2019 Leon Cupra VAQ Differential Service

[ZackDaniels93]

Seems a little ridiculous I have to post this question here, but how on earth do I go about getting my VAQ front differential serviced? I drive a 2019/2020 Seat Leon Cupra 290. I've spoken to a dozen people across Seat garages, independent garages, and main franchises like Kwikfit, and no-one seems to know my car even has one, let alone that it needs to be serviced. I'm waiting on quotes from people who don't even seem to know the work is necessary, so lord knows if they can do it.

My ownership documents don't tell me the service interval for it, and there's nothing on the Seat website about it either. It's not an option through the Seat Servicing area of their website, and I can't see anything in the manual that mentions the service for it - though at least the manual does acknowledge that it exists. I can't find anything representing official paperwork regarding the service interval for it, only a few garages and forums (including here) claiming it's every 30,000 miles/ three years. I'm on 40,300 miles, just had my car serviced, and it didn't show up in their post-service health report either. I've seen some people claiming it doesn't need to be serviced at all, which doesn't seem to be right either.

Only website I've seen that offers it as an upfront cost is Marshall Seat, and they don't have a garage even vaguely close to me. I'm in the Kent area of the UK if anyone knows of an independent/ specialist garage that can do the work. Otherwise, if anyone can point me in the right direction that would be great. I'm just trying to get on top of maintenance so I don't get any unexpected surprises.

Thanks in advance!

 

[H Rafiq]

Seat should be able to do it, or a VAG specialist. Any VAG specialist will be educated about the EA888 engine, Golf Rs, S3s etc. I had mine done by Seat as it had never had one prev to my ownership.

 

[SuperV8]

Golf R and Audi S3 don't have the VAQ front diff. Only some versions of the FWD models.
It is basically like a Haldex coupling across your front axle - but access is more tricky.

@ZackDaniels93
If you search on here for "VAQ" there are plenty of discussions regarding servicing.
example:

VAQ front diff service - how important?

I've been looking at a few approved used Cupras recently. Unfortunately it seems that main dealers, not used to servicing Cupras, often overlook the VAQ front diff service which is meant to be every 3 years. Problem is on the 300 (the model I'm after) that means that as they are at newest a...

www.seatcupra.net

 

[ZackDaniels93]

Seat should be able to do it, or a VAG specialist. Any VAG specialist will be educated about the EA888 engine, Golf Rs, S3s etc. I had mine done by Seat as it had never had one prev to my ownership.

You'd think so - today I've spoken to a multiple Seat main dealers, and a more than a few VAG specialists, and all of them were clueless. I got a call back from two places who quoted £200, which is less than I expected, but it took like two or three hours of calls and emails to get to that point. Odd that it's not even mentioned in my manual or service book either, it would be perfectly feasible for someone to own my car and not even realise the VAQ needs servicing lol

 

[ZackDaniels93]

Golf R and Audi S3 don't have the VAQ front diff. Only some versions of the FWD models.
It is basically like a Haldex coupling across your front axle - but access is more tricky.

@ZackDaniels93
If you search on here for "VAQ" there are plenty of discussions regarding servicing.
example:

VAQ front diff service - how important?

I've been looking at a few approved used Cupras recently. Unfortunately it seems that main dealers, not used to servicing Cupras, often overlook the VAQ front diff service which is meant to be every 3 years. Problem is on the 300 (the model I'm after) that means that as they are at newest a...

www.seatcupra.net

Thank you, appreciate the link. I was mostly just baffled that most places I called didn't seem to know about it, and more than a few weren't even willing to quote on it. I got two call backs quoting £200 which seems reasonable, so not all is lost. Just odd that you have to trawl Google for these answers, rather than it just being in my service book/ user manual!

 

[nd-photo.nl]

You guys are referring to this service right?