VW Quality: Processing & Manufacturing Issues

Hey everyone, fellow mechanics!

I need to vent my frustration about Volkswagen again. As you may know, I've been driving a Passat 3BG, manufactured in January 2001, since the end of March. So, the car is currently 2 and 3/4 years old and has approximately 85,000 km on the odometer. Last week, during a routine check, I discovered a torn CV joint boot. Replacing it shouldn't be a problem, at least based on my experience with my previous Passat 35i. Armed with a brief guide from MichaelII, I started working on it on Saturday. But oh no. I couldn't get the first screw loose! No amount of coaxing, hammering, or penetrating oil helped. After a few hours of struggling, I had to resort to a blowtorch. After warming up the wheel bearing housing, I managed to remove the clamping screw that secures the tie rods with a lot of effort! The cause: rust on the screw, which caused it to seize in the hole. A little grease during assembly or a different surface treatment on the screw itself probably would have prevented this drama! Surely, that only costs a few pennies, right? What experiences have you had with the quality of workmanship, especially in newer vehicles? (Bertil's dramas probably fall into a similar category.)
Conclusion: The axle boot was replaced in just under 6 hours (for my 35i, it usually takes me a maximum of 2 hours), and I'm left with a significant amount of frustration and the realization that my next car probably won't be a VW! Hopefully, there will be alternatives available soon!

Hello!

Regarding the quality of the screws, I can report similar experiences. In my Golf, a license plate light was defective (after about 7 years). It was impossible to unscrew it and simply replace it, as the screw head immediately crumbled. My neighbor, who works for VW, was also unhappy about this and said that a higher-quality screw shouldn't cost that much. I ended up needing a completely new license plate housing for 100.00 EUR because, in my frustration while trying to remove the crumbling screw, I damaged it too much.
Even on my AUDI (which is still under warranty), the screws for the license plate lights are already looking bad. I wonder what they'll look like in 3-4 years!

Best regards, D.

kind words, a blow with a large hammer, or penetrating oil didn't help. After several hours of work, only the blowtorch seemed like an option. After warming up the wheel bearing housing and with a lot of effort, I was finally able to remove the clamping screw that secures the tie rods!

I also recently struggled with these screws on my 35i. They were really stuck on tight. I almost despaired. Especially since I don't have a lift or a pit, so I have to do everything lying down. I eventually managed to loosen them with an infinitely long combination of turning (lever longer than the space under the car ) and hitting them with a thick hammer.
But let's look at the positive side: The screw will never come loose on its own, in case the nut were to go missing (which, surprisingly, came off very easily).

Why is it necessary to get a wheel alignment after replacing the ball joints? Surely there are no elongated holes or anything like that?

Why is an alignment necessary after replacing the ball joints? Surely there aren't any elongated holes or anything like that?

Do you mean your passport?

Yes, exactly. (Sorry for the lack of clarity ).
It's in the 'Do it yourself' section, and I also read about it somewhere on the internet.

Yes, exactly. (Sorry for the lack of clarity ).
It's in the 'I'll do it myself' section, and I also read something about it somewhere on the internet.

Have you removed the shock absorbers from the lower part of the wheel bearing housing? If so, you're probably going to have to bite the bullet! But if you only removed the four screws on the triangular control arm, then it's actually unnecessary.

Have you had the shock absorber mounts off from the lower part of the wheel bearing housing? If so, then you probably have to bite the bullet! But if you only removed the 4 screws on the control arm, then it's actually nonsense!
I only had the 3 (I think there were only 3) bolts loose on the lower control arm.
I also thought it was nonsense just now. In my book, which I mentioned earlier, it says that you should even mark the 3 screws beforehand, even though there are no ways to install them differently... (Well, the books aren't always that accurate... }).
Thank you for your answer... }

Hello,

Yes, yes, about the quality of VW... I recently (just for fun) inspected a Polo (gasoline engine, ONLY ONE YEAR OLD!!! 18,000 km) that was barely running and started with difficulty, even though VW had already tried to fix it twice.

Ulf's original adapter worked perfectly on this vehicle as well . The error memory was full with 11 errors (sad, sad), which I unfortunately couldn't decipher. The oil level was also much too low... a quick look at the engine immediately revealed that the oil was leaking from the crankshaft seal (at the sprocket). I told the owners to complain about this immediately... only then did these complete idiots at VW replace the crankshaft seal (on the third attempt)... but the engine still doesn't run .

The many examples from the forum, the perfection of the toll system for trucks, the deposit on cans, etc., confirm what Schröder&Co says about the economy improving... it's enough to make you cry .

Hello everyone. I installed a G60 brake system from a Corrado on my TDI 2 weeks ago .
So far, so good. However, I couldn't get the screws off the brake caliper brackets. After several attempts, I eventually managed to remove them.
I thought I would re-grease the screws to prevent that from happening again.
Okay, I applied the brakes, everything seemed fine. However, during the test drive, I noticed that the brake discs on the used brakes were warped. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to replace them. Two weeks later, and after about 1000 km, I had new discs and pads installed, and I was full of energy.
It started with having to drill out the small screw that holds the disc in place, which immediately put me in a bad mood. And then it continued like that with all the other screws.
As I said, after 2 weeks, 1000 km, and everything was lubricated with grease.
Great VW!!
I've experienced this issue with other brands before, but it's nowhere as bad as it is with VW.

