What exactly does the Dieselgate Warranty cover?

trae

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Good Morning - I have been looking at used TDIs. One was touted as having, due to the diesel emissions fix, as having what amounts essentially to a full drivetrain warranty for 4 years, 48k miles from the fix or ten years, 120k miles from the date of purchase.

Another dealer cautioned that this is not a drivetrain warranty and to the extent it is, is only insofar as a drivetrain issue affects the exhaust, he far more narrowly described the warranty as relating to emissions related issues only.

Any objective guidance or link to the exact warranty language appreciated, thanks!
 

GoFaster

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It is in the publications that VW provided to owners in the course of all this. Your googling is as good as mine, so that's on you.

In a nutshell ... "another dealer" is right. It covers the emission control system including the DPF and other catalysts including the SCR catalyst where so equipped (Gen 1 doesn't have one), the fuel injection system (which is part of the emission control system - includes the fuel injection pump), and it covers the engine long block insofar as foreseeable effects that the emission control system could have on it. (If you have a leaky valve cover gasket, it's probably not covered, because there's no conceivable way that the emission control system could have any connection to it. If you punch a hole in a piston, it probably is covered, because the calibration of the emission control system could have an effect on this. If you blow a turbo, again, the calibration of the emission control system could have an effect on this.)

It DOES NOT cover: Clutch, transmission, CV joints, wheel bearings, brakes, air conditioning, power steering, etc.
 

trae

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It is in the publications that VW provided to owners in the course of all this. Your googling is as good as mine, so that's on you.

In a nutshell ... "another dealer" is right. It covers the emission control system including the DPF and other catalysts including the SCR catalyst where so equipped (Gen 1 doesn't have one), the fuel injection system (which is part of the emission control system - includes the fuel injection pump), and it covers the engine long block insofar as foreseeable effects that the emission control system could have on it. (If you have a leaky valve cover gasket, it's probably not covered, because there's no conceivable way that the emission control system could have any connection to it. If you punch a hole in a piston, it probably is covered, because the calibration of the emission control system could have an effect on this. If you blow a turbo, again, the calibration of the emission control system could have an effect on this.)

It DOES NOT cover: Clutch, transmission, CV joints, wheel bearings, brakes, air conditioning, power steering, etc.
Many thanks! I did have the impression that the long block was covered (nice to have considering the reason I am in the market is because my Benz ML350 Bluetec threw a rod) and the turbo but that it is far more limited than a standard drivetrain warranty. Sounds like a lot of items would have to be haggled on with VW, no?
 

Lightflyer1

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It is anyone's guess what haggling if any would have to be done for any individual issue that comes up. Depends on the issue, you, the dealer and the warranty. The document also says it covers anything that sets a check engine light and every disagreement is to be settled in favor of the consumer. The transmission isn't covered. Be prepared for some long talks for some things though.
 
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Radek

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Good luck with vw covering anything, they've been a disappointment for many customers

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ToBiN

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Agree with Radek.

VW has historically figured out how to avoid paying for anything. Tons of horror stories out there. everything from a scratch on a nut of the waste gate signifying "consumer mod" therefore voiding the warranty to unwilling to fix a recall because a CES light it on.

If you get another TDI like I did, buy the car because you love VWs. Don't buy it based on any VW warranty. Same goes for most auto manufacturers tho.

If you are really unsure about the condition of the car then consider one of the 3rd party warranty companies, but not one that calls you on the phone or they sell you at the stealership. I have one on another car from Fidelity Warranty services. Comes with a deductible but peace of mind non the less for the transmission, engine, electrical, whatever may go wrong.
 

Lightflyer1

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You hear a lot about those with gripes about VW but those who are handled well and taken care of, not so much. I have had no issues and have the service dept. bend over backwards to help me a few times over the years at 2 different dealers here near me. One I have bought several cars from and the sales staff treated me very well. The other the sales staff I wouldn't have anything to do with again. But service at both has been great. I would almost say that about half the gripes I have read are customer issues more than the dealers problem. I have a stop sale car so I will let you know how it goes for me for the next 12 years or so.
 

