12-Year Anti Corrosion Issues Canada->US

I'm having a heck of a time trying to get VW to fix my car under the 12-year anti corrosion warranty.

My car is a 2006 Jetta TDI. I've gone through this process before with another 06 Jetta tdi with rust in the same common areas no issue.

The car has the usual fender arch rust on both front fenders, trunk bubbling, and rear quarter panel rust. Vehicle has original paint and no accidents. My other 06 had the exact same issues and all got fixed no hassle.

Some history. The vehicle was originally a new car sold from a PA, USA dealership where it spent several years. I bought the car as a 3rd owner in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and someone else had already imported it into Canada. I had the vehicle approved for the repairs in Toronto but ran out of time for the repair to be completed before I coincidentally had to leave for work in California.

I am now down in California with the vehicle on a work Visa and I am struggling to get anywhere with VW regarding repairing my vehicle. VW Canada has said I have to redo the process here which I did, and now VW America is throwing their hands up in the air giving me the run around.

Anyone have any help or advice on the issue? I am in OC/Los Angeles area.

Volkswagens rust claim system is a hit or miss. My 2015 Golf had defective paint, that's why I dumped it for my 2013 Jetta. But it didn't have rust, the clear coat was peeling after 2 months and 3,000km. The dealer did the pictures and sent them off. VW Canada took 2.5 MONTHS to give an answer, which was no. They said I caused it and their paint didn't ever have those issues, despite me seeing typical tornado red paint flaws of other mk7 owners.

For you, wait until you're back in Canada. VW USA won't be able to do anything, since the owners car must be in the country it's registered and insured in. That's at least what the dealer told me a while back. The best way to contact VW Canada, is through Facebook. I was getting no where with my Golf until I made a very angry post to VW Canada on Facebook, and they reached out to me and tried to get me in another new VW, but after seeing how much it was worth 5 months old, I wanted a used car. So definitely go their Facebook page. They'll tell you what to do.

I have now the most frustrating issue with this warranty. I went to a dealer that is denying me because of the size of the rust in my car (more than 3 in). The dealer said that this is a new guideline and refused to even send the pictures they took of my car. The location is the well known fender issue posted in the tbs. the owner agrees this is the issue but says that because of size there is nothing that he can do. Vw Canada is giving me an standard answer stating that the dealers are well trained and that they stand by their dealers decision. Am i out of luck if i go to another dealer. How can they refuse me for size, one thing is what causes the damage (foam abosrbing salt underneath panel) and another that the problem is worsening. What is even more upseting is that they never meassured my car in the inspection they just took pictures.

Emgtdi said:

I have now the most frustrating issue with this warranty. I went to a dealer that is denying me because of the size of the rust in my car (more than 3 in). The dealer said that this is a new guideline and refused to even send the pictures they took of my car. The location is the well known fender issue posted in the tbs. the owner agrees this is the issue but says that because of size there is nothing that he can do. Vw Canada is giving me an standard answer stating that the dealers are well trained and that they stand by their dealers decision. Am i out of luck if i go to another dealer. How can they refuse me for size, one thing is what causes the damage (foam abosrbing salt underneath panel) and another that the problem is worsening. What is even more upseting is that they never meassured my car in the inspection they just took pictures.

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Go to another dealer! If it's corrosion, and not caused by rock chips where the paint is peeling, VW will cover it. The dealer has absolutely no say in the process, they are simply the messengers. My sisters 2006 Jetta TDI just got approved for lots of rust work to be done on her car, and some of it is rockchips! But in western Canada, there's a new VW Canada rep for corrosion and he seems to be okay-ing every car that gets sent to him. I was surprised when they approved redoing the rockguard, when it's pitted with rock chips, with surface rust. But...that's good for us owners!

buyingconstant7 said:

Go to another dealer! If it's corrosion, and not caused by rock chips where the paint is peeling, VW will cover it. The dealer has absolutely no say in the process, they are simply the messengers. My sisters 2006 Jetta TDI just got approved for lots of rust work to be done on her car, and some of it is rockchips! But in western Canada, there's a new VW Canada rep for corrosion and he seems to be okay-ing every car that gets sent to him. I was surprised when they approved redoing the rockguard, when it's pitted with rock chips, with surface rust. But...that's good for us owners!

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Thanks so much for your response, i finally got approved for the front panels. I had to fight and had pretty much to mention a court case. They approved one of my doors for 80 % as. "Good will" gesture. The door blade is rusted in the corner and I believe is for the ice buildup some of these models have. I have seen some rusting in the door handle. I am even surprised they are agreeing to pay for this as the dealer techinitian didnt want to take pictures of this rust saying that blades and doors are not covered. Has anyone have experience with this?

buyingconstant7 said:

Go to another dealer! If it's corrosion, and not caused by rock chips where the paint is peeling, VW will cover it. The dealer has absolutely no say in the process, they are simply the messengers. My sisters 2006 Jetta TDI just got approved for lots of rust work to be done on her car, and some of it is rockchips! But in western Canada, there's a new VW Canada rep for corrosion and he seems to be okay-ing every car that gets sent to him. I was surprised when they approved redoing the rockguard, when it's pitted with rock chips, with surface rust. But...that's good for us owners!

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I'm in SW Ontario and cant even get an appointment until June at either of my 2 local VW dealerships, which are both horrible to begin with (nothing new here).

Luckily I am driving to Alberta at the end of the month for work and am hoping to initiate my claim out there. Hopefully I will have the same luck as your sister. I will most likely be dealing with Edmonton VW.

Philidelphia Collins said:

I will most likely be dealing with Edmonton VW.