Golfmann wrote:

It started with me having to drill out the small screw that holds the disc in place.

Hi Golfmann,

simply remove the stupid screw -> nobody needs it

Golfmann wrote:

And so it continued with all the other screws.

"To remove the caliper bolts, you usually need a long-handled wrench. If there is any corrosion, the bolts should definitely be replaced!!!"

Hello,

Quote:

just leave out the stupid screw->nobody needs it

That's not entirely correct. Newer VW/Audi vehicles no longer have this screw from the factory, as far as I'm aware.
However, problems arise due to dirt that has accumulated between the disc and the contact surface during wheel changes. While driving, these particles were ground down, and the wheel bolts suddenly became too loose and detached.


Best regards,
Albrecht.

So far, I haven't had any complaints about the quality of Volkswagen vehicles. My Golf 2 was a great car, and it was still in top condition even after 13 years. My current Golf 3 hasn't given me any problems either.

I've only had real problems with one brand of car, and that's Renault. They're absolutely terrible. Neither the R19 I had back then, nor the older Megane or Laguna models were any good. The Megane, in particular, was a complete disaster, unlike anything I've ever experienced!
Well, my old Honda Civic wasn't exactly a great car either, especially when it came to rust protection.

And I think that rusted screws aren't necessarily a problem specific to VW; you can find that everywhere!

Hi,

I'd like to join the x world one group as well.
Okay, so far I've only replaced brake discs once on a VW. It was a Polo 6N with an AEX engine (60 horsepower, 1.4L). The old screw was so corroded that I had to drill it out because there was nothing left to grip. Also, the brake discs were rusted. However, the whole process probably took me about an hour, based on my current knowledge. I think a little bit of rust is normal (due to water, heat, and salt).
Just yesterday, I replaced the rear brake discs on my father's C-Class. (I did the front ones last week, and it was similar to doing them on a Polo, maybe just a little less rust!)
That might have been a stunt. I won't do that again. You didn't just damage the brake disc, but also the brake drum for the parking brake (which, by the way, might have been well-intentioned, but it's bad because it always applies unevenly...).
And if you're not into rust, then leave it as it is. It had quite a bit!

Albrecht wrote:

However, problems arise due to dirt that has trickled between the disc and the contact surface during wheel changes. While driving, these particles were ground down, and the wheel bolts suddenly became too loose and came undone.

Hi Albrecht,

This is a fact that should not be overlooked, especially with aluminum rims (which seem to sometimes come loose, particularly when dirt gets between the rim and the disc). In my experience, however, the discs tend to rust in place after a short time. For safety's sake, you can also screw in a wheel nut (preferably shortened) when the wheel is removed.

So far, so good. However, I couldn't get the screws off the brake caliper brackets. After several attempts, I eventually managed to remove them.
I thought I would re-grease the screws so that this wouldn't happen again.

Okay, so you really need to brake it in a few times, then apply grease to the fat and the screws will be stuck. If anything, use copper paste. But ideally, just use pure grease, and of course, thread locker (they need to stay tight -> safety!).
They always require a lot of force to remove. Therefore, make sure the hex socket is perfectly clean, use high-quality tools, and ensure the socket is fully seated in the screw head. Use a long ratchet, and then they should come off easily.
I've never had problems with that before... We've had more trouble with wheels that wouldn't come off the hub. } But so far, there hasn't been a problem that couldn't be solved by the oxidation of hydrocarbons with a triple carbon bond. }

CU Gremlin.

Okay, then I'd like to share my experiences as well.

My first company car was a Seat Cordoba naturally aspirated diesel with a phenomenal 68 horsepower, manufactured, I believe, sometime between 1995 and 1996. I claim that the engine was practically indestructible, and I had also gotten used to the somewhat different ambiance (creaking and squeaking cheap plastic everywhere). What I absolutely didn't like about the car was the rust. As soon as you fixed one spot, the corrosion would reappear somewhere else through the paint. After 2 years and various Dremel grinding brushes, I didn't want to have to fix something every week. Later, I heard that VW or Seat??? used cheap/substandard sheet metal in these model years... I have no idea if that's true. Whatever... I think those were the first attempts to use water-soluble paint in the automotive industry. You could make a deep scratch in the paint with your fingernail on my Seat, I'm not kidding! So, as far as company cars are concerned, that's a closed chapter for me. There's not much to say about my two Golf IVs, except that beyond 100,000 km, there were only the clicking door latches and the sticking VTG linkage to complain about. Absolutely no rust! Brake discs, including screws, came off easily, etc... BUT, if I'm honest, I missed my Seat the most, with countless hours spent together working on it and touching up the paint. In any case, the first car is always the best!