Mk6 Needs a New £6000 Engine!! Timing Chain Strikes Again??

[JPHoey]

Hey everyone, my first time posting. Although a catastrophic problem I'll try to be brief.

Two weeks ago the engine on my 2009 Golf Gti Mk6 died. I took it to my usual VW dealership who informed me that the Intake Manifold was damaged. I received the part as 'goodwill', but still had to fork out £320 for labour etc.

Five days after getting the car back I'm doing 60 on a 60 road when the engine dies again! Cue me at 10pm at night standing in the middle of a pitch-black field waiting for the AA!!

So ... back to the VW dealership the next morning. After some investigating they find that my Oil Return Valve was responsible, causing damage to the Timing Chain and in turn goosing the engine! The dealership admitted that this is rare, especially in a car that's only done 65,000 miles. They're now holding my car hostage until I part with £6000 + approx 20h labour!!

I've contacted VW themselves and they are now liaising with the dealership regarding possible 'goodwill'. No word yet, but not looking promising.

Here's the thing ... I don't have £6000. I've just bought a new house and we're expecting our first child! And even if I did have £6000 I'm not sure I'd part with it on principle. I owned a Golf GTi Mk2 for years and we bought the Mk6 for its quality and reliability, expecting to have it for the next ten years at least. Worst is, we have a year left to pay on it! Totally can't believe this has happened, I'm gutted and surprised in equal measure - especially when I have done everything right with it (taken it to the VW dealership for every Service, MOT, oil change, the lot ...). I honestly feel cheated ... you don't expect to part with £23,000 for a supposed top-notch car to have it not road worthy in less than 3 1/2 years of owning (we purchased in late 2010). I've friends who paid a couple of grand back then for a car and they're still running fine.

So my questions are:
- Has anyone else encountered this problem?
- Am I really having the worst luck in the world or could this Oil Return Valve problem have been picked up beforehand, say when the Intake Manifold was replace 5 days earlier?
- Does anyone know if work done to the Intake Manifold could have had a bearing on the Oil Return Valve?

Any help would be great as I know next to nothing about cars.
Thanks,

JP

[Mattyj]

Did you buy the car new? These newer cars are more trouble than they are worth my dpf went soon after i got mine :-(

[JPHoey]

I bought it in Sep 2010 from a VW dealership in Leeds. The car had one owner who bought it new the year before.

JP

[Mattyj]

That is awful news mate i'm genuinely gutted for you vw don't care about a car or person once they are the door

[Rhyso]

Get on to Trading Standards.

Even though you are out of warranty, there is no way an engine should be failing at this age (unless youve screwed the sh!t out of it!) and you should not be footing the bill

[charlie]

Just what you need chap new house baby on the way there is a thread on here all about timing chain issues also go on parkway vw site they have a gti for sale with a new engine so I think your dealership is talking out of there arse when they say it is very unusual for a engine failure in some of there cars it's a design fault vw should pay every penny towards repairs I just hope I never have these issues hope you get it sorted

[Mattyj]

Just what you need chap new house baby on the way there is a thread on here all about timing chain issues also go on parkway vw site they have a gti for sale with a new engine so I think your dealership is talking out of there arse when they say it is very unusual for a engine failure in some of there cars it's a design fault vw should pay every penny towards repairs I just hope I never have these issues hope you get it sorted

I think they ment regards the oil return valve

[charlie]

I'm no mechanic but isn't this the problem with the timing chain in the first place ie a lack of oil pressure that creates the slipping of the chain

[Mattyj]

I'm no mechanic but isn't this the problem with the timing chain in the first place ie a lack of oil pressure that creates the slipping of the chain

Not from what i read the tensioner is getting stuck and allowing the belt to jump a tooth or two

[Wayne]

No way on this earth should a modern engine fail @ 65k, as Rhys said speak to trading standards and stand your ground.

Or speak to What car magazine they have a section for help and advice with car problems