VW South Africa - misfiring issue

Approximately three years ago, I purchased a VW Polo TSI with a motor plan from VW Bruma. I have consistently maintained the vehicle, but around the 40,000 km mark, I began experiencing engine misfires. I promptly brought the vehicle to VW for diagnosis and repair.

Initially, I took the car to VW Bryanston, where I worked with Trevor Mahlangu. Despite bringing the vehicle in four times for the same issue, the problem remained unresolved.

Seeking a solution, I subsequently transferred my service to VW Melrose, but unfortunately, they were also unable to rectify the issue.

I escalated the matter to VW South Africa, and their response indicated:

"Field monitoring has highlighted varying instances of engine misfires across regions. These misfires are primarily linked to visible metallic deposits found on affected spark plugs, generally associated with excessive iron or manganese in the combustion process.

The fouling of the spark plugs is not a manufacturing defect but rather due to external influences. Consequently, the vehicle warranty or maintenance plan does not cover the cost of repairs."

This response implies that VW is attributing the misfire issue to contaminated fuel in the South African market, effectively absolving themselves of any responsibility. While I acknowledge that external factors may contribute to the problem, it remains their product that is affected. It seems reasonable that they should bear some responsibility for repair costs, especially considering I have a maintenance plan in place.

Had I been informed at the time of purchase about the possibility of recurring costs—approximately R1500 every month or two—I would likely have reconsidered my decision to buy the vehicle.

I also requested overall statistics from VW South Africa regarding the number of complaints related to this spark plug issue, including the provinces and vehicle makes involved, but my request was declined by Phaphama, despite the absence of personal information in those statistics.

While the issue may be influenced by external factors, it is still their product, and I believe that as a reputable German brand known for quality, VW should prioritize customer satisfaction and address these issues rather than placing the financial burden on their customers.

If I had been made aware of this potential problem during the purchasing process, I would have chosen not to proceed with the deal.