ToBiN

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You hear a lot about those with gripes about VW but those who are handled well and taken care of, not so much. I have had no issues and have the service dept. bend over backwards to help me a few times over the years at 2 different dealers here near me. One I have bought several cars from and the sales staff treated me very well. The other the sales staff I wouldn't have anything to do with again. But service at both has been great. I would almost say that about half the gripes I have read are customer issues more than the dealers problem. I have a stop sale car so I will let you know how it goes for me for the next 12 years or so.
A stop sale car?

Also, yes, I too have been treated fairly by the dealer. My gripe is actually with VWoA. I did see the dealer tell one lady that had a blown turbo in her TDI to wait until the dieselgate settlement came through and then allow VWoA to buy it back to avoid paying an incredible amount of $$$$ to get the turbo replaced. He was one of the dealers that had VWoA clarify what constituted a buyback car in which their response was, "must be able to drive across the parking lot." Did not include highway speeds, proper functioning, or even CES light issues. That dealer was looking out for his customers and I applaud him. He really tried for me as well but VWoA just wouldn't budge.
 

Lightflyer1

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Stop sale cars were the new cars left on the lot unsold when dieselgate happened. They were not allowed to be sold until everything was decided. Then they had fix 1 done and sold as new 2015 cars in 2017. They came with a 12 year 162k mile emissions warranty along with the original new car warranty. There is a difference between a VW dealer and VWoA. There are good dealers and bad in every brand.

I have found in a lot of instances I have witnessed that people are their own worst enemy when trying to deal with things, not just cars either. You can read it in a lot of the stories here too. Dealers are in it to make money and they can't do it by pi**ing everyone off and driving customers away. If you find a bad dealer either try and work things out or stop going there.

I am not saying everything you go in for will be handled with no issues or problems. You most assuredly will have some and have to work them out. I expect to have to work with them over the duration of my warranty.
 

DIVISIONINCISION

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Stop sale cars were the new cars left on the lot unsold when dieselgate happened. They were not allowed to be sold until everything was decided. Then they had fix 1 done and sold as new 2015 cars in 2017. They came with a 12 year 162k mile emissions warranty along with the original new car warranty. There is a difference between a VW dealer and VWoA. There are good dealers and bad in every brand.

I have found in a lot of instances I have witnessed that people are their own worst enemy when trying to deal with things, not just cars either. You can read it in a lot of the stories here too. Dealers are in it to make money and they can't do it by pi**ing everyone off and driving customers away. If you find a bad dealer either try and work things out or stop going there.

I am not saying everything you go in for will be handled with no issues or problems. You most assuredly will have some and have to work them out. I expect to have to work with them over the duration of my warranty.
You're definitely on to something with your even-handed perspective.

Dealerships and specifically service departments are a reflection of their management.

The VW near me was very accommodating, even with my buyback vehicle and all the issues it was giving me. They even fixed a few things without charging me.

If you have a bad experience with a VW service department, try to work with them and if you see consistent pattern of bad behavior just take your car to a different VW for service.

It's common sense.
 
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Lightflyer1

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If I run into huge issues that can't be worked out during my warranty I will definitely delete and tune. But I will go to great lengths to some extent to see that they live up to a reasonable standard of what the warranty promises first. The long, long warranty on a stop sale car is one of the main reasons I bought it. I won't give it up easily, but have no issues tuning if things come to that point.
 

kjclow

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Good luck with vw covering anything, they've been a disappointment for many customers

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I had no issues getting my throttle body and intake manifold covered under the emissions warranty. My only gripe was that the dealer did not supply a loaner while it was in the shop.
 

DIVISIONINCISION

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My only gripe was that the dealer did not supply a loaner while it was in the shop.
In the past, I've had that issue.

Now that I have two cars, the 2015 VW Passat TDI can be more of a back-up to my daily driver.

However, EVERYONE wants