Volkswagen UK has felt the need to clarify a few things after being asked if they would join countries like Australia, China, Europe, Japan, New Zealand and the United States in carrying out a voluntary recall relating to the 7-speed DQ200 DSG transmission.
In short, the answer is: No!
“It is a problem that relates only to temperate countries with a high incidence of stop and start driving,” explained a VW UK spokesperson. “It requires a set of circumstances—humidity, temperature, dust and congested driving conditions—that we simply don’t see in the UK.
“We have robust systems in place to monitor potential problems and, although we have around 48,000 cars on the road equipped with DQ200 gearboxes, we haven’t seen any failures that we can attribute to this problem.”
Mechanically speaking, the specification of DQ200 transmission is the same for UK delivered cars as it is for models sold in Australia. There are country-specific software differences, though.
Volkswagen UK is at pains to point out that they have not received any complaints in line with the issues encountered in Australia. “The DSG mechatronics are programmed differently according to the country in which a vehicle will be sold,” a VW UK statement reads. “The issues recently experienced by some customers in Australia have not been repeated in the UK, nor indeed in other temperate countries.”
Volkswagen UK may very well be correct in their statement regarding the differing climate between the UK and elsewhere; we’re not suggesting it isn’t. However, prior to initiating their own voluntary recall Volkswagen Australia, too, fobbed off local complaints saying there were differences between Australia and other countries that had already issued recalls.
[Source: Autocar]
7 replies on “It’s the hot weather, stupid”
Ha. What a joke. VW certainly need a lesson in PR they are shooting themselves in the foot big time over this and only issuing a recall here after intense pressure.
The reason most people went with DSG is for “stop start” driving.
I personally don’t mind shuffling through gears in traffic, anyhow you can always blame it on the wife.
It looks to me like VW PRs everywhere are determined to trash the brand. At least make a statement that doesn’t reek of bullshit!
Clearly the issue is caused by the Pacific Ocean.
This could bite VW in the arse big time. It’s true that the UK doesn’t experience the same hottest days that we do, but they do get days in the thirties every summer.
Much of the UK actually has a wider range of temperatures experienced over the course of the year than most of Oz. While their hottest days might not be as hot, their coldest temps are a lot colder which makes for a wider range of temperatures than Australia.
If I was a UK VW/Audi/Skoda/Seat owner with a DSG from the last few years I’d be going down the fair trading law route and pushing to return the car for a full or partial refund from the manufacturer for selling a car not fit for purpose. Car manufacturers have been able to get away with this shit for too long and it’s high time for them to lose their exemptions from fair trading law and be held to a decent minimum standard.
Are you F’n kidding me?
“It is a problem that relates only to temperate countries with a high incidence of stop and start driving,†explained a VW UK spokesperson. “It requires a set of circumstances—humidity, temperature, dust and congested driving conditions—that we simply don’t see in the UK.
Where the F’ do they think Australia is? On F’n Mars? The southern and most populous states in Australia have quite a stable climate and not extreme in the slightest. We hardly get floods down this way, no snow, no extreme heat waves, nothing extreme at all in Sydney or Melbourne. So why the F’ are they making this sh’ up?
What VW need to do is address a problem with their cheap arse DSG gearboxes that should have been addressed a very long time ago and get with the program. They need to spend a bit more $$$ with the gearbox manufacturer and have them build a more reliable and solid unit.
VW has really become a joke.
Unfortunately I live in England and my Golf has been juddering and having roll back, both of these problems have been cited by VW drivers prior to experiencing sudden loss of power in other parts of the world.
VW have changed the clutch and not the dsg gearbox. They have said that they are not recalling in UK because the gearbox is not made in the same place as the Australian gearbox (Germany), although they will not say where it is made.
I do not feel that the car is safe to drive despite their reassurance that the car ‘feels okay’ with the new clutch.
It’s a tragic situation to have paid a lot of money for a supposedly reliable car that I am too scared to drive. I’m a mother, and use the car on the motorway every day with child, I cannot afford to ‘test’ whether the DSG will fail or not as I do not want to put my life in jeopardy.
Ironically I chose vw for its safety features.
I do not like the fact that VW keep changing the story, initially in Australia, ie. saying fault would not occur there because faulty gearboxes were made in China. Later being forced to recall in Australia. Saying no need to recall in UK as problem only occurs in humid climates with dust and stop start driving, then saying the problem would not require recall because gearbox not made in same country as Australian gearbox.
Their dismissive attitude is equally as hurtful as their skirting the facts. So not only am i left with a car I am too scared to drive but with also with a warranty supported by a company that treats me like dirt.
Seems someone has to lose a life before they will take notice. I hope it isn’t me, or you!