We take a look inside the Volkswagen Group Singapore’s Service Centre and see that keeping customer cars well-maintained is a precision job

SINGAPORE

Why do you need to service your car regularly, and what exactly happens to your car when it is sent for its regular servicing and maintenance? A look into the Volkswagen Group’s servicing department at the brand’s showroom building reveals what goes on behind the scenes when a car is being worked on. The facility is a finely-tuned combination of facilities so your car goes in and comes out in an efficient manner. Let’s take a tour. 

Why do cars need servicing?

All cars need regular maintenance to ensure that they function at their best. Skipping on the service schedule is neither clever nor effective, because potential parts failures can be spotted during routine maintenance, and rectified early before they become larger, costlier problems that affect other areas of the car. 

Also of major importance in internal combustion engines is the engine oil, which  needs to be regularly changed and refilled. It’s one of the many fluids sloshing around in the car’s mechanical componentry that help to lubricate the thousands of moving parts inside a modern vehicle. 

These fluids will break down with use, eventually lose their lubrication properties, and in the case of engine oil can also gradually be depleted from the normal combustion process of the engine burning fuel. 

Running low on any of these fluids is a very bad idea, and some of these components can only be checked at a service station.

Your car’s full check-up schedule starts here

A Service Advisor will be assigned to you for the day when you take your Volkswagen in for its routine servicing. He will discuss with you what needs to be done to the car, depending on the mileage accumulated and also address any concerns that you may have about possible problems. 

The Job Order is placed into the system and your car is driven up to one of the many servicing bays for work to be done. A single mechanic is assigned to the task from start to finish for consistency, and the process begins with an overall assessment of the car’s condition and the collection of needed replacement parts from the parts department. 

Moving joints and hinges are cleaned and lubricated for squeak-free operation, and the main job of draining the old engine oil takes place with the car lifted on the hoist.

The engine oil filter must be replaced with every oil change, and then appropriate engine oil for the car is piped in through the oil filler at the top of the engine.

The engine coolant is a vital fluid in ensuring that the engine runs at optimal temperatures and that corrosion does not occur within the coolant channels. Volkswagen Singapore has a proprietary device to check and ensure that this is within factory specifications. 

The car’s air conditioning system is also checked, to ensure that there are no leaks in the system that can cause the system to not cool the interior efficiently.

With the car up on the hoist, the mechanic will systematically check all the suspension joints, braking systems and tyres, for wear and tear, and recommend further rectification works if necessary.

Specialised bays for testing vehicle braking efficiency, along with wheel alignment, are also located in the building. The wheels on a car need periodic re-alignment to ensure that all four wheels are pointed straight ahead and within the factory specifications. This will ensure stability on the road and help extend the life of the tyres.

Routine maintenance in the service bay is typically completed in around an hour. A major servicing job takes around three hours if there are more parts to replace.

After the job is completed, one of Volkswagen’s team of quality control executives will inspect the car following a checklist to ensure that nothing has been missed out, and everything has been completed to specification.

A full car wash by the Volkswagen detailers brings your car back up to a sparkling shine, and following that your Service Advisor will inform you that your car is ready for collection. 

Other Vehicle Services at Volkswagen Singapore

Small items that can be quickly replaced, such as wiper blades, can be done quickly and without an appointment at the Dialogue Reception on site. It’s a drive-in and drive-out process.

The Bodywork and Paint department here also manages accident claims, and repairs. Damaged vehicles can be towed here directly for assessment.

It’s a complete, one-stop facility for everything that you need to care for your Volkswagen, by the people who know your car best.

Find out more at this link!

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