When is a car a Lemon?

[breadbox]

MY girlfirend Bought an 09 Tiguan at the in December 08.

In march 2010 the car has less then 10,000 miles.

It is obviously a grocery getter.

Issues thus far--------------

Rusted bolt heads on certain parts of the body, IDK whats up with that.

Water condensation in the projector/fogs after the first hard rain.

Water was leaking into the passenger compartment, they reglued the tubes that divert water off the sunroof. Waited a day for detailing to finish it up and the passenger foot area was still full of water.

Tire pressure light keeps going of in conjunction with a parking brake malfunction light/warning. They replaced two fuses and we get it back and they blow a day later.

Airbag light is now coming on.

If i get a parking brake malfunction and tire pressure warning I know two things 1. I can no longer lock the car with the remote and every window only rolls itself down.

The trunk locks and unlocks constantly when driving sometimes and if you are lucky you can push the trunk closed til you here it click and it will stop, but sometimes it just keeps unlocking and locking.

Its had one oil change. It doesn't get beat on at all.

[breadbox]

I find it funny that they are the "Safe Happens" People, yet I cannot lock the car completely and Airbag malfunction is the newest issue.

[numbnuts240]

i read in one of my mags that vw vows to be the largest automaker but some year soon. sounds like they're following in toyota's footsteps.

seriousness aside, unless licking the interior makes you contort your face and the exterior can temporarily blind you, it's not a lemon

[f1seb]

It's a very gray area that is dependent on your local laws. Some are stricter and some are more lax. I've hear of friends lemoning a car in the New York State area after just only 4 repeat visits for the same problem....others took more than 10.

Most laws use words like "unreasonable downtime" blah blah blah.

[breadbox]

I guess I'll talk to the VW people and throw the word lemon out and see what their face does.

[breadbox]

Considering the cost she pays monthly, she is either getting it fixed for real or getting a different car. They can have the Tiguan and they can slide her an R8 straight across.

[f1seb]

If they try to laugh at you, do your best to use these words together "lawyer and lemon."

[breadbox]

We'll see how those two work, good call.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

"LEMON LAW b****ESSS!!"

Don't take any of their crap Johan. Just keep bringing it back for the same thing and demand loaner cars every time.

The automotive industry is going to s*** in a hurry. I'll take my 90's Japanese cars back, thank you.

[breadbox]

James, you're my hero. I am taking no guff from the dealer.

[f1seb]

James, you're my hero. I am taking no guff from the dealer.

One other thing that is important. Documentation, always demand documentation, no matter how small the problem is. The bigger the stack the better are your chances. Judges and lawyers love paper trails.

[breadbox]

its 3 or more times for the same problem. and I have all printouts of everytime I took it in.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Stick it to them man. They get paid from VW corporate to do the work anyway....its not much, but they get paid none the less.

[breadbox]

I am wondering what happens after its a "lemon". get another tiguan or what?

[f1seb]

I am wondering what happens after its a "lemon". get another tiguan or what?

You're not going to get much cooperation or a choice from the dealer. They will try to nickle and dime the entire way, they have no shame in it. If you're wiling to put in the time and aggravation you might get something good.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I am wondering what happens after its a "lemon". get another tiguan or what?

I would immagine either that, or a full refund?

[Klits562]

The automotive industry is going to s*** in a hurry. I'll take my 90's Japanese cars back, thank you.

amen

[Jesda]

[Chaotic_Warlord]

http://www.carlaws.com/

Seriously though I do believe that it has to go in for repair at the dealer multiple time for the same problem, not multiple times for a multiple problems. My girlfriend's brother in law Lemon lawed his Sebring, there was nothing wrong with the car, he just kept unplugging something on the harness, they finally figured out what he was doing and siliconed over the connection so he couldn't unplug it anymore, but by the time they did that it had already been the three times and it was lemon lawed. They took the car back and gave him a full refund for the Black Book Value of the car, he took that money and got a CTS.

Check that link i posted, I do believe they give you a full refund and you can go get a car from somewhere else. As far as what happens to the car, it is fixed and sold as used, but the carfax on it will say it was lemon lawed, so you'll just be passing the problems off onto someone else.

I would also like to add that if you Lemon Law a car the word spreads and you kind of become a Pariah to local dealerships, so don't expect anyone to be friendly when you walk in the door looking for a replacement vehicle.

[breadbox]

well the Problems always start the same and then just add on each time, with increasing the amount of failed "systems".

[TurboSauce]

i hope this helps.

[AE240SX]

Sounds to me like there is water getting into wiring or a control unit somehwere that is causing stuff to short out. Depending on how long it sat at port before it got shipped to dealer and then you that could account for the rusty bolt heads. Fuses just don't blow by themselves....That car is going to have a CAN bus/fiber optic system so it could be a faulty C.U. sending bad signals..... I have also seen rodent damage cause similar bizarre problems. As stated before "lemon laws" are different from state to state, in Florida it has to be a problem that affects the safety or something like that. You could have hundreds of cupholders replaced but you can't lemon law for silly stuff like that.

[breadbox]

So Tiguan Went back in for Repairs, Dropped off on a tuesday, for pick up on Thursday, Got it back on friday, Was great Saturday, Blew fuses again Sunday. Obviously just replacing the fuses isn't working, WTF? I know they know this isn't helping by not fixing whats wrong when they had it apart. The replaced a crash sensor to fix the Airbag light.

Also when the fuses blew, the sunroof which is massive is now left open. How convenient? Glad it wasn't sunny followed by rain storms. We don't EXPECT rain, but its VA who knows. I have a speedy appt, on Wednesday. So its a Lemon now right scheduled for its 4th service in like 2 months. I think I should go there and discuss lemons and have them at least replace fuse for the sunroof to close.

[breadbox]

yet to hit 11,000 miles.

[Alfador]

A VW with electrical problems? I wish I could say it was surprising. Decent craftsmanship otherwise but I've yet to hear of a VW model that didn't have chronic electrical issues. About the only thing more reliable is the fact that Jettas driven by the fairer sex turn into homing missiles aimed at other cars.

[JLAUDIO85]

To O.P: when you spill ur O.J in ur backseat? Lemon car

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I was gonna say, 2-3 days to replace fuses? I HOPE they did something else as well. Drop the "Lemon Bomb" and see what happens.

[breadbox]

Already, Asked what their policy on lemons is, Which prompted an immediate please hold while I talk to a manager. Assuming they record calls and actually read the "Survey" They wanted me to take for last times service. Also clicked the I want to be contacted by the dealer and VW of America. I am going in after work to inquire the steps of making this a lemon. Girl on phone said they have to exhaust every option of fixing it before they lemon it, I told her it is otherwise written in the state law, Three or more times for the same issue within the first 18 months whether or not the malfunction keeps it from driving or not.

[breadbox]

Woot, so they found the problem. part of the harness(5wires or so) on the under side of the steering column somewhere got chaffed. The took pictures and sent it to VW wolfsburg, and got the repair instructions and they lengthened the harness and moved it out of the way. So nice not to lemon a perfectly driving vehicle.

[Dattebayo]

They should dock the Mexicans who built it in Germany a weeks pay.