'09 Jetta TDI — Importing Canadian Vehicle into USA without TPMS

Hello all,

I have a Canadian '09 Jetta TDI Comfortline. I am in the process of emigrating from Canada to the United States, and in doing so, was hoping to bring my car with my. In attempting to obtain a letter of conformity from Volkswagen, I was notified that my vehicle does not have a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System), and was therefore inadmissible due to its nonconformity.

I have contacted Volkswagen several times to see if there was any way of installing a TPMS, or activating (what I have read to be) the indirect TPMS through the vehicle's ABS system, but all of my efforts have been futile.

Has anyone gone through a similar process, or know of a solution? Any help would be infinitely appreciated.

A couple of years ago a family member tried to do this with a Canadian 2010 golf wagon. VW won't don't anything for you. We were able to get the ABS TPMS done but needed a letter and invoice from a certified garage that it was done along with a bunch of pictures etc. Then worked to get some other things outlined by a US broker. Ended up not going ahead with it but he outlined all that needed to be done and estimated his fees to get the necessary paperwork done of just over $500. I've attached the broker contact info. There is a list of them on a US website somewhere (can't remember the site) and we checked out a bunch and he was the cheapest and most responsive of a number of them.

Can Am Auto Importers, Inc
1304 Military Road - Kenmore, NY 14217
1-800-691-3810 ext 301 Fax 716-898-8886

Perfect! My car is currently in Niagara Falls, so Kenmore is just 30 minutes away. Thank you so much! I will look into this.

I know this thread is a bit old but I have a similar issue for a 2012 Golf that I am looking to import to the US as I am moving. Does anyone know if there is anyone who would install the system and what the cost is?

At least on the hassle side its getting close to the "sell it and not deal with it" stage. But I like the car and know at this point that I will certainly lose money if I have to sell.

I thought TPMS became mandatory on all Canadian sold vehicles in 2008 ? If the Jetta was an 09 sold in Canada it has TPMS. I had a 2007 Toyota FJCruiser that didn't have TPMS. The 2008 ones did by law. I could be wrong about the 2008.

To delta18.
Your 2012 Golf does indeed have TPMS. The indirect system I believe. Built into the ABS wheel sensors so outside the tires.

Cogen Man said:

I thought TPMS became mandatory on all Canadian sold vehicles in 2008 ? If the Jetta was an 09 sold in Canada it has TPMS. I had a 2007 Toyota FJCruiser that didn't have TPMS. The 2008 ones did by law. I could be wrong about the 2008.

To delta18.
Your 2012 Golf do's indeed have TPMS. The indirect system I believe. Built into the ABS wheel sensors so outside the tires.

Click to expand...

Not according the the non-compliance letter I just received today from VW.

I just called my local dealer to see if they can install/activate it.

delta18 said:

Not according the the non-compliance letter I just received today from VW.

I just called my local dealer to see if they can install/activate it.

Click to expand...

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehiclesafety/roadsafety-1158.htm

Yes. My mistake. It's not required by Canadian law. In the USA anything after September 2007 it is. So you are going to have to spend the money to have it installed to be USA compliant. Lots of money I bet. So what did your dealership say.

Worse case you can buy an aftermarket one and install it. They're about 200 bux

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The dealer said he would have to look in to it and get back to me. I may try calling some in the GTA as they may be more familiar with doing it.

Unfortunately a DIY install is not good enough for importing. It needs to be done by a certified mechanic and needs to be fully documented.

I was hoping someone here had had the TPMS installed and knew a mechanic/dealer I could talk to.

delta18 said:

The dealer said he would have to look in to it and get back to me. I may try calling some in the GTA as they may be more familiar with doing it.

Unfortunately a DIY install is not good enough for importing. It needs to be done by a certified mechanic and needs to be fully documented.

I was hoping someone here had had the TPMS installed and knew a mechanic/dealer I could talk to.

Click to expand...

Don't know of anyone in the GTA. Just to let you know my 2011 Golf TDI has TPMS. The so called indirect system. Sensors in the ABS. Not sure why your 2012 Golf doesn't have it.

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/wiki/tpms-activation-reset-and-disable-coding-with-vcds-mk6-vw/
Some good reading above.

Cogen Man said:

Don't know of anyone in the GTA. Just to let you know my 2011 Golf TDI has TPMS. The so called indirect system. Sensors in the ABS. Not sure why your 2012 Golf doesn't have it.

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/wiki/tpms-activation-reset-and-disable-coding-with-vcds-mk6-vw/
Some good reading above.

Click to expand...

I've seen that, that link was what gave me hope that it wouldn't be hard to do.

So far the answer I have from the one dealership I got through to was that they have tried it in the past and ended up having the car not start after they re-coded it, so they aren't willing to try it on another. I may call some non-dealer mechanics as they may be more familiar with how to do it.

delta18 said:

I've seen that, that link was what gave me hope that it wouldn't be hard to do.

So far the answer I have from the one dealership I got through to was that they have tried it in the past and ended up having the car not start after they re-coded it, so they aren't willing to try it on another. I may call some non-dealer mechanics as they may be more familiar with how to do it.

Click to expand...

Anything further on this? I'm in the same boat right now with a 2012 Golf that I inherited from my dad.

Does anybody have more information?
My wife (from Calgary) and I are trying to import her low mileage 2008 VW GTI to the USA. We have had nothing but problems thus far.
I would really love to speak to anybody that has had any experience...