VW engine dramas 'not deceleration'

The man leading a class action against German car maker Volkswagen in Australia says claims of “sudden deceleration” at the centre of a media storm are being misdiagnosed.

“In most cases it’s not sudden deceleration,” says Volkswagen owner Steve Makris. Instead it is a well-known engine shudder on selected models that makes the car idle rough on start up or “develop a cough” when under load, such as moving from rest or uphill.

However Makris believes the engine shudder problem is still a safety concern for customers.

"It might not be deceleration, but it's still a safety issue in my opinion," Makris said. "We're talking about a split second delay in power and that can leave you stranded across an intersection in the path of oncoming traffic, which is exactly what happened to me."

The Melbourne-based businessman is planning legal action after being contacted by almost 200 disgruntled Volkswagen owners across Australia whose cars have experienced problems with their twin-charge (turbocharged and supercharged) 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engines known as the 118TSI, and automated twin-clutch DSG gearboxes. Most complainants have had engines and gearboxes replaced at least once.

The law firm Makris had been working with for two months dropped the case this morning and he is now preparing to appoint new legal representatives.

Makris says most customers have complained about a lack of confidence in the vehicle, the inconvenience of having their cars being off the road for several weeks at a time during repairs, and are concerned about the damage to their car’s resale value.

Of the almost 200 Volkswagen owners on his records only “two or three” specifically complained of deceleration.

News Limited also contacted several Volkswagen customers and asked for any evidence of sudden deceleration, which had been linked as a possible contributing factor in the death of a Volkswagen Golf driver in Melbourne in 2011. The coroner is preparing a report into the incident, in which a truck crashed into the rear a Golf after it appeared to lose speed. The findings will be published next month.

All Volkswagen owners contacted by News Limited who complained of “sudden deceleration” described engine shudder on start-up, and that it sometimes occurred when driving away from traffic lights. In one example News Limited was told the engine shudder developed when driving uphill and the car slowed gradually.

Volkswagen has been making repairs to this engine since 2010, when it started a “field service campaign” in Australia for a faulty knock sensor, and which could lead to “shuddering” or complete engine failures.

Volkswagen called back to dealers almost 7800 Golf hatches and Jetta sedans to have the faulty sensors fixed. The company says "99 per cent" of that batch of vehicles equipped with the 118TSI engine -- built between 2009 and 2011 -- have been repaired. Volkswagen made running changes to subsequent models introduced with the 118TSI engine, but it no longer uses this type of engine in the latest Golf.

The car involved in the fatal crash in Melbourne in February 2011 did not have the engine at the centre of the “shudder” problems. It was a Golf GTI performance model powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, matched with a manual gearbox rather than a DSG.

Volkswagen Australia spokesman Karl Gehling told News Limited the company would not comment further on the case before the coroner.

Volkswagen has repeated earlier invitations for concerned customers to contact the company on 1800 607 822.

"We take all customer concerns seriously and if anyone may have experienced any problems with their vehicle we recommend they report these issues to their nearest Volkswagen dealer," the spokesman said.