Author Topic: Wing rust/corrosion warranty  (Read 2924 times)

Offline Borbus

  • Not said much yet
  • **
  • Posts: 91
Wing rust/corrosion warranty
« on: 15 February 2022, 11:16 »
Just some info for some people out there who have a Mk6 which is (supposedly) still under a 12 year corrosion warranty.

In case you're not aware, the wings of several VWs from Mk5 Golf onwards (including Passats too) suffer from rust which is caused by a sound deadening sponge inside the wing that rubs and holds water behind the panel. It seems that unless this sponge is removed, rust is pretty much a certainty eventually.

If you check the service book you will see there are two warranties: a 3 year paint defect warranty and a 12 year "perforation" warranty. Basically VW are saying that the wing issue comes under the paint warranty not the perforation warranty. This is because the sponge rubs away the paint which causes the corrosion, apparently.

However, since they are "aware of the issue" they have extended the warranty for this particular paint issue to 10 years. There will be some Mk6s still under 10 years so I would say if you notice any signs of bubbling at all, claim on the warranty now.

Mine is approaching 12 years so no luck for me. I've decided not to waste any more time on pursuing it (I will address the rust myself). Apparently even VW specialists haven't been able to get this issue covered under warranty after 10 years.
2010 Mk6 GTI

Offline Snoopy

  • Moderator
  • Serious forum addict
  • *****
  • Posts: 7,733
  • A.K.A. Geoff.
Re: Wing rust/corrosion warranty
« Reply #1 on: 15 February 2022, 12:25 »
Was also a mk4 issue and cars based on that platform also an issue on most VW based platforms from late 90s onwards. Polo/ibiza, passat etc You would think they would have done something about its design flaw of using open cell foam by now.
« Last Edit: 15 February 2022, 12:27 by Snoopy »
Mk6 GTI  &  Mk1 GTI 
34 years of GTI ownership.

Offline Borbus

  • Not said much yet
  • **
  • Posts: 91
Re: Wing rust/corrosion warranty
« Reply #2 on: 15 February 2022, 18:28 »
Quite honestly I think the reason is they know how much it cost them in warranty claims in the past and it wasn't enough for them to care. The 12 year warranty started to bite, though, so they just reduced it and came up with a clever way to make it seem like they're actually doing you a favour.

Lesson learnt is don't trust VW warranties. If there turns out to be an engineering fault they'll find a clever way to weasel out or make you pay anyway.
2010 Mk6 GTI

Offline dubber36

  • Forum addict
  • *
  • Posts: 5,536
Re: Wing rust/corrosion warranty
« Reply #3 on: 16 February 2022, 08:46 »
I had a wing replaced on a B5.5 Passat because of this. The other wing was starting to show signs, but they wouldn't replace it as it had been painted before, despite me having the car from 3 months old.

This was a big topic on the Passat forum at the time. Many cars were around the 10 year old mark and had had some sort of previous bodywork repair, so were refused. One I remember had a door repaired and the paint blended into the wing. Because of this, the paint was too thick on the wing and the claim was rejected.
Red Mk6 gone replaced with a white Mk7 which has gone too. Green Mk2 here to stay.

Offline SRGTD

  • I live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 3,531
Re: Wing rust/corrosion warranty
« Reply #4 on: 16 February 2022, 09:39 »
I seem to remember that in addition to the sponge support blocks inside the front wings causing corrosion, the edge of the front wheel arch liners rubbing against the inside of the wheel arch flange and removing the paint was also a potential cause of rust - it certainly was on the mk5 Golf.

VW’s response in many instances was that the corrosion wasn’t covered under the 12 year corrosion warranty as it was a ‘Mechanical Defect' caused by the wheel arch liner rubbing the arch! I think some owners did get the repairs covered under warranty, or got a goodwill contribution towards the cost of repairs.
2020 Polo GTI Plus; Pure White, DSG (because they all are)
Gone but not forgotten;
2016 Polo GTI; Blue Silk
2011 mk6 Golf GTD; Carbon Grey
2007 mk5 Golf GT (2.0 170bhp TDI version); Deep Black Pearl
2002  mk4 Golf GTI (the 150 bhp diesel version); Deep Black Pearl