As I’ve reported elsewhere… our Peugeot garage took several months to finally find what was causing an intermittent “problem”… the computer told 'em to change this, then that, then the other…
Each time, they kept “our bit” and later put it back on our car (obviously with no charges made) when it didn’t solve the problem…
We were only charged for the small piece of wiring which was faulty… and the charge for that bit was nothing much… after months of sweat and toil…
No wonder that garage has a loyal clientele…
Exactly my point, a kludge. The Tiguan was the same, something went wrong and the (LCD) dashboard lit up, ABS not working, ESC not working, collision assist not working, side assist not working, nada, nada, nada. The bloody system hadn’t a clue what wasn’t working and just threw a wobbler.
Sobeit, but the lousy main dealer diagnostics and the halfwit failed apprentice didn’t either. I was charged €160 for my inconclusive diagnostics, thank you very much. Though, they did tell me I needed to replace a offside rear wheel bearing. I asked how they knew this, movement in the wheel, noise from the bearing? Answers there were none. The last thing I would do is sail along on the autoroute with a dodgy wheel bearing but I know a shot bearing when I come across one so I did nothing and two years later there was still no issue.
Post script. I was chatting to a pal a few months ago, he’d a very successful independent garage which he’s just sold, and he explained Tiguans are prone to intermittent rear wheel ABS sensor failure which throws the (lousy) diagnostics into panic.
I guess that’s what my expensive incompetent apprentice diagnosed as a wheel bearing failure.
Bottom line, don’t trust garages and don’t trust main dealers at all.
That garagiste was later talking about retirement… I jokingly told him “that’s not allowed” and he solemnly informed me that he wouldn’t retire until he’d found “the right person” to take over.
He kept his word and subsequently sold the business to a former apprentice who wanted to move back to the area… great chap, who’s got the same work/customer ethos as his old boss. The business is thriving…
My guess would be a failing sensor wire, they can get fairly brittle especially if not changed when the pads are done (and get a lot of abuse from the weather). Mind you, 5k isn’t that much so I would get the pads and sensors changed, maybe the discs too. It’s a safety thing
Thanks everyone for your advice. I’ll make an appointment and get them to check it all properly. Just relieved it isn’t a “stop driving immediately and go to nearest garage” issue as I’m visiting OH in hospital every day and the merc is the only car at the moment.
Just a thought… our car has to go into the Garage for work… and they’ve kindly offered us a loan car (albeit with the wheel on the left… ) as we really can’t be without transport.
might that be an option in your case ??
Thanks for the thought Stella. Just a bit of a roller coaster at the moment.
I’ve sold our Skoda this morning! Which slightly surprises me as my name is not on any of the paperwork. Anyway, it meant I had an excuse to pop into our insurance agent and while I was there up the “assistance” for the merc, so that if I break down anywhere or have an accident they will sort me out and I get a courtesy car. I love our merc to bits - 26 years old, reassuringly robust and stable, but I need to know I will be taken care of if anything happens to it.
)