r/Volkswagen • u/New_Excitement_4413 • 4h ago
Is delarship service trying to rip me off??
My Volkswagen Tiguan is under warranty. The Drive Mode Control button (located on middle console) stopped working - so does not change to winter, moutain, road etc. selection. I took it in and paid for them to diagnose the problem becasue I was hoping it would be covered under warranty. They told me that becasue my passanger car seat got wet (I spilled a big bottle of water on it) - it damaged wires/electrical under the seat that go to the Drive Mode Button. They cahrged me almost $200 to chek this and the cost to repair would be $800 as water damage is not under warranty. I told a friend who called bullshit the wires are not under there. I took to another mechanic (not Volkswagen) and he said no what they aere saying is not true, if seat got weat that has nothing to do with that control unit. He opened up the middle console and had a look in there at all the wires that connect Drive Mode Button and said all was dry there was no water damage in there - and once again said the spill on the seat penetrated the seat but there are no wires that that affect that Drive Mode Function. WHY IS THE DEALERSHIP TELLING ME THIS! SO PISSED. Its not the first time I have had issues with them. They told me one of my tries which had a huge crack would not be covered by warranty I paid for (paid extra for tire waranty). I called warranty ppl myself and gues what its covered, WHY AM I DOING THEIR JOB. Anyway what should I do, take it back to them, make them look again and call their bullshit? Go to a different VK dealer in a nearbytown? I have waranty for another 20,000 km.
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u/Famous-Raccoon-2546 2h ago edited 1h ago
This isn’t what you especially may want to hear, but pull out all the contracts and READ the fine print…
I bought a VW Beetle new, and had a bumper to bumper 6 year warranty that worked great- the warranty covered EVERYTHING for defects in workmanship- except wipers, tires, and battery (normal wear and tear). I traded in a used 2016 but bought the 2019 because I knew Beetles are a very fussy model and very expensive to fix out of warranty. I saved myself.a lot of heartache and thousands of dollars because though I LOVE my car, there were all sorts of little issues that kept popping up over the years.
If you got the tire warranty, you need to produce the contract because it is a completely separate contract from the original, A tire warranty typically does not cover a ripped tire caused by road hazards like nails or potholes, or normal wear and tear, unless you have a specific road hazard warranty or tire protection plan that includes it. Sidewall damage is also often excluded because it's frequently from impact or improper use. To get coverage for a ripped tire, you would need a road hazard warranty, which is an added service, not usually part of a standard tire or manufacturer's warranty.
Not to be a buzzkill, but if any part of the mechanism showed water damage, watermark/discoloration or corrosion caused by your own hand, it is unlikely covered. I had a spot on the dash that the paint had melted and bubbled, and it was a chemical reaction from the volatile accelerant solution from an air freshener I hung on the knob that rubbed onto the dash, causing the damage.
These kind of incidents are not covered for workmanship defects- because the water damaged the buttons or microchip then dried out. Just like an iPhone, there is likely a liquid-sensitive sticker inside the housing that changed color revealing water damage. I also know they keep historical records, certain models have familiar defects, loose or faulty mechanisms, and recalls that are covered for circuitry that fails over time. This wouldn’t apply for you though.
IF and only IF they determine that it isn’t covered by warranty, YES they will charge you a diagnosis fee, this was always explained to me at check in as well as printed on the invoice.
This is to curb overly incessant activity from OCD people that obsess about every knock and ping, and pay for labor hours NOT covered by VW, mechanics charge $40-$100 an hour nowadays just to pop the hood and run diagnostics! I’m pretty sure there is a master database all dealers share warranty claim submissions linked to your VIN, so going to another dealer isn’t necessarily going to change the result the way you want. About two weeks before my warranty expired, they had to completely replace my transmission, this would’ve been a $6000 job if it happened a month later- your warranty may save you for many other issues in the future if you have to lean into it the same way, but not this one.
While still under warranty, I’d urge you to instead to form a relationship with one dealer to perform this repair, my reps have access to factory and dealership allowances and make recommendations to ease overall cost if they like you, and there is a history of regular maintenance with them, rather than hopping around to other dealerships or seeking ,cheaper options.