3rd HPFP replacement at 65,000 miles

I have a 2013 Golf TDI that I bought brand new.

Since then, the HPFP has had to be replaced three times.

The first time was at about 10500 miles. They never gave me an explanation on why this happened and couldn't tell me how the problem could be prevented. This new fuel pump whined almost constantly and was definitely an annoyance.

The second time was at 48000 miles. This time the alternator went out with the fuel pump and one of the belts (I think the timing belt) was completely shredded and went through the fuel system. The whole fuel system had to be replaced.

The third time was at 65000 miles. The car is currently in the shop for this replacement. Fuel was apparently leaking from the fuel pump and causing problems. It must have been very recent because I haven't seen any fuel spots beneath where I park my car. They said the timing belt is likely off as well. Could be looking at a cylinder head replacement due to complications from this, and they even mentioned possibly replacing the engine.

Incredibly grateful that I went for a good 125,000 mile warranty as it looks like this will be covered. Still, this has resulted in never feeling completely safe driving this car. I never know when or where this is going to happen.

I always make sure to get my diesel from high-turnover stations. It's usually from a well-trafficked Stripes down the road or from Shell or Exxon in downtown Houston. That being said, none of these HPFP failures were deemed to be a result of fuel-contamination or low-quality fuel. In fact, no explanation was given by either dealership on why this is happening or how it can be prevented.

If any of you are interested I'll do what I can to get a full report from the dealerships for each event.

There is something else wrong with the car causing the fuel pumps to fail, and the dealership didn't want to devote the time and effort to properly troubleshoot. They're a business and they don't have time to delve into mechanical problems like this. They just replace parts.

They don't know why it happened and they're not interested in finding out why either. You probably have a manufacturing defect somewhere. Replacing the engine might make the whole problem disappear!

Holy crap you need to find a new dealer to go to.

1st pump may have just been HPFP grenade, but the second pump should not have been any louder than the first. I don't hear any whining from my pump.

The explanation that a belt or two shredded and ended up in your fuel system seems ludacris, and maybe impossible? I am no mechanic but the fuel system is sealed.

This last one, a leaking HPFP, unusual but I guess possible. It may have been an installation error made by the dealer. And what it leaked onto the timing belt causing it to slip and damage the engine? That must have been a substantial leak. Good thing for you it is covered.

Have you heard about our lord and savior CP3?

elitegunslinger said:

Have you heard about our lord and savior CP3?

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or maybe not "CP3" but 2micron.

sorry about your problems OP, hope the dealership works it out, but a shredding belt going "into" your engine sounds comical at best. (of coarse there are many on this forum smarter than I and if they disagree, TRUST THEM.)

sounds like your dealer does NOT know how to do the repair as specified.

waltzconmigo said:

or maybe not "CP3" but 2micron.

sorry about your problems OP, hope the dealership works it out, but a shredding belt going "into" your engine sounds comical at best. (of coarse there are many on this forum smarter than I and if they disagree, TRUST THEM.)

sounds like your dealer does NOT know how to do the repair as specified.

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Our lord and savior 2micron who gave his only son CP3 to the world to absolve VW of their HPFP sins but could not save them from the hell which is the EPA.

hey elite---been a few years since we exchanged messages but I love your new "preacher" tone. keep it up, makes me

elite---is your reference to 4 months and 6 days about your wait for the "tune"? if so, that thread needs a link in your sig.

I would investigate Texas lemon laws. Either the dealer is completely incompetent or there is a serious problem with this engine (or both). One failure could be attributed to poor quality control/production variance, but 3 failures in 65k miles is clearly a serious problem.

waltzconmigo said:

hey elite---been a few years since we exchanged messages but I love your new "preacher" tone. keep it up, makes me

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It has been a while, lmao thanks

waltzconmigo said:

elite---is your reference to 4 months and 6 days about your wait for the "tune"? if so, that thread needs a link in your sig.

Click to expand...

Of course, what other event could be so long as an HPA custom tune! I don't which page to start on lol, I guess where I got the Routan...

Sounds like the installing dealership doesn't know what they're doing to me.

