Serious Safety Failure and Unacceptable Service – Volkswagen Mossel Bay

I record my profound dissatisfaction with the conduct and service of Volkswagen Mossel Bay. I purchased a demo Volkswagen Tiguan, which was expressly represented to me as having been driven by the owner’s wife — a representation that reasonably conveyed careful use and reliability. Contrary to this, within approximately 3,000 km and just over one month of ownership, the vehicle suffered a complete failure of the electric power steering system, constituting a serious and potentially dangerous safety defect. Although the system reset after approximately ninety minutes, I acted promptly and responsibly by presenting the vehicle to the nearest Volkswagen dealership for diagnostic assessment. I was informed that no fault could be identified. Upon returning the vehicle to Volkswagen Mossel Bay, I was met with a dismissive and wholly inadequate response. I was instructed to continue operating the vehicle and advised that, should the failure recur, it would be addressed under warranty. Such a response is entirely unacceptable. A failure affecting the steering system is not trivial — it poses a direct and material risk to occupant safety and cannot be disregarded or deferred on a conditional basis. The subsequent handling of this matter was equally unsatisfactory. It required approximately three and a half months, together with numerous follow-ups via telephone and email, to elicit any meaningful engagement from the dealership. During this period, there was a complete absence of urgency, accountability, or customer care. No proactive resolution or refund was offered. Due to legitimate safety concerns, my elderly wife refused to operate the vehicle. Ultimately, the dealership agreed to repurchase the vehicle; however, this was effected at a financial prejudice to me, resulting in a loss of R35,000. This experience demonstrates a marked lack of professionalism, deficient customer service, and a concerning disregard for vehicle safety obligations. I strongly caution prospective customers against engaging with this dealership and, in particular, against relying on the representations and assurances of its dealer principal and sales manager.