Why I do MY OWN service..unless Federally mandated

bustNfuel

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2002
Location
Raleigh, NC
TDI
Sold: 13 Passat SEL TDI
I had my Passat at Leith VW in Raleigh NC for the emissions software and snow flap recall back in July.

Today I went to check my oil and found the airbox screws were ALL loose and the top of the airbox lid was just up there flopping around, allowing unfiltered air to enter my engine for the past 1,800 miles. Nice, Mr. VW Service Tech!

http://pics.tdiclub.com/showphoto.php?photo=124558&title=all-of-the-airbox-screws-were-loose-and-lid-was-unsecured&cat=6853

On my previous VW Jetta, a service tech forgot to reinstall the brake fluid cap on the reservoir after doing the 'brake fluid flush'. Fortunately I found that fubar right after I got home.

Lesson learned? Always ALWAYS do a pre-check of their work!!! It should not be necessary though, but I cannot trust ANYONE to work on my stuff as these are just two examples of oversights that I've had to deal with when someone else works on my vehicles over the past 40 years.

I'm in the airline industry and oversights can KILL and typically result in NTSB and FAA intervention. I ___CANNOT___ accept oversights in my PROFESSIONAL life, and I do not accept them in my PERSONAL life!!!!

So far, trying to contact the Service Manager and General Managers have resulted in, 'he's not in today, let me transfer you to his voicemail'. UGH.
 
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aja8888

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Location
Texas..RETIRED 12/31/17
TDI
Out of TDI's
I had my Passat at Leith VW in Raleigh NC for the emissions software and snow flap recall back in July.

Today I went to check my oil and found the airbox screws were ALL loose and the top of the airbox lid was just up there flopping around, allowing unfiltered air to enter my engine for the past 1,800 miles. Nice, Mr. VW Service Tech!

http://pics.tdiclub.com/showphoto.php?photo=124550&title=dirt-in-clean-side-of-airbox&cat=500

On my previous VW Jetta, a service tech forgot to reinstall the brake fluid cap on the reservoir after doing the 'brake fluid flush'. Fortunately I found that fubar right after I got home.

Lesson learned? Always ALWAYS do a pre-check of their work!!! It should not be necessary though, but I cannot trust ANYONE to work on my stuff as these are just two examples of oversights that I've had to deal with when someone else works on my vehicles over the past 40 years.

I'm in the airline industry and oversights can KILL and typically result in NTSB and FAA intervention. I ___CANNOT___ accept oversights in my PROFESSIONAL life, and I do not accept them in my PERSONAL life!!!!

So far, trying to contact the Service Manager and General Managers have resulted in, 'he's not in today, let me transfer you to his voicemail'. UGH.
Write the General Manager a letter and send it certified return receipt.
 

3fordasho

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 15, 2012
Location
Southern MN
TDI
15 Passat 6M
Yep, pretty much the level of service I received from a Ford dealer on recall work, one car had to go back 2 or 3 times to get if right and the original recall work was pretty simple to begin with. As far as I know the worst my local VW dealer has done is to leave off some of the engine bottom cover fasteners.

On some of these higher volume recalls they hire additional help so it's not even their standard techs working on recalls. The quality of this additional help is usually pretty sub-par.

I typically fell better about the car after the free maintenance and even warranty is up so I am the only one touching it.


I had my Passat at Leith VW in Raleigh NC for the emissions software and snow flap recall back in July.

Today I went to check my oil and found the airbox screws were ALL loose and the top of the airbox lid was just up there flopping around, allowing unfiltered air to enter my engine for the past 1,800 miles. Nice, Mr. VW Service Tech!

http://pics.tdiclub.com/showgallery.php?cat=6853

On my previous VW Jetta, a service tech forgot to reinstall the brake fluid cap on the reservoir after doing the 'brake fluid flush'. Fortunately I found that fubar right after I got home.

Lesson learned? Always ALWAYS do a pre-check of their work!!! It should not be necessary though, but I cannot trust ANYONE to work on my stuff as these are just two examples of oversights that I've had to deal with when someone else works on my vehicles over the past 40 years.

I'm in the airline industry and oversights can KILL and typically result in NTSB and FAA intervention. I ___CANNOT___ accept oversights in my PROFESSIONAL life, and I do not accept them in my PERSONAL life!!!!

So far, trying to contact the Service Manager and General Managers have resulted in, 'he's not in today, let me transfer you to his voicemail'. UGH.
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
Today I went to check my oil and found the airbox screws were ALL loose and the top of the airbox lid was just up there flopping around, allowing unfiltered air to enter my engine for the past 1,800 miles. Nice, Mr. VW Service Tech!
Let me get this straight. you do your own maintenance and haven't even opened the hood to check anything in almost 2000 miles?

When we preflight an airplane there are many things that we check every time every time every time no exceptions. We may never find a problem and really, a preflight is more about validated the aircrafts airworthiness..............
 

bustNfuel

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2002
Location
Raleigh, NC
TDI
Sold: 13 Passat SEL TDI
This is my daily driver and I do check under the hood often. I was surprised that I've already put 1,700 miles on it since the emissions reflash.
And really upset that I hadn't seen those airbox cover screws not fastened down until today. I only check the air filter when I change the oil. I just happened to glance over the airbox and noticed the screws as I was reaching for the hood to close it. Those black screws blend in with the black housing.

That still doesn't excuse any Certified Service Tech to forget to reinstall my brake reservoir cover (previous Jetta) and now these airbox screws.
 
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