VW Warranty Problems

sutherster

I currently lease a 2015 plate VW Polo

I've copied the email below I've sent to VW which explains what happened to me last night and I'm just trying to gather some insight on to whether or not I'm likely to get anywhere in terms of claiming for the damage on my warranty. My car is currently at the VW assessment garage in which they will conduct "checks" to see whether or not they believe this to be my fault.

The event occurred at approximately 7pm last night on a dual carriageway on my way home from work.

"I was accelerating on the dual carriageway when the drivers side of the vehicle at the front collapsed and made a loud bang. This caused me to swerve severely to the right and as this happened my steering wheel locked in position and I could no longer steer which caused me to skid into the curb on the front hand drivers side wheel. I bounced of the curb rather than mounted it and this put me in the middle of the road, I traveled about 50 meters with my hazards on before coming to a complete stop. After I had stopped I turned the steering wheel to the right in an attempt to try and get the vehicle off the road. The car would not move.

After this I rang Volkswagen Recovery Assistance as per the car handbook which directed me to AA breakdown recovery. After speaking to AA recovery they informed me that I should immediately ring the police as my car was in a dangerous location. I rang the police and they arrived approximately 10 minutes later. The police then said that as the car was in a dangerous location it would need to get picked up immediately so we arranged to do this. At this time there were a couple of people who had stopped so the police talked to them to gather any information on what had happened. After that, the police checked the area to determine whether or not I had been driving recklessly or if there was any sign of damage and found that there was neither.

The breakdown recovery man came and we managed to get the vehicle on to the truck and he had a quick look at it and determined that the suspension had collapsed on the right hand side of the car which was most likely to be a manufacturing fault as the car had not been in any accident or collided with anything."


I'm really worried that since after my suspension (I'm assuming that's what's collapsed since the recovery mechanic said this) I hit the curb VW are going to try and argue that this is my fault and I'll have to pay for the damages myself.

If this is the case what is my best case of action? I am obviously going to complain but I'm not sure if anyone has experienced this before?

I've also managed to get hold of the police reference number so VW can validate my story.

Any help is greatly appreciated


Danny

patronniall

Highly unlikely it was a manufacturing fault. The suspension just can't collapse like that as you claim. Sounds to me like someone was driving without due care and must have hit the curb and damaged the suspension and looking for a free fix.

motorguy

Pothole on the road?

Hit a large stone on the road?

Suspension collapsing is very unlikely.

BeenThroughItAll

It's conceivable the roadspring cracked and slipped downward, with the broken end then puncturing the tyre - seemingly quite common in VWs.

agrinnall

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

It's conceivable the roadspring cracked and slipped downward, with the broken end then puncturing the tyre - seemingly quite common in VWs.

This happened with my neighbour's Peugot 307 a few years ago, fortunately at very low speed. For it to happen on a car that's only 1-2 years old sounds like it could be a manufacturing fault unless it has done very high mileage (unlikely in a lease car I'd have thought) or there has been some external physical cause.

thescouselander

I saw this happen years ago on a VW Golf. Basically someone had pulled up outside our house and was about to park at side of the road when their front suspension collapsed leaving the car stranded in front of our driveway. Very inconvenient for all concerned. The car was a bit older than the OPs but it can happen.

sutherster

Thanks for all your comments.

As certain as you can possibly be that I haven't hit anything/drove over any potholes.

The road spring sounds like a feasible idea I guess, would explain why the car dropped and then the impact from the curb could have further damaged the suspension?

Should hopefully hear back from VW today so will post their response.

sutherster

UPDATE:

I spoke to the garage and they told me they were unable to get me a car while they looked at my car due to none being available. I wasn't at all happy with this so rang VW customer care and they suggested that I arrange Mobex with the garage which is where they sort you out a hire car in the mean time. The garage obliged and have sorted this. I'm not sure why I needed to make a complaint for this to happen but there you are.

Car is still in the garage and should hopefully hear back from them today..



Danny

missile

I know it is Chriatmas, but a week later they ought to be able to tell you what is wrong.

A quick look would tell you whether the spring is broken or not.

dannyrst

missile wrote: »

I know it is Chriatmas, but a week later they ought to be able to tell you what is wrong.

A quick look would tell you whether the spring is broken or not.

They need time to come up with a way to blame the OP

Muscle750

Was the car new when you had it? secondly VW wont do anything I know of a Audi which the woman said her brakes failed after she ran into the back of another car Audi mpounded the car and carried out further investigation and found no fault and then she finally admitted it may of been her fault after she was without a car then the insurance became involved and because they had tried to make a fraudalant statement etc they were last heard contemplating on throwing her claim out.