‘Cold customer service’
Tiguan owner disappointed by VWSA’s icy approach to defective car
Alitany of issues was the last thing Luqmaan Haffejee expected when he collected his new Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace in October 2018. He had been eyeing the car for some time.
After nearly four years of ownership, he claims the vehicle has seen the inside of the workshop numerous times for a multitude of issues. They ranged from unfastening trim elements, loose door mechanisms, a rattling tailgate, warped seat frame and water ingress.
While his concerns were addressed under warranty, not all issues had clear fixes and Haffejee shudders to think what he might be burdened with once the aftersales assurances have expired completely.
He claimed that his chosen dealership had always been agreeable in assisting him, but said that the biggest sting came from Volkswagen head office’s unwillingness to intervene with what he feels is a factory dud.
Haffejee said that he had owned many models from the brand over the years, though his overall confidence in the company has been dented by this Tiguan experience.
His vehicle is the 2.0 TSI model and had a base price of R523,799 new. It was outfitted with desirable options including a folding trailer hitch, keyless-entry and starting, digital instrument cluster, adaptive cruise control, park assist function, panoramic sunroof, R-Line exterior package and Vienna leather. In addition to these, R14,720 was added for a fiveyear/100,000km maintenance plan and his total invoice showed R590,220.
Two weeks after taking delivery he recorded snags: exterior trim on the rear left door was starting to separate, the bulb illuminating the shift pattern for the DSG lever stopped working and the right passenger door made a rattling noise, with a door-open warning on the instrument cluster.
“On inspecting I noticed that the striker plate top bolt was loose, I immediately called the dealership and spoke to a workshop technician, I explained that I had kids sitting in the back and was headed home on a four-hour journey, terrified that the striker plate could detach and that the door could fly open,” Haffejee said.
He was told that this would be unlikely because of the double-locking thread used in the door mechanism. “When I arrived home and took the car through to the dealership the same technician was surprised
at how loose the plate actually was,” he said.
The plate was tightened, replacement parts were ordered for the shifter illumination panel and rear left door, then subsequently fitted.
Soon after, Haffejee noticed that the plastic beading around the wheel-arch of the right front fender came loose. In this case, it was re-adjusted at the dealership, rather than being replaced with a new part.
In April 2019 a clunking sound developed in the tailgate, which was realigned, but Haffejee says the noise still remains at this point. “Every time you pull off, brake or turn, this sound can be heard, even with the radio on.”
He also complained of the headlights’ angle, adding that road illumination was not optimal. “I was advised that because the vehicle featured automatic-dimming and dynamic cornering lights, any adjustment by the dealer would be futile as the car would automatically reset the angle to its [default] state.”
When March 2020 lockdown measures took effect, Haffejee made little use of his vehicle. At the scheduled service interval, he raised the tailgate noise again. In 2021 the vehicle went in for its annual service – again, the tailgate noise was brought up, but no conclusive fix was offered.
In July that year he identified a metal vibration from the rear seat, which grew increasingly louder. “The vehicle was booked in and I was notified that the back seat frame was warped and would need to be replaced, parts were ordered and arrived about five weeks later.”
He was told that the fix required extensive labour, necessitating the removal of the entire seat, cushions, back-board and inner-frame. It was estimated to be a twoday job, but ultimately took a week, he claimed, at a cost in excess of R50,000. “My first question was: how does a solid metal frame cave and warp? Surely one would need to load an extreme amount of weight on it to cause this effect!”
At the same time, he asked for the interior door handles to be replaced, as they had started to show signs of delamination. A rear air-vent came loose and he was informed to pop it back in, until the replacement part arrived.
A more significant problem was brewing. “At the end of November I started noticing damp patches under the rear seat mats and first wondered if water had come through an open window, or perhaps the kids had messed.”
As the December rainy season continued, Haffejee says the problem became more pronounced. By the time the vehicle had been booked in at the dealership at the start of 2022, the issue had progressed to a level that was described as “horrific” by the owner.
Rotting carpets, mould growth and a putrid smell had engulfed the cabin. Over time, the ingress had crept into the spare wheel compartment, floor of the third-row seating section and interior side panels.
“After several weeks, the workshop technicians first could not find the cause of the leak, then discovered that the seals on the sunroof were the cause of the issue, they also advised that the sunroof frame was loose and was missing two bolts.”
According to Haffejee, there were two other cases of Tiguan models suffering from the same issue, though not to the extent seen by his car.
At his wits’ end, he made contact with Volkswagen South Africa. The company assigned a representative to his case, Haffejee explained his story. He claims he was asked why he had approached head office, since repairs would be covered by warranty.
“I advised Volkswagen that I made contact not because of the current issue, but because of all previous problems encountered and the hassle and difficulties that I have encountered with this vehicle.”
He was then asked what his expectations were. Haffejee proposed three options: a replacement vehicle, a buy-back with a trade-in discount on another Volkswagen, or an extension of the maintenance plan until 2023 to afford him security should he encounter further issues down the line.
“The representative [promised] feedback by a certain date; when the date arrived I did not receive any. I was always called days later than indicated, weeks later on some occasions.
“My car, now three years old with 38,000km, had been sitting at the dealership for manufacturing faults which should not have been there in the first place.”
Back-and-forth exchanges ensued until Haffejee claims he was told, in a polite manner, that nothing could be done for him.
“I was advised that all repairs needed over the years were carried out by the expense of Volkswagen – as they should have been since the car was under warranty – and that Volkswagen cannot guarantee [the] lifespan of any product.”
He also disputed Volkswagen’s statement that the vehicle had been issued with a five-year/100,000km maintenance plan as standard, as he had paid for it, according to the original sale invoice. “After reading their response I felt cheated, such an automated response relieving the company of all responsibility – how many more customers [experienced] similar or worse, without the benefit of an active warranty or maintenance plan?”
We reached out to Volkswagen SA for comment on the matter. It responded in five points:
Mr Haffajee’s vehicle was sold with a ■ three-year/120,000km (whichever occurs first) vehicle warranty, and a fiveyear/100,000 km (whichever occurred first) Volkswagen AutoMotion Maintenance Plan (VAP);
■ The warranty expired on 7 November 2021 and the VAP remains active until 7 November 2023/100,000 km (whichever occurs first);
■ VWSA has accordingly fulfilled its obligations arising from the warranty, and has honoured those arising from the VAP to date;
■ We are regrettably not in a position to accommodate Mr Haffejee’s expectations, but remain committed to honouring our legal obligations arising from the balance of the VAP;
■ Lindsay Saker East Rand Mall, the dealership, which repaired Mr Haffejee’s vehicle, has confirmed that the vehicle has been successfully repaired and collected.