T-CROSS COMPLAINT POST SERVICE IN VW BALLITO

I’d like to lodge a complaint with you regarding a huge dissatisfaction and inconvenience which I’ve had to endure regarding my car since servicing it at one of your branches in Durban on the 10th April 2024.

The branch’s name is VW Ballito and below are my car details:

White TCROSS 1.0 TSI85kW Comfort line Engine number: DKJ112265

I took the car for a 60 000km service on the 10th April 2024, and the day after the service I got an EPC light and the car immediately started misfiring and losing power with a black smoke coming from the back. I towed it back to the branch for a diagnosis on Friday the 12th April 2024 at my cost.

The branch claimed that the issue was effected by fuel which caused the spark plugs to malfunction. (I have attached the diagnosis of the branch on this email).

I incurred a lot of costs with Uber in order to be able to get around for 7 days to the value of over R4000. The branch insisted that a pay for new spark plugs to the value of R2000 after having replaced them during the service and payed cash for the service. (The statement has also been attached).

I refused to do this and the manager agreed to a goodwill replacement. (Statement also attached).

Since then I had no issues until yesterday the 4th of June 2024, barely 2 months since the service. Exactly the same set of events and I had the car towed back to the branch after speaking to the manager.

The branch has mentioned that they will diagnose the problem and get back to me.

My main concern now, out of many is, what exactly was done to my car as the claim of fuel for me does not make sense.

When I took the car in on the 10th it was on a half tank of petrol purchased at Engine in Ballito, where I mostly buy petrol. It cannot be that after the service the petrol which was always in the tank suddenly became fouled by "fuel with a high metal content" (as per their attached finding of their initial diagnosis).

I am not in a financial position to pay for R2000 worth of new spark plugs and also not in a position to be without a car in this period.

I would like you to intervene and urgently assist me on how to best deal with this issue. I would like my car to get back to the condition it was in before I took it to VW Ballito for service.

We live in a country with a high crime rate, amongst other problems. I drive long distances in a month and I really can’t afford to be driving in a car which is unreliable, whilst having maintained it to the best of my abilities by ensuring that it's serviced as required.

Your urgent response, attention and assistance will be greatly appreciated.