Volkswagen's twin-charged engine trouble

Almost half of all latest-generation Volkswagen Golf hatchbacks -- and a small number of Jetta sedans -- are being called back to dealerships to iron-out a potential engine computer gremlin.

The models in question are powered by the 118TSI engine, a 1.4-litre twin-charge petrol motor.

Volkswagen Australia executives have confirmed to the Carsales Network that the company is the process of contacting all owners of these vehicles to return their cars to the dealership for a software update.

The engine computer "re-flash" takes about 30 minutes and there is no cost to the customer, but Volkswagen recommends owners book a time with their local dealer to avoid inconvenience.

One engine failure has been reported, while symptoms experienced by up to a dozen other owners include the engine failing to start, or running rough.

A spokesperson for Volkswagen said it is not an official recall, because it is not a safety issue, rather it is described as a "dealer service campaign".

"We have just notified our dealers and are sending out letters to customers to bring in their cars to have an upgrade of their engine software," Volkswagen Australia spokesman, Karl Gehling, said.

"It is not a safety issue but we are instructing our dealers to undertake a service campaign on the engine," he says.

Owners who notice engine problems should not drive their car -- and instead they should get it towed to the nearest dealership, the company warns.

"If they [continue to drive it while the engine is running rough] it will cause damage to the engine," Gehling says. "If the car is misfiring, owners should report the problem to their dealers."

The problem appears to be unique to Volkswagens in Australia. The company says there have been no other similar reports overseas and the computer fix was devised by Germany specifically for Australia.

The company says that the software upgrade includes resetting the engine's knock-sensor, a device which effectively decides when the spark plug should ignite the petrol in the combustion chamber for optimum efficiency and engine durability.

It is a significant setback for the new Golf, which has won numerous Car of the Year awards in Australia and was the World Car of the Year in 2009. The engine in question also won "International Engine of the Year" last year.

Volkswagen has sold approximately 13,500 new generation Golfs since the latest model went on sale in March 2009. But 6700 of those -- about half of all new generation Golfs sold -- are equipped with the 118TSI engine.

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