Lemon laws are usually at lower mileage and the dealer has to be given time to repair the vehicle, which they have. That it dies later is of no consequence since at the time after the repair the vehicle is 'fixed'.

elitegunslinger said:

Our lord and savior 2micron who gave his only son CP3 to the world to absolve VW of their HPFP sins but could not save them from the hell which is the EPA.

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Which VW chose to step into according to reports.
Still Hell none the less.

That's too bad. That's one thing that I'll say about cars...you either get a good one or you don't. If you didn't get a good one, you tend to find out in short order.. i.e. My brothers '13 Passat TDI (they got theirs shortly after I got my Jetta). Their Passat would just spontaneously shut off while driving down the road. They took it into the dealer multiple times and they could never find anything wrong. They ended up getting rid of it with x < 20k miles as it was literally not safe to operate.

golfTDIdude said:

I have a 2013 Golf TDI that I bought brand new.

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CONGRATS! You may qualify for Lemon Law. Every state differs but Texas is as follows:

http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/automotive-law/lemon-law.php

Definition of a "Lemon" in Texas
A vehicle is defined as a lemon in Texas by a few different standards. These include:

• The overall number of repair attempts for the same defect.
• Whether the defect has led to the vehicle going out of service for a significant period.
• Whether the defect creates a serious safety hazard.

4 Times Test

Usually, you will have to prove that there were 4 attempts to fix a problem in the space of 2 years:

• 2 attempts within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles
• 2 attempts more after the second failed attempt during the next 12 months or 12,000 miles

30 Day Test

Your vehicle may also qualify as a lemon if:

• It has been out of service for a cumulative total of 30 days or more during the first 2 years or 24,000 miles.
  AND
• There was a minimum of 2 attempts to repair in the first 12 months (or 12,000 miles) yet the problem is unresolved.
  AND
• The dealer did not provide a loaner vehicle during the time your car was out of service.

Serious Safety Hazard Test

A serious safety hazard is a defect in your car that both threatens your life and drastically impedes the ability to operate your vehicle in a normal manner, or substantially increases the risk of a vehicle fire or explosion.
Your vehicle qualifies under the Serious Safety Hazard Test if:

• You took your car in for service 1 time during first 12 months or 12,000 miles.
  AND
• 1 additional time during the 12 months or 12,000 miles following the primary repair attempt.
  AND
• The problem is still unresolved.

Time Limits



Timing is important in Lemon Law cases. You must file within 6 months of the earliest of these conditions:

• Expiration of the warranty.
• 2 years from delivery date.
• 24,000 miles clocked from when it was first delivered.

After these time limits, the Texas Lemon Law no longer applies, even if the problems began well before the above timeline points. You may still be able to get recourse from the manufacturer, but the State of Texas is out of the picture as far as the Lemon Law goes

How to File a Texas Lemon Law Claim
The simplest way to file a Texas Lemon Law claim with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is to fill out the official Lemon Law Complaint form (Form ENF-140). There is a $35 fee to file a complaint. Among other things, the form asks for the following information―you can see why it's so important to keep diligent records:

• Type of warranty coverage.
• Name and address of the dealer or other person you bought or leased the vehicle from. Include the name and address of the current lessor, if there is one.
• Date of delivery of the vehicle to the original owner.
• Vehicle mileage when you bought or leased it, mileage when problems were first reported, the name of the dealer or manufacturer's agent you first reported the problems to, and the car's current mileage.
• List of existing problems including their history, repair attempts, and the date and mileage of each repair. Provide copies of repair orders if you can.
• Date on which you notified the manufacturer in writing of your complaint (see below), and the date the manufacturer inspected the vehicle (if they did) and the results.

NOTE: If you just want repairs, rather than a refund or replacement, you don't have to include the $35 fee with the complaint form―and you will send your claim to a different address (noted on the last page of the form). But if you want a replacement or repurchase by the manufacturer, you must include the $35 fee. If you're not sure yet what you want, you may as well send the fee in case you decide later to go for a refund or replacement.

Wow, Either you had a really bad run of luck, or got a lemon. I had a similar fuel leak from the filter but luckily smelled it and brought my vehicle back to my TDI guru for a fix. Thankfully there was no damage done. I didn't buy the long-term warranty like you did, maybe I should have, especially with these cars...