VW installing tether anchors

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henrietta

Well-known member

• Sep 8, 2007

• #1

anyone know if vw installs tether anchors for free or if there is a charge (and if so, roughly how much)?

thanks!!

henrietta

 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus

Staff member

• Sep 8, 2007

• #2

The '07 LATCH manual states that VW discontinued free top tether anchor retrofit service, and also discontinued free service to retrofit lower LATCH anchors in retrofittable VW models. :thumbsdown: There is no mention of the VW part or labor costs in the LATCH manual, sorry. Some specific retrofit part numbers are listed for various VW models, but there's also a blurb saying, "Part numbers or information may change. See dealer for latest information (Tech Bulletin 69-01-01)."

Hope this helps a tad.

 

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henrietta

Well-known member

• Sep 8, 2007

• #3

Thanks, Jean! That does help. I guess I'll be calling the local dealership with that bulletin number then and asking them directly.

henrietta

 

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henrietta

Well-known member

• Sep 10, 2007

• #4

Jean,

Is that a "CPST tech bulletin" that a car dealership would even know anything about?

Thanks!

henrietta

 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus

Staff member

• Sep 10, 2007

• #5

I think it should be a VW technical service bulletin the dealership would have access to, not a CPST bulletin, but I can see it being either based on the ambiguously worded title for it in the LATCH manual. Hmmm. If you want to know the specific top tether anchor retrofit part numbers listed for a particular VW model, feel free to post back with model info. One of us LATCH manual junkies can look that info. up, too, for reference, and then perhaps the dealer can check their info. in case the part number changed? Hope it's not a big hassle for you at the dealership, knock on wood.

 

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henrietta

Well-known member

• Sep 10, 2007

• #6

It took the parts/service guy at the dealership a bit of sleuthing, but with that bulletin number and the direct line to VW he was able to get the parts number.

It is $50 per tether anchor plus labor ($90/hr!) to have it installed. We are going to install it ourselves to save the $$, and he gave us a diagram to do so. The mechanics thought that it would take 1-1.5 hrs do one tether anchor and maybe 2 hours to do all three, b/c the hardest part of the job is taking out the shelf behind the seats in our sedan and reinstalling it. The TA's themselves should be a breeze, as long as we can follow the diagram correctly.

FWIW, I can't believe that people request this so rarely that they have to work this hard to find the info...and I can't believe that a few metal pieces are $50!!! It should be less than $50 for the whole kit of 3 ta's!


Thanks for all your help!!!

henrietta

 

G

Guest

New member

• Sep 11, 2007

• #7

OEM parts are always super expensive. That's why cheap insurance co's/body shops try and substitute aftermarket whenever they can.

And most people find it easier to just buy a new car instead of retrofitting something onto an old one. They've got 7 yr auto financing now. It's crazy.

 

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Minniemouse

Senior Community Member

• Sep 11, 2007

• #8

Four or five years ago dh freaked out the VW dealership when he walked in w/ the part number for the tether anchor for my '91 Jetta.

When he had dropped off the car for service he asked about it (dd was still rear facing so we were thinking ahead) and they kept telling him it didn't exist, etc. I got the part number from the LATCH manual and when he returned w/ it the parts guy was floored.

He wanted to know how dh knew specific VW part numbers!

We got ours installed for free, just one though. By the time ds came along and dd had to go outboard, the '91 Jetta had died.

 

G

Guest

New member

• Sep 11, 2007

• #9

Hahaha, yeah, dealerships don't like it when customers have any sort of knowledge. "That's normal" is their favorite saying when they have no idea what's wrong.

 

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henrietta

Well-known member

• Sep 11, 2007

• #10

I really lucked out, I guess. This guy went back and forth b/t VW and the company that does their accessories (calling me back after each phone call!) to find out the info and get the parts ordered. He wasn't annoyed at all, just very helpful, and he seemed to appreciate having the bulletin number!

FWIW, his name is Fred at Village VW in Chattanooga, Tennessee!!! Thanks, Fred!

henrietta

 

kanga

New member

• Sep 15, 2007

• #11

I have never had a problem ordering parts for our vws. They actually love that we are highly knowledgable and come ready with part #s. Most of the products we get are aftermarket items so we don't deal with them much anymore. What model and year is your vw. We have a Eurovan and a Passat Wagon. We also have owned a cabriolet, jetta, jetta wagon and cabrio. LMK if you have any VW questions.

 

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henrietta

Well-known member

• Sep 23, 2007

• #12

Thanks, Kanga! We have a 98 Passat (sedan). Love it, love it, love it!!

henrietta

 

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Dawn

New member

• Sep 24, 2007

• #13

My brother is a VW service tech in VA and he has done several retrofits in the past year. He was surprised that other car makers didn't offer it.