INTRODUCTION:
The Phaeton was Volkswagen’s first direct attempt to enter the luxury car market. The car was intended to compete with offerings such as Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7-Series, Audi A8, Jaguar XJ, Lexus LS etc.
The car was commissioned by the visionary Ferdinand Piech, then CEO of Volkswagen Group. He set out strict parameters for the engineers and designers to meet which were at the time believed to be impossible by some.
All Phaetons were hand-built at ‘Die Glaeserne Manufaktur’ (The Transparent Factory), Dresden, Germany. This was a state-of-the-art facility, purpose-built only for Phaeton production.
The Phaeton was launched in the UK in 2003 alongside the Touareg as part of Volkswagen’s new prestige range of cars and were to be sold through selected dealers across the UK with approved Phaeton sales teams and technicians.
The new model was met with generally favourable reviews but despite this, some struggled to comprehend a £70,000+ car with a Volkswagen badge and as a result, the cars didn’t sell in large numbers.
The car was in production for a total of 13 years (from 2003 to 2016) with a replacement rumoured to be close to production by 2017. However, the VW emissions scandal of 2015 caused Volkswagen to rethink their line up and they decided to cancel the project, instead focusing on new electric models.
REVISIONS AND FACELIFTS:
The Phaeton was sold in the UK over a period of 2003-2015. There were multiple revisions to the car over this period and it is helpful to know the differences when looking to buy
GP0: 2003 – 2007
This was the first version of the car, identifiable from the outside by the bright red, non-tinted rear lights, and lack of chrome trims around the fog lights.
GP1: 2007 – 2009
This was the first revision of the car featuring minor tweaks throughout. On the outside, rear lights were revised to a darker tinted red appearance and chrome trims were added to the front bumper around the fog lights.
On the inside, the infotainment system received minor software tweaks and the sat-nav was upgraded from a CD system to a DVD system. At first glance, the infotainment system looks the same as the GP0 however the easiest way to spot them is by the revised chrome knobs. The CAN-BUS system of the car was upgraded to version 2.0 which allows for faster communication and easier coding using VCDS.
GP2: 2009 – 2010
Infotainment system updated from original ZAB system to new touchscreen RNS 810. Pre-facelift styling with facelift technology. Interior button illumination updated from red to white.
GP3: 2010 – 2013
Major external facelift of the car; the front end was entirely redesigned, and the rear lights were updated to fit with Volkswagen’s new design language and line-up. The interior included a new steering wheel design but was otherwise unchanged from the previous GP2 generation.
GP4: 2014 – 2015
Final version of the car with minor tweaks to GP3 design. On the exterior, the front fog lights were redesigned, and the rear lights were tinted. On the interior, a gloss black finish was added to the steering wheel controls and around the infotainment system with the gear lever also updated to a new more modern design. The rear climate controls (if specified) were updated to a touch screen remote control which could also be used by passengers to control the infotainment system.
COMMON ISSUES/ MAINTENANCE
As with any car, Phaetons do suffer from some common issues that are good to be aware of when searching for a car to buy and during ownership:
General Fault Finding
The Phaeton is a much more complex vehicle than most with various systems, modules and 3km of wiring onboard. Most garages will not be prepared to fault find your vehicle for you and will throw parts and your money at a car without trying to understand the issue beforehand. You may be best to consult with an Audi specialist who is familiar with A8s, Q7s and other larger engine models to work on your car for more complex maintenance and fault finding. Always research your fault before going to a garage – it could save you a lot of money. Most issues are now well documented, so you are very likely to find help and advice in the owner’s group and on VWVortex Forum which has a wealth of information and guides going all the way back to the car’s launch in 2003. You may wish to invest in Ross-Tech VCDS – a VAG group scanning and coding software tool which can be invaluable for fault finding your car.
