Dealer Negligence - air intake hose loose

T

ticaf

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2018
Location
US Mid-Atlantic
TDI
Stock 2015 Golf SW S Manual TDI
Hi
8000 miles ago I had the dealer do the 2nd part of the emission fix on my 2015 Golf TDI MK7.
All good until check engine light came on last night. Pulled over and noticed the intake hose past the MAF sensor/air filter was left loose, meaning not secured with clamp. I put it back "tighter" drove home. my cheapie ODB did not recognized the code, so I cleared it, and it's been fine for the past 100 miles.
Any chance of damages to turbo/engine/DPF ?
What shall I do ? Car seems fine, planning to go have a talk with the dealer tomorrow.
thanks for any input
 
R

RV9Factory

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 17, 2011
Location
Dallas
TDI
2006 Jetta
I wouldn’t worry about it. I take it the hose wasn’t detached, just not clamped, right? Sucking unfiltered air isn’t good but if anything substantial got in there you’d know it. Document it and keep dates and even better, pictures. But other than that, don’t sweat it.
 
Mongler98

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
slim to none.
Do like RV9Factory suggests about documenting
If you are feeling frisky, pull the boot off the turbo inlet and snap some high res pictures of the fins. If they are beat to crap, yea thats not good, chances are there perfectly fine and nice and defined.
Only real harm done is oil contamination at best. but little to almost no dirt would make it past that, path of least resistance, besides the inlet is not a negative pressure situation. Unless your air filter was completely clogged during this time you mention, i would say you have a less than 0.09% chance of any real tangible damage being done that can not be undone!
 
AndyBees

AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
One day in July, 2016, I was heading up the Alaska Highway out in the middle of no where. It was raining cats and dogs. (ALH in my Vanagon). All of a sudden, I had loss of power, check engine light on, Boost going up and down, power up, power down, etc.

Well, due to the rain and not a good place to pull over (pulling a camper), I drove on for at least 35 to 50 miles and out of the rain. On hills, I'd go all the way down to 2nd gear. I found a good safe place to check it out .... suction hose at the Turbo had come off.

There's no doubt that it was sucking road spray, sand, grit, and maybe a pebble or two or three. Anyway, I put the hose back on and secured it....... drove on with no issue. Seems that has been over 20k miles back.

So, OP, as others have stated, the suction hose being loose up on top is very unlikely to have introduced anything to hurt your Turbo or Engine.
 
Mongler98

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
AndyBees said:
One day in July, 2016, I was heading up the Alaska Highway out in the middle of no where. It was raining cats and dogs. (ALH in my Vanagon). All of a sudden, I had loss of power, check engine light on, Boost going up and down, power up, power down, etc.

Well, due to the rain and not a good place to pull over (pulling a camper), I drove on for at least 35 to 50 miles and out of the rain. On hills, I'd go all the way down to 2nd gear. I found a good safe place to check it out .... suction hose at the Turbo had come off.

There's no doubt that it was sucking road spray, sand, grit, and maybe a pebble or two or three. Anyway, I put the hose back on and secured it....... drove on with no issue. Seems that has been over 20k miles back.

So, OP, as others have stated, the suction hose being loose up on top is very unlikely to have introduced anything to hurt your Turbo or Engine.
Click to expand...
your tale is going to give me nightmares about road salt and slush going into my intake this winter!
 
AndyBees

AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
Mongler98, well, that was a true tale... Also, keep in mind, the ALH engine in the Van is laying over at 50 degrees which puts the turbo much lower than in a Jetta/Golf/NB/Passat.

Below, you can see the relationship and proximity to the left rear wheel.
(This pic is early-on before the project was finished, note no clamps on the pressure hose coming off the Turbo.)

 
Lightflyer1

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
Documenting it after 8k miles is an exercise in futility. You will never get anyone to believe the dealer had a hand in that. Maybe a couple hundred but not 8k. Just keep an eye on it and drive on. Please come back and tell us how that talk with the dealer goes.
 
Mongler98

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
if things look bad in the turbo (visible damage) Go have your car serviced. then stage some pictures of it off and document it now!
LOL, VICTIMLESS CRIME!
JK honestly its a waste of time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top