vinkodex.7 fault write-ups. 3 important. 4 recalls.
If you know the year, pick it. Faults for other years drop out of the list.
Before you buy
A thin wall of the mechatronics valve body can crack, which causes a loss of pressure. The typical signs: jerking and harsh shifting from 1st to 2nd at low speed, a flashing PRNDS display, then a gear engagement fault, intermittently at first.
What to check
In the EA211 the water pump and the thermostat are one plastic module, and the pump is driven not by the timing belt but by a separate toothed belt behind the exhaust camshaft. There are usually two problems with it: the plastic housing warps or cracks (slow coolant loss, a sweet smell, rising temperature), or the drive belt ages (a chirping noise, then an engine left with no cooling). The housing is particularly sensitive if oil reaches it: for example from a leaking crankcase ventilation. The module has to be replaced whole: dismantling it warps it in itself.
What to check
The two weak points of the cooling system are the radiator and the heater matrix. The latter is inside the cabin: if it leaks, you get a sweet antifreeze smell, the windscreen mists up greasily from inside, and damp stays under the passenger side carpet. The damp goes unnoticed for a long time under the floor covering. And replacing the heater matrix means stripping the dashboard.
What to check
The dash shows "Error: Workshop! Only leave vehicle in position P" with an audible warning. The message appears in whatever language the car is set to, for example "Fehler: Werkstatt! Fahrzeug nur in Stellung P verlassen" in German.
The message points at the gearbox, but the fault is not there. A tiny switch sits in the module under the selector lever and signals that the lever is in park (P). Its contact wears and can also burn. That makes the signal unreliable, and the car warns you. The fault codes appear as 617752, P173400 or B116229.
At first it is intermittent. Sometimes the message comes up, sometimes not, so a short test drive easily misses it. Later it becomes permanent, and the gearbox can drop into limp mode.
This fault looks more expensive than it is. The maker released a separate retrofit switch kit for it (5Q0713128A for the black module, 3Q0713128 for the white one), which can be fitted in half an hour. The kit costs 70 to 100 pounds. At a franchised dealer, however, the whole selector lever module sometimes gets replaced, which costs 626 to 1,000 pounds there. So the difference between the two routes is roughly tenfold.
The affected group is post 2013 MQB platform Volkswagen, Audi, Seat and Skoda cars with a DSG gearbox. The switch is in these gearboxes, because that is what these cars have in common. The part itself is not part of the gearbox but of the module under the lever.
What to check
The Caddy has leaf springs at the back, because it was designed to carry loads, and that is exactly the part that tires from the way it is used. The sign of a tired spring is that the back of the car sits down even unladen (the rear wheel "sinks" into the arch), and a dull clonking or knocking is audible from the rear over bumps. The spring mount and the trailing arm bushes make the same noise. On a heavily loaded fleet car it is effectively a wear item; and a tired rear suspension wears the tyre unevenly too.
What to check
The Caddy sliding door is opened many times a day, and the lower roller carries the weight of the door. That is what wears first: the door is hard to start moving, it grinds, it sticks halfway, and finally it "drops". The door gap visibly differs at the top and the bottom. If the mounting of the guide rail works loose, the door presses against the body, and a rub mark is left on the paint. If the roller is not replaced, the hinge and the bodywork are damaged too. On a version with a sliding door on both sides, check both.
What to check
The per cylinder ignition coil of these direct injection, turbocharged petrol engines fails. According to the Haynes service material this and similar simple electrical faults account for roughly eighty per cent of workshop visits.
In cold, damp weather, on startup, the engine runs unevenly, misfires under acceleration, and the engine warning light flashes or stays on. Do not keep driving with the light flashing: the unburnt fuel destroys the catalytic converter.
What to check
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Before you buy
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The manufacturer fixes these for free at a franchised dealer. Ask with the VIN whether it was done.
A12/00220/20Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety GateCars initially used for internal purposes of Volkswagen AG might not have been correctly modified before they were sold to the general public. There is a possibility that certain safety systems of these cars are not correctly modified for street use.
Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown
We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice
A12/00221/20Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety GateCars initially used for internal purposes of Volkswagen AG might not have been correctly modified before they were sold to the general public. There is a possibility that certain safety systems of these cars are not correctly modified for street use.
Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown
We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice
A12/0590/19Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety GateThe predetermined break point in the cushion for the side airbags is on the wrong side. In the event of a crash, the side airbag may not inflate properly, thus not provide protection and increase the risk of an injury.
Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown
We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice
A12/0774/18Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety GateThe fastening of the active headrest may be defective. In the event of an accident, the headrest may become detached from the back of the seat, increasing the risk of injury to the person occupying the seat.
Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown
We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice
Variant data
The manufacturer specifies this for this version. Of the mileage and the time, the one that comes first is the one that counts.
Air filter
DQ200: lifetime fill by the maker, not in practice
Cabin (pollen) filter
Engine oil and oil filter
Brake fluid change
Coolant (antifreeze) change
We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.