Electrical Issues arising from low voltage – Auxiliary Battery
Phaetons do not like low voltage. Your Phaeton should have two batteries in the boot compartment: a starter battery on the right-hand side behind the plastic storage panel and an auxiliary battery on the lefthand side behind the removable cover. If your Phaeton goes a long period without use or the battery is simply getting old, you may find that some features do not work as they should. In many cases, errors will be shown for systems including the air suspension and engine. The auxiliary battery must be replaced with a like-for-like AGM 12V 92Ah 520A DIN/860A SAE battery.
Water in front footwells leading to KESSY failure
The KESSY (Keyless Entry and Start System) is the module responsible for controlling the door locking and immobiliser of your Phaeton. It is situated under the front passenger footwell carpet (RHD cars) and if water finds it’s way into the cabin, it is susceptible to water damage. In some cases, the corrosion to the KESSY module can be repaired by specialists however in the case that a module is irreparably damaged, the replacement costs are very high. All KESSYs are individually programmed to their car and can only be coded once by Volkswagen; the cost of this is well over £1,000. Prevention is the best approach to this issue as water in footwells is usually caused by blocked plenum and/or sunroof drains. The plenum should be regularly inspected for build-up of leaves which could be blocking the drains – you can pour water into this area to ensure that the water is escaping through the bottom of the car. There is a useful guide of how to do this on VWVortex forum.
Corroded power steering lines
Power steering lines are prone to corrosion and failure in the passenger wheel-arch area. There are various options for owners in this case. Some owners have opted to replace the whole pipe with a new one from Volkswagen at great expense whilst others have opted to splice in a repair section for very little cost. Companies such as Pirtek have also been known to make pipes to order for owners in some cases.
Corrosion to doors and boot
All Volkswagen cars come from the factory with a 3-Year paint warranty and 12-Year corrosion warranty. The Phaeton unfortunately suffers with paint blistering on the doors and boot lid which worsens over time. Some cars appear to suffer with these issues worse than others with some early cars showing little or no corrosion and some cars showing blistering within the first couple of years. In previous years, Volkswagen were quick to accept responsibility for this and in many cases repairs and even door replacements were accepted with no cost to the owner. In more recent years, warranty claims for this issue haven’t been so easily accepted and it’s now common for owners to spend months arguing with Volkswagen UK to fulfil their warranty obligations. In some cases, Volkswagen will offer a 50/50 “goodwill” cost contribution to the owner; although the cost of these works can be over £10,000 if door replacements are required. If you wish to pursue a warranty claim for this, you may be best to speak with other owners who have been through this process and can offer advice.
Bowed lower door trims
At the bottom of each door there is a plastic trim panel which is either painted grey to match the sills on pre-facelift cars or colour coded to the body on facelift cars. On the reverse of these panels is a steel bar which affixes to clips on the door. This bar can corrode over time and therefore warp the attached plastic panel. Replacements can be sought from Volkswagen for around £100 each.
Knocking Suspension
As your car ages, the rubber bushes to the upper and lower control arms of the suspension will begin to perish. If you are noticing that your ride isn’t as smooth as it once was or noticing knocking over bumps and steering, your suspension bushes are likely to be the culprit. You can either opt to buy new control arms with bushes included or have new bushes pressed into your existing control arms.
Suspension airbag/ compressor failure
Suspension airbag and compressor failure is a concern for many prospective buyers and owners; and although it does happen, it isn’t especially common. Symptoms can include the ride height going down overnight due to slow air leaks or a total blowout of the bag. There are now several options available to owners for struts as refurbished and aftermarket replacements are now readily available from around £300 each.
Boot Wiring Harness Failure
If your electronic boot release is no longer working or you’ve noticed flickering/ non functioning lights on the tailgate, you’re likely to have a damaged wiring harness to the boot. Over time, the wires in the tube going into the boot lid begin to snap and fail leading to various potential faults. Volkswagen do sell a replacement boot wiring harness section to splice into your existing loom for around £400 however this can be done more cheaply by splicing in replacement wires instead.