Posting about shoddy work on here will get lots of indignent support etc, as owners do. You are highly unlikely to get any leverage from that as your dealer is looking at a $7-8,000 repair and no business is going to stump up willingly. I would say that IF you ever get an enforceable solution, it will need the weight of the law behind it. The longer it goes on the less likely you will get any resolution.

Are you in a state where you have an annual inspection that may fail it on the leak? Not being able to register your car may be a lever in getting a repair but I wouldn't hold out hope on that.
You may have access to Service NSW, Fair Trading NSW, ACCC, or whatever, depending on wherer you live. Perhaps someone on here has had an experience and can advise on the liklihood of one of these bodies looking at it on your behalf.

Under Australian Consumer Law, buyers of new or used cars are entitled to repairs, a replacement or a refund if there's a major fault and that can be aligned with the repair work conducted. Achieving that outcome can sometime cost more than it is worth.

Unfortunately if you settled for a specific outcome, say R&R the rear main seal and the job was done and that component doesn't leak then you probably have no case if the actual leak is elsewhere. You almost have to specify, stop all oil leaks, and then cry when a complete rebuild bill arrives.

Those among us that do our own work will always look at all other possible causes and replace most everything while it is apart. Business do not work like that and sadly, most of us couldn't afford to pay ourselves to do work to the standard we would like.

 

Posting about shoddy work on here will get lots of indignent support etc, as owners do. You are highly unlikely to get any leverage from that as your dealer is looking at a $7-8,000 repair and no business is going to stump up willingly. I would say that IF you ever get an enforceable solution, it will need the weight of the law behind it. The longer it goes on the less likely you will get any resolution.

Are you in a state where you have an annual inspection that may fail it on the leak? Not being able to register your car may be a lever in getting a repair but I wouldn't hold out hope on that.
You may have access to Service NSW, Fair Trading NSW, ACCC, or whatever, depending on wherer you live. Perhaps someone on here has had an experience and can advise on the liklihood of one of these bodies looking at it on your behalf.

Under Australian Consumer Law, buyers of new or used cars are entitled to repairs, a replacement or a refund if there's a major fault and that can be aligned with the repair work conducted. Achieving that outcome can sometime cost more than it is worth.

Unfortunately if you settled for a specific outcome, say R&R the rear main seal and the job was done and that component doesn't leak then you probably have no case if the actual leak is elsewhere. You almost have to specify, stop all oil leaks, and then cry when a complete rebuild bill arrives.

Those among us that do our own work will always look at all other possible causes and replace most everything while it is apart. Business do not work like that and sadly, most of us couldn't afford to pay ourselves to do work to the standard we would like.

Much appreciated NZ consumer law is similar and i am getting legal advice. I will ask the dealer to redo the rear main seal at another aproved dealership and if they refuse we are off to court.

 

Not sure I follow.
So you had some "other work" done and are now wanting the dealer that did "other work" to warranty the rear main that they "should've" suggested replacing when they had everything apart, but didn't?
Is your '14 under some sort of warranty like they have in the USA (10y\100k powertrain or something)?

 

Sorry if i didnt explain properly.
Dealer did the repair. They give a warranty of two years on parts and labour.
The exact same symptoms have persisted.
Returned and they claimed a faulty plug but they were wrong
now fault diagnosed as upper sump seal leak suspect they are giving me the bums rush. two other dealers state its still the rear main seal. They also state i should have been given the otion to replace all seals whils motor out. Makes sense but i never got that option or advice. Thoughts appreciated. Ray

 

How much oil are you losing over how many kms?

 

2014 Touareg TDI still battling dealer on rear main seal repair issues. recurring and identical symptoms following very expensive repair. Deaaler then claimed it was a leaking sump plug and now claiming upper sump pan leak.
Had second and third opinions from other authorised dealers. They both state they would have replaced or recommended replacement of all seals at back of engine when the motor and transmission were taken out. My repair dealer did not do that.
Have also tried to fob me off with a 'leaking sump plug' diagnosis. This was wrong and now claiming upper sump pan seal fail.Won't pay for further investigation and are telling me i have to prove their repair was faulty. Advice appreciated.

Perhaps if you could refresh our memory and let us know the work that ws done perhaps include a copy of the invoice listing the work carried out and the parts replaced. There are numerous things that can cause a leak with tell tale marks on the bell housing area/rear of engine. Please deidentify the invoice copy. How long has it been since the repair.

In my particular circumstance, what the repairer thought was originally al oi cooler in the engine valley after the component was changed the leak persisted and turned out to be a weep from the flywheel bolts that secure the flywheel to the crank shaft. The repairer changed the rear main seal at the same time and the rear engine plate seal.

If the dealer was a VW dealer then VW warrants the repair and the pars for 12 months.

If it was me I would take the engine splash guard off take lots of photos wash the area down thoroughly reassemble then use the car till the oil leaks reappeared the remove splash guard again and take lots of photos. If you have air suspension it does make the job easier.
But having said all that please refresh our memories and let us see the invoice copt and how long ago the repair was.

 

Hi and many thanks.

Job done in April 2021; Fault symptom very small amount of oil weeping from the two drain holes bottom of bell housing.

Dealer had car for a week. Replaced rear main seal only and the 10 fly wheel bolts. Close to 40 hours labour. No mention of the condition of the upper sump pan seal or timing chain cover seals. No mention of the sensible option to do all the seals.

Oil weep started again shortly afterwards. initially explained away by some residual oil from the repair.

Leak Persisted and returned to dealer as they had promised a 2 year warranty on parts and labour.

They then diagnosed a leaking lower sump plug. Plug and washer replaced. I was gettin suspicious.

Oil leak continued not bad but identical to the original symtoms.

Back to dealer. New diagnosis using mirror light and stick. No camer used no photos. Now claiming upper sump pan seal. North of 8 k to fix. not covered by their warranty.

Off to two other NZ based VW authorised dealers. Both diagnose likely rear main seal, or fly wheel bolts, or possibly timing chain cover. Used scope and camera. Photos taken. Area of upper sump pan seals look fine.

Dealer will only redo the rear main seal if i can prove that is the problem by removing engine and splitting from transmission. That is the bulk of the costs.

I hope this explains the position more clearly.