Arosa TDi 1.4 AMF Probleme, Turbo defekt? Motorschaden | Posts 16+

Yes, it was something like that, but when the car was in gear, it ran normally.

I already mentioned in the other thread that I'm currently looking for the responsible party at ATU, because they used the wrong oil (not suitable for diesel particulate filters) during an inspection for the previous owner.

I haven't received any news from Seat yet regarding the cause.

Just read the thread. I don't think the damage is due to the oil. If the pressure sensor was damaged, you wouldn't have this oil leak, to my knowledge. The high oil loss most likely points to the turbocharger.

Best regards,

Hello,

"It sounds strange to me that your dealer had an inspection done at ATU within the warranty and goodwill period (less than 2 years) with 52,000 km on the odometer. They put in the wrong type of oil (50500), and then 9 months later, the engine failed? There's a high probability of an engine defect because the engine continued to run with the incorrect oil. Problems with the cylinder liners usually only occur in engines with very high mileage, typically 200,000 km or more."

Regardless of what Seat says, I would have the engine inspected to see if the reported mileage of 62,000 km is actually accurate. The next legal issue I foresee is that only the previous owner can really pursue claims against ATU, as they were the one who commissioned the work.

Best regards,
Christian.

Hi Chris,

I also found that strange.
He probably wanted to skip the Seat inspection at 45,000 km and then had the inspection done at ATU at 52,000 km.

I just called ATU again about the oil, and the lady on the phone said that the oil is no longer in their product range and that it doesn't even meet the 50500 standard, let alone the 50501 standard.

Where/how should I have the engine inspected to determine its mileage?

You're probably right about the ATU requirements; only the client can handle that. I hadn't thought of that. Thanks.

The Seat dealer just called. He submitted a request for goodwill coverage. Let's see what the claims department says.

A motor only costs around 4,000 euros, plus 16% tax, and the labor costs.

That's why I was able to buy a brand new Arosa!

Seeing the car sitting there at the dealership makes me feel awful. How can such a small, cute car cause SO MANY PROBLEMS? Grrr.

Hello Snowfun,

"The oil issue is still a potential avenue to explore. First, try to find out exactly what kind of oil it was and what approvals it had. Then, have an oil analysis done on the remaining oil (search online, you'll probably find a link). It costs some money, but if it turns out that the oil doesn't meet any VW specifications, and ATU was commissioned to perform an inspection/oil change, then they at least acted negligently. Since the repair is likely to cost a significant amount, you should try to involve ATU, especially if you can provide conclusive proof."

Best regards,
Christian.

I'm more curious about why someone would drive 50km with an obviously defective engine, and then be surprised that it's completely broken!

I can only shake my head at that!

Otherwise, if there's no goodwill, you can try here: www.r-a-r.de

Since the turbocharger doesn't care whether the value is 50,500 or 50,501, you can rule that out as the cause!

Regards,

Manuel.

Hi,

Furthermore, I would first try to figure out what is actually broken.

Everything that has been said so far points more towards the turbocharger - it's true that it costs more than just a few euros, but certainly not 4000.

Based on my experiences with the Seat workshop, I'm not sure if they would be able to fix it. So, if in doubt, it's better to have someone else take a look at the car before you authorize expensive repair orders.

Regarding ATU: The fact is that the wrong oil was used, and the fact is that the engine is broken. I think that's enough to cause them bigger problems, because I don't believe that VW or Seat will provide them with written confirmation that the turbocharger in the AMF engine can be operated with 50500 oil. VW will say that the turbocharger can only be operated with the oil specified in the manual – which, obviously, was not the case.

It's a speculation here in the forum that the Turbo 50500 can handle it, and it's probably true, but that doesn't matter in this argument - what's important is what VW says. ATU would have to prove to you that the turbocharger doesn't suffer any damage from using that oil.

Best regards,

Jan.

Hi Jan,

The Seat master has submitted a request for goodwill compensation.
Let's see what comes of it first.
Starting November 1, 2001, there were different warranty terms that resulted in longer periods of goodwill payments. The car was registered in Germany on November 1, 2001, but the problem is that the car was already reported to Seat on October 23, 2001, and that date is what matters!
Now I am waiting for Seat's decision.

If Seat doesn't pay, I definitely won't let them repair the car there. Then I'll have to find someone who can take the engine apart, figure out what needs to be replaced, and either find replacement parts or a replacement engine.
The good thing is that I don't have any time pressure, because this should be my second car for commuting to work (100 KM round trip). But it absolutely has to be running again by autumn, so I already deregistered the car today, after only 2 days!

I will probably consult with a lawyer to review the claims.

I've never owned a car with engine damage before! And I've been driving for quite a while.


@Manuel
>I'm more curious about why someone would drive 50km with an obviously faulty engine and then be surprised when it completely breaks down!
I can only shake my head at that!

I didn't immediately realize that the engine was burning oil. I thought the turbocharger had failed, so I drove home slowly.
Looking back now, I probably should have had my car towed.
Hindsight is always 20/20.
I've only been driving the car for a few days, so you wouldn't expect an engine failure.

It's kind of your mechanic to try to get a goodwill gesture, even though the service book is missing!

Regards,

Manuel.

He already has the service booklet, but it only covers up to the 30,000 km service.

Hi,

Quote:

Starting November 1, 2001, there were different warranty terms that resulted in longer periods of goodwill payments. The car was registered in Germany on November 1, 2001, but the problem is that the car was already reported to Seat on October 23, 2001, and that date is what matters!

That's exactly right - or rather, the PURCHASE DATE is what matters. Because Seat has offered a 2-year warranty throughout Europe since November 1, 2001, it's clear that the country of purchase is the deciding factor. So, if the booklet was stamped on October 23rd, or even earlier, the situation looks less promising.

By the way, I know exactly what you're talking about – my car was registered on November 1, 2001 (just like yours), but it also has the date November 1, as a stamp from the seller in the Netherlands. This means it falls under the same regulation, even though the mechanic at the workshop didn't want to believe it and first contacted Seat Germany when I came in with a problem during my second year of ownership.

Otherwise, the idea of getting a lawyer is a good one - I think that if the lawyer is good, then ATU will have a problem.

Best regards,

Jan.

I would only consult a lawyer without first checking the legal situation, and only if there is legal protection insurance. Initial consultations can be very expensive. Unfortunately, the evidentiary rules applicable to contractual work are not very favorable. Regarding the warranty, you have to prove the causal link between the oil and the damage itself, regardless of what VW says.

Regards,

Olaf.

Lawyer...our Snowfun definitely didn't have the required approval documents for the vehicle...hold on a second...

Lawyer...our Snowfun definitely didn't have the required approval document (ABE) for the vehicle...hold on a second...

Did I miss something?

Regards,

Manuel.

Hi,

Quote:

I would only hire a lawyer without first checking the legal situation, and only if legal expenses insurance is available.

Of course, but I assumed he had one.

The situation regarding the tuning and the potentially missing approval certificate (ABE) could change things – in that case, hiring a lawyer might not be the best course of action.

Best regards,

Jan.