Time/Date setting / Bluetooth / USB cable iPhone connection

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golfsok

***
Joined
Oct 27, 2015
Messages
22
Location
Sunnyvale, CA
Just leased 2016 e-Golf SE.
Almost immediately found out three following issues:
1. Time/Date settings are gone after a short drive.
2. Intermittent iPhone 6 voice call issues.
3. USB cable to iPhone 6 connection doesn't work, the phone doesn't even charge.

VW took the car and is working on the fix. Did anybody experience anything similar ? Is there anything to look into that I could miss so far ?
 
Got an update from VW dealership. They are ordering some broken part from Germany. Delivery time 4-5 days. So, I am looking into about one week of driving the loaner.
 
Update from the dealer: instrument cluster had a broken fuse. The car is still with the dealer from Monday.
Getting nervous about VW EV local (CA Bay area) repair capabilities. If to change the fuse takes more than a week, how long would it take something serious ?!
 
golfsok said:
Update from the dealer: instrument cluster had a broken fuse. The car is still with the dealer from Monday.
Getting nervous about VW EV local (CA Bay area) repair capabilities. If to change the fuse takes more than a week, how long would it take something serious ?!

Get it in writing... there is no fuse in the instrument cluster, there is a fuse to the instrument cluster, located in the left dash panel door... you can see it when you open up the drivers side door, 2 notches. Pry them open gently with a screwdriver, and all the fuses will be there. Ask them which numbered fuse is to the dash panel that they replaced. The numbering of the slots and fuses on the panel is rather bass ackwards on the fuse box on the drivers side here in the USA, you need to pay very careful attention to the numbering system.
 
My car (2016 SE) is still (ONE WEEK) in repair without an ETA for fix. I feel really cheated to stay without the car after just 40 hours of owning it. What should be VW/dealership reaction if I don't get car fixed in next 1-2 days ? Swap the leased car ? Anything else ? Any similar situations to people on that forum ?
 
golfsok said:
My car (2016 SE) is still (ONE WEEK) in repair without an ETA for fix. I feel really cheated to stay without the car after just 40 hours of owning it. What should be VW/dealership reaction if I don't get car fixed in next 1-2 days ? Swap the leased car ? Anything else ? Any similar situations to people on that forum ?
I just went over this when I was driving back from picking up our SE. I thought the chargeport wasn't locking correctly (and now I read on the forums that my model doesn't have that feature) so I was faced with taking it back to the dealer or continuing home.

The response seemed reasonable, asked me what I thought should happen and said it might take a week (because of me not wanting to get back into town until next weekend) and my question was if it took longer or if there were other issues that were missed, what then?

His response was a week was inconvenient but the bottom line was if I wanted it fixed I needed to bring it in. If it became two or three weeks they'd work with me on a resolution. He didn't specify. I would have argued for something like waiving that month's payment and delivering it to my door.

You have a loaner, though. Is the loaner nicer than your eGolf? I only ask because if they put you in a 40K dollar vehicle and are taking care of your comfort then you could silver line this with the amount of miles you aren't putting on your leased vehicle. It's a budget model you might start to ask for concessions. I don't know, there's no good answer. What would you like them to do for you other than fix it this minute? :)
 
golfsok said:
My car (2016 SE) is still (ONE WEEK) in repair without an ETA for fix. I feel really cheated to stay without the car after just 40 hours of owning it. What should be VW/dealership reaction if I don't get car fixed in next 1-2 days ? Swap the leased car ? Anything else ? Any similar situations to people on that forum ?
Open a case with VW Customer Service for any case that is not immediately handled by the dealer. Tell them exactly the trouble and which dealer is working on the car. At the least, you should be able to get a check to compensate you for the inconvenience of the time that it was in the shop. They may also be able to expedite parts or get additional resources for the dealer working on the car.
 
Update: not fixable in a manageable time. The guy from the dealership said that part of the problem is fixed but the "time setting" issue will require another software update that is not even available.
I was told to call VW HQ to request the ref. number and start the lease buy-back process.

What is the best course of actions now ?
 
golfsok said:
Update: not fixable in a manageable time. The guy from the dealership said that part of the problem is fixed but the "time setting" issue will require another software update that is not even available.
I was told to call VW HQ to request the ref. number and start the lease buy-back process.

What is the best course of actions now ?

Ask to lease a 2015 SEL for the same terms and price as your 2016 SE, and you don't care where they find it to make it happen. Your I-phone 6 may be one of those 2.5 amp juice suckers to recharge the battery, that blows fuses, when the GPS mode is on, and it roasted the gauges in the dash, burnt up circuitry. I know some guys with motor home RV's that have had the same problem with their new iphone 6+ units and recharging.
 
So far I didn't get any offers neither from the dealer, nor VW HQ. With my "luck" and seeing how incapable the local repair people, I seriously start to doubt e-Golf decision. At the same time the car looks and feel nice and the current lease deals are really much cheaper than anything else on market. Will wait what VW has to tell me.
 
golfsok said:
So far I didn't get any offers neither from the dealer, nor VW HQ. With my "luck" and seeing how incapable the local repair people, I seriously start to doubt e-Golf decision. At the same time the car looks and feel nice and the current lease deals are really much cheaper than anything else on market. Will wait what VW has to tell me.
I'm sorry this experience has soured you on the e-Golf. Most of us have no problems and love the car. Please make sure you have an open case with VW Customer Service and get a hold of an e-Golf specialist. The specialist I dealt with was very helpful and actually knew the car. I don't expect VW to make any offer to buyback or release you from the lease until it has been in the shop for 30 days. However, you should be able to get compensation for the payments made while it is in the shop in addition to the use of a loaner car.

BTW, the dealer does not have any power to do anything but try to fix it. It's up to VW USA to buy back or replace the car.
 
Got a call from VW HQ. They will give me an update only on Monday. Is that typical wait time ? Should I insist on faster resolution ?
 
Update. Got a call today from the store with the news that they managed to fix the car. They explained that the member of VW special team came with the latest software update. They told me that there is a number of cars identified with that defect. Picked up the car - works fine.
 
golfsok said:
Update. Got a call today from the store with the news that they managed to fix the car. They explained that the member of VW special team came with the latest software update. They told me that there is a number of cars identified with that defect. Picked up the car - works fine.

You can bet that "special team" is not going to go out of the 10 states that VW sells/markets "compliance" e-Golfs in to service them when problems crop up, and with typical VW quality and care, ( and I speak as a long time VW owner) they will, with today's technology and today's subcontractors and vendors that provide parts to VW out of China.


A "team" doesn't need to come out with a software update. You are being fed a lie. Anyone that can follow instructions can upload a software update through the OBD II port, while hooked up to the internet and the VW servers in the Mother Country, in Germany.

Ask for what the Technical Service Bulletin was and what the number was, for the update. And ask why aren't the dealerships doing the updates before selling the cars to the public, instead of selling "as is" unfit for public use.
 
I agree that there was something strange in my case. But "somebody" definitely came for repair from other place. I think it helped that I opened the case with VW HQ and threatened to cancel the lease if it can't be fixed in a reasonable time. The dealership also had excuse that this SW update is totally new just for the issue I got.
 
I have that same 2016 SE and no trouble with iPhone 6 whatsoever. Works on Bluetooth, connects with USB for apps (and charges), time seems O.K. Knock on wood.
Maybe there is something really broken in your car.
 
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