Workshop takes 1 month to fix EPC error on my Taigun: Stranded in Kochi
For a known issue like the EPC error service centres should have spares in surplus and this is something VW need to look into.
BHPian al90 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
So this is a rant, which I should have written in Sept but never actually got a chance to do until now. Here is the link to the start of things.
The Short Version:
On the 19th of August while we were on a trip to Kochi for a wedding my 1.0 MT Taigun began to stall and after stopping wouldn’t start courtesy of the infamous EPC error, the car got towed to EVM VW Kochi (Maradu) service centre I got the car back after an entire month on 14th September. No communication from the service centre and not sure why VW treats Cochin as a rural remote village and takes almost a month to deliver parts.
The Story:
We had gone for a wedding in Kochi from Chennai and on our 2nd day there I filled up at an IOC bunk in the city and proceeded to Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple,
On our way back around 9:30 pm, I felt the car being sluggish and no power on the 3rd gear and then the dash lit up with the EPC error, luckily we were literally at the doorstep of my cousin’s place and so pulled over the.
We checked the car by turning it off and on, the car started the first time and then wouldn’t start at all and then letting it cool for an hour and trying again, but it wouldn’t start at all. I called the RSA and then told them that it was an EPC issue and to send a tow truck, which they refused to do since they wanted their mechanic to check if it was a battery issue before towing it. procedures need to be followed so I let that one slide, the mechanic arrived after an hour at around 10:30 pm confirmed that it was not a battery issue and then requested a tow, then the flatbed guy let us know that he would only be able to reach post 12:30 am since my kid was also hungry at this point, we left and my cousin told me that he would get the car towed in the morning, the car was subsequently only towed in the afternoon around 3:30 pm and taken to EVM VW Kochi service centre.
Considering the 20th was a Sunday, the only thing I expected was a confirmation that the vehicle was received at the service centre which never came and trying to reach out to the service centre was in vain.
Monday morning around 10 pm after repeated calls received a confirmation that they had got the vehicle and were checking. I asked them if they could let me know if I would get the vehicle back in a day or two, then I would postpone my return to Chennai, or else I would head back the next day. This question was never answered and for the subsequent calls I made there was no proper response, finally being fed up with the BS response from the SE (Service Engineer), I went to the service centre to just see that car parked there with the hood open and the SE letting me know that diagnostics has been running on the car since morning and it’s still not completed, and they will only be able to give me an update once it’s completed and report generated.
I decided to head back to Chennai on Tuesday since they confirmed that the car wouldn’t be available anytime soon.
No calls on the 22nd on the 23rd I received a call letting me know that the fuel injector and fuel filter needed to be replaced and due to Onam Holidays coming up it would take them about a week to get it done and then again radio silence.
Due to there being absolutely no updates, no ticket raised no SMS or email, I had no updates, in between I kept getting SMS and calls for someone else’s vehicle, frustrated I called back on the 1st of September, but the SE didn’t even answer the phone, finally had to read out to the SM (Service Manager) who then called the SE to give me a call back to just to tell me parts haven’t arrived and they will get the parts and work will be completed by 10th of Sept.
Again no updates, calls or response from the SE when I called on the 9th and, frustrated again called the SM, who then informed me she had no clue since the SE was on leave, I sent them an email for which they responded with the standard response stating that the car would be ready by 11th. Then the SE called the next day 10th letting me know that parts are still in transit and they have not received it yet and now I get a new date of 13th Sept.
Finally on 13th Sept. I got a call letting me know that the car is ready but they need to do a TD of 30-40 kms check if there are any further issues and they need to fill fuel for Rs.1000, I approve and they added in an engine cleaning which also I agree to since I don’t let anyone other than the VW service centre clean inside the engine bay (which I would regret very soon).
So finally my brother in law picks up the car on 14 Sept almost a month from when we were stranded in Kochi, only to find that now there is a screeching noise from the brakes and the engine bay cleaning hasn’t been done properly, the back of the bay and the bottom sections were pretty much still covered in dirt. (see pics attached).
The last bits
Not sure if I got the special treatment from EVM VW Kochi cos my car was another state registered or if parts availability in Cochin is pathetic for VW. For a known issue like the EPC error service centres should have spares in surplus and this is something VW need to look into.
Next time, the car breaks down in Cochin, I would rather tow it back to Chennai than deal with VW service in Kochi.
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