Speedbird676
New member
- Location
- London
- Car(s)
- Golf GTD Mk7
This thread is purely speculative as to what the cause is as I am at a complete loss as to how this happened.
I took my Mk7 Golf GTD in for a service today and shortly after dropping the car off I received a call from the VW dealer telling me that when they opened the bonnet the oil filler cap was completely missing and there was spilt oil in the engine bay. They have replaced the cap, cleaned down the bay and as the car was being serviced have replaced the oil and filter as part of the service.
The last time the oil filler cap would have been removed is during the car's previous service last June. I haven't opened the bonnet since then. The car did go for its MOT in September last year, which it passed. I don't know whether the cap would have been checked as part of the MOT test.
So, as far as I can tell one of the following must be true:
I took my Mk7 Golf GTD in for a service today and shortly after dropping the car off I received a call from the VW dealer telling me that when they opened the bonnet the oil filler cap was completely missing and there was spilt oil in the engine bay. They have replaced the cap, cleaned down the bay and as the car was being serviced have replaced the oil and filter as part of the service.
The last time the oil filler cap would have been removed is during the car's previous service last June. I haven't opened the bonnet since then. The car did go for its MOT in September last year, which it passed. I don't know whether the cap would have been checked as part of the MOT test.
So, as far as I can tell one of the following must be true:
- The cap was not replaced during the last service. That means it has been missing for 15 months and I have driven 4,000 miles. Reading about other people's experiences of driving without the filler cap, a large amount of oil would have been expelled from the engine over that period of time. It doesn't sound from the extent of cleaning required that there was a huge amount of oil, I've never noticed any oil leak from under the car and the car has been driving normally. If incorrectly fitted, could the cap have worked loose and only recently come out completely?
- The cap was removed during the MOT. That means it has been missing for 12 months and I have driven 3,000-4,000 miles. All of the above would also be true. I don't think the MOT would call for the cap to be removed, but would a missing cap cause an MOT fail or advisory?
- The cap has been "stolen" some time between September last year and today. I've read up on how easy it is to open the bonnet of the Mk7 without access to the interior of the car and it seems pretty difficult - either cutting through the upper part of the grille or removing one of the wheel arch panels. It doesn't sound likely that either if these could be done in the street without somebody noticing. Are there any other methods of gaining access to the engine bay?
- The dealer has made the whole thing up to charge me for a new filler cap and cleaning the engine bay.
stunk up the engine, hot oil literally everywhere. Once a mate's car was 'apparently' serviced by a franchsied and the left they engine oil out. All of it. Fortunately he noticed almost immediately and, yeh, it stunk up to the sky....
