Volkswagen Amarok 2012 Problems

Wear is only one aspect of braking a carmaker has to consider, there is also the performance and things such as the effect of the pad material used on the environment. You tell us that the non-genuine pads wear better than the factory ones, but you make no mention of the braking performance or the environmental suitability of the material. I agree that the brake pad life today is poor and it would be great of carmakers would do something about improving it.

That’s usually a result of using the wrong key, or of wear of the key or the lock barrel. As your car is relatively new it shouldn’t be wear, but I would suspect that the key is not mating perfectly with the lock barrel. I would approach VW for a solution, perhaps a new lock and keys.

This is just another example of VW dodging a problem they know exists. Yours is not the only Amarok to suffer this problem, other owners have experienced the same thing. The auxiliary belt fails due to dirt and dust and bits of the belt find their way into the timing belt and cause tat to fail or jump teeth. The end result is often a destroyed engine, as has happened to your car. It's poor design, inadequate testing, and questionable ethics on VW's part having discovered the problem. Even though the warranty has expired on your car VW is still responsible through the statutory laws around consumer protection. The car as it was sold to you is clearly not fit for purpose, it has a design flaw that led to the failure of the engine. Do not take VW's denial of responsibility as the end of the matter; they are only trying to fob you off. Go straight to the top of VW Australia and contact the company's boss, John White directly.

We put Ian's questions to VW and they responded by saying they would contact him and get his car in to check the headlight alignment, but to date nothing has happened. Given VW's apparent remorse over its handling of the complaints from customers about its products I would suggest Ian contact the company with his issues again, even contact John White, the company's Managing Director, who says in a recent newspaper advertisement that VW is there to help answer any questions a customer, or potential customer might have. Put him to the test.

The lock barrel spinning is usually a sign of the key being worn. When it happens remove the key and insert it again, or use the spare key, which presumably won't be worn.