Pre-Recall Repairs

Took the 'ol TDI in for the emissions recall, and was told that I would need to fix all of the current DTC codes (all of which would be covered under the new warranty once the upgrade is completed) prior to them completing the recall work on my car. I get it, but because they were all emissions related, i thought they would just fix it all as part of the recall. No such luck, and the repairs total $5K!



I asked if i brought the car in with no codes showing up, would they would perform the warranty work. They said yes. Unfortunately, when i erase the codes with my OBD2 reader, as soon as I re-start the car, the codes get thrown again.



My question is this. Can i use VAG-COM, or some other method to erase the codes for a longer period in order to get the Dieselgate warranty work done, and second, can i turn them back on after in order to claim the warranty for these parts.


UPDATE:



Codes are


P2015, P2008, P240F, P2002

You are going to need to fix them so that the lights stay off at least long enough for them to do the fix. Others here are having this same issue. Post the codes and maybe someone can help with a solution.

Squamish_TDI said:

My question is this. Can i use VAG-COM, or some other method to erase the codes for a longer period in order to get the Dieselgate warranty work done, and second, can i turn them back on after in order to claim the warranty for these parts.

Click to expand...

Simple answer is no. If (when) the code comes back immediately after clearing it, the underlying problem is still there. For the code to clear and stay off the cause of the code has to be fixed.

Exactly what codes are you getting? Some things are easy fixes and some are not so easy (more expensive to fix). Also you cannot manually "turn on" fault codes. You can only clear them, the car has to turn them on.

Have Fun!

Don

I had the same issue with the check engine light - someone checked the code for me and it was the diesel particulate filter - VW is charging me $2300+ just to change the filter before they will do the modifications - the car (2010 Jetta) is running great and now VW wants me to spend $2300+ to modify it, decreasing the fuel mileage, making the car louder and making it run rougher? I think it is a scam so VW can get some of the money back they lost when they deceived people in the first place.

^^^ I guess everyone has their theory.......

If you're not happy to pay for the pre modification repairs, then why not opt for the buyback, or just keep driving it as it is?

https://www.dieselgeek.com/P2015_Repair_Bracket_p/egr-p2015.htm

will likely take care of the P2015

There are ways to turn off certain codes, but you won't be doing it with a VAG-com. You need to talk to a real tuner, but it may be worth the couple of hundred to have them tuned out temporarily. When they do the new work, they will just flash their new file over the old, and the codes will come right back instantly (but they won't have been there when you brought the car in).

If you do this, I would be curious to see if they scan the ECU before the repair, or if, as I assume is the case, they just go for it if the check engine light isn't on. I'd also be curious to see if they would just go ahead and fix it after they do the repair, because they obviously can't give you a car back with all sorts of check engine lights and $5k of repairs pending.

Trying to inhibit codes for active DTC's (codes) is a lot like removing the 13th floor of a building by removing the 13th floor button in the elevator.

Sure, a tuner might be able to illegally write a tune that would inhibit the codes, but I doubt if any legit tuner would do it.

What would make it illegal?

duratitus said:

What would make it illegal?

Click to expand...

I suspect if the codes were emissions related, the disabling the notification of a deficiency software would violate federal law.

aja8888 said:

I suspect if the codes were emissions related, the disabling the notification of a deficiency software would violate federal law.

Click to expand...

If you want to get technical, the act of modifying the emissions related systems is not a violation in and of itself. Driving it on the road would be, though.

You may (or may not) recall a year or so ago when the EPA tried to overstep its bounds and sneakily redefine (or as they tried to portray it "it has always been this way") the Clean Air Act to cover even "race/off-road only" vehicles that were never going to be driven on the road. Trying to redefine their jurisdiction like this put the entire hobbyist racing and performance aftermarket car part industry at risk, and SEMA, among others, lobbied heavily against it. The RPM act was proposed in congress to fight it. The EPA relented, and, as far as I know, the act of modifying an emissions compliant system is still not a violation in itself.

If we wanted to worry about the exact letter of the law (and completely ignore the underlying story of VW wanting $1,000's of dollars to replace a part that they are going to be replacing anyways, in what could reasonably be seen as possibly an attempt to minimize the amount of people who follow through with the court sanctioned repairs), then one could get the software modified (again, not currently illegal) and tow it to the dealership, or other private property adjacent to the dealership, to avoid driving it on the public roads before the repair is done.

But that is just dumb when the real story is that VW is trying to say, "You have to replace this DPF before we also replace the DPF again right afterwards."

jibberjive said:

You may (or may not) recall a year or so ago when the EPA tried to overstep its bounds and sneakily redefine (or as they tried to portray it "it has always been this way") the Clean Air Act to cover even "race/off-road only" vehicles that were never going to be driven on the road.

Click to expand...

They were right--the CAA is not limited to on-road vehicles.

But that is just dumb when the real story is that VW is trying to say, "You have to replace this DPF before we also replace the DPF again right afterwards."

Click to expand...

The Gen 1 fix only involves replacing the DPF on MY2009 cars, where the DPF is welded to the catalyst. On newer cars with separate units, the DPF is not replaced (though it does fall under the extended warranty).

and modification is a violation. (tampering)

https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/clean-air-act-vehicle-and-engine-enforcement-case-resolutions

Some states have additional penalties, and these may involve operation.

meerschm said:

https://www.dieselgeek.com/P2015_Repair_Bracket_p/egr-p2015.htm

will likely take care of the P2015

Click to expand...

THIS!

Also a P2015 most likely won't be covered under the extended warranty after the fact, so invest in the $68 and drive on.

Hell with them. make em pay for it then.

Do the buyback. Take that money and buy a CPO 2015. Profit.

Way better car anyway. Ive had both. Im about to turn in my high mileage 15 and get a low mileage CPO 15.