong. As you will read, plugging the car into the VW diagnostic would not have assisted with diagnosis anyway.
I, justifiably, complained beyond the selling dealership, to Director level of what is a large UK wide group. My complaints about this and many other genuine issues were immediately taken seriously, gripped and acted upon. The car was recovered to another group dealership. I supplied - as I had done with the selling dealership - video footage of the obviously unhealthy noise on start up.
The appointed resolving dealership set to work on the car without fuss and this is what their final report says of the timing chain issue on this particular car:
"Investigated clattering noise on start up. Confirmed noise heard from timing chain area, carried out guided fault find and no faults logged. Referred to VW technical and relevant technical product information related to same issue described. Removed rubber plug from [timing] chain cover and upon inspection, found visually that the timing chain does require replacing, along with the tensioner. Also found top oil gallery housing for top timing gears had come out due to ball bearing. Re-fit parts as required and carried out 2nd guided fault find test, no faults logged..."
Thanks to this original thread created by Rocket Ross and much appreciated direct support offered from Ross, I was able to speak about this fault from an informed position and was even able to supply the dealership with the list of parts and VW part numbers that I thought would need to be changed. In fact, more parts than just the tensioner needed to be replaced, including the actual timing chain, as reported above.
Not only did the resolving dealership carry out these repairs, they kept the car for some time after that even going to the length of wanting to leave it sitting idle for several days so that all of the oil would drain away before starting the car again to determine if that would replicate any start up clatter concerns etc.
This repair, at no cost to me, has been VW parts and labour warrantied for 2 years.
Early days as the car has only just been returned but my wife commented immediately that the start up sounds much more crisp, clean, quiet and smooth (a good way to describe the noise before the parts were replaced would be that with the bonnet up and putting your ear towards the left hand side of the engine bay on start up, it was incredibly noisy and you might think you were listening to a diesel engined car).
Don't be fobbed off with anything if you genuinely believe there's a problem that you are entitled to be given assistance with. Keep calm, do your homework and as opposed to ranting, politely articulate your concerns in writing, give the obvious people the opportunity to make good and if problems persist then progressively escalate your concerns - for example to Service Managers, After Sales Managers, Brand Managers/ Dealer Principals, Director level - until you are given a meaningful response.
** When reporting concerns or complaints in writing there is no need to traditionally post communications via Recorded Delivery etc. If you have the relevant person's email address, then email provides a perfectly good and auditable means of 'having things in writing'. Email can also generate a quicker response than traditional mailing. Email also makes it easier and quicker for the recipient to share, disseminate and delegate the issues for expedient resolution. **
Thanks to the forum, to Rocket Ross and to those professionals who were committed to properly resolving this issue.