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You may already know this, but Edmonton has two VW dealers, and my understanding is that Norden Autohaus in the north end is the more understanding of Edmonton's two dealers.

Years ago when I tried to get a ruling on my Jetta Southgate VW on the south side outright refused to even set up an appointment to look at it. I got busy and missed the 12 year deadline.

Just an update. Anyone trying to get this warranty work done just keep kicking and screaming at corporate until you finally get someone helping you. I have been led astray countless times on this and finally landed someone helpful.

After visiting 2 dealerships and raising hell at corporate they took care of me. Even though I had corporate on the phone denying my vehicle and they said they had records of certain panels not being covered I was able to get them to finally fix it.

They sent me to a 3rd dealership here in Orange County and even gave me a complementary brand new 2016 VW CC that I have been driving for the last 3 weeks while they took my car and did the inspections and are finally replacing and repainting both front fenders and the trunk.

This is all still with ONTARIO plates on my car lol

Did you ever get any "Satisfaction"? VW Rust Warranty Problem

OMALLEY_808 said:

I'm having a heck of a time trying to get VW to fix my car under the 12-year anti corrosion warranty.
My car is a 2006 Jetta TDI. I've gone through this process before with another 06 Jetta tdi with rust in the same common areas no issue.
The car has the usual fender arch rust on both front fenders, trunk bubbling, and rear quarter panel rust. Vehicle has original paint and no accidents. My other 06 had the exact same issues and all got fixed no hassle.
Some history. The vehicle was originally a new car sold from a PA, USA dealership where it spent several years. I bought the car as a 3rd owner in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and someone else had already imported it into Canada. I had the vehicle approved for the repairs in Toronto but ran out of time for the repair to be completed before I coincidentally had to leave for work in California.
I am now down in California with the vehicle on a work Visa and I am struggling to get anywhere with VW regarding repairing my vehicle. VW Canada has said I have to redo the process here which I did, and now VW America is throwing their hands up in the air giving me the run around.
Anyone have any help or advice on the issue? I am in OC/Los Angeles area.

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Did you ever get any "Satisfaction"?

Can I share my issue here with VW Canada's Rust Warranty as it relates to holes drilled in my rocker panels to Oil Spray my 2011 Jetta (to slow the effect of winter salting on especially the undercarriage of my car)? It has 220,000+ km. on it and is in excellent mechanical shape and the parts have been long-lasting:

September 2018

I'm starting an appeal with the VW Dealership, after 3 separate quotes from 3 local Body Shops. The Dealer already backed down from a verbal denial of service/inspection (back in the early Summer) because I had the car oil sprayed (holes drilled in the rocker panels to properly oil spray them internally) in 2017. I asked for a formal letter of denial and then in a sudden reversal of decision gave me a formal inspection of the car. After the inspection, the staffer had the unprofessional audacity to 1st tell me the decision was not up to them and lay in the hands of VW Canada, BUT THEN (very unprofessionally, imo) proceeded to tell me what they thought my chances of getting approval were for each area of my inspected car (after being the one to deny me, verbally (without any inspection), in the 1st place!!). They told me 6-8 weeks for a decision from VW Canada.
I consulted legal advice and called and then asked for the staff that did the inspection. I ended up talking with the Service Manager on a call back. I asked for a copy of the Rust Warranty Agreement. The Mngr. directed me to my Owner’s Manual; I told this Mngr. there was little of use in the Manual about the details of the Rust Warranty. The Mngr. assured me they'd get me a copy of the full Agreement, soonest.

October 2018

The Mngr. called me back two days later to say they didn't have a copy to give me, but read a portion of a Warranty document they had located. They said that the warranty did NOT expressly disallow for drilling holes in the rocker panels and used a term like: "no modifications". I asked her to place all her phone information they had relayed to me in writing. They said they wouldn't until they had heard back from VW Canada regarding the claim and expediting it. They will give me a direct contact at VW Canada, they said, but seems to be suggesting that this may NOT occur until after they make a decision (I want to appeal to VW Canada PRIOR to them making an initial decision, especially based on the "resistance and negativity" I got, UNTIL I said "foul").
I have gotten word back from the Service Mngr. that my claim has been expedited, with no estimates on how much quicker that will make the decision instead of the 6 - 8 weeks I was initially quoted. This person has also NOT put in writing the comments to me that they made verbally, as I requested. The Warranty they READ to me (I asked for a PDF copy of the ENTIRE legal Warranty document!) said that making "modifications" to the car could void this warranty and they commented (most unprofessionally and to her employer's potential detriment, imo) that the drill holes in my car didn't seem like "modifications” to the Mngr.
And that's it for now, let's see what happens.

Thoughts/Comments?

Drilling holes is a modification and can allow rust to start. I don't think you have a leg to stand on.

turbocharged798 said:

Drilling holes is a modification and can allow rust to start. I don't think you have a leg to stand on.

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Thanks for your opinion.

Maybe you can answer me as to why both the Dealership Service Manager and the staffer responsible for doing the formal inspections BOTH assured me that portions of the rust coverage requested WOULD be approved?

My request has also been "fast-tracked" by VW Canada, according to the Dealership's Service Manager... hmmm...

DBCeee said:

Thanks for your opinion.

Maybe you can answer me as to why both the Dealership Service Manager and the staffer responsible for doing the formal inspections BOTH assured me that portions of the rust coverage requested WOULD be approved?

My request has also been "fast-tracked" by VW Canada, according to the Dealership's Service Manager... hmmm...

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Because they can. They can also be inconsistent with what they will or won't do. Seems you're on the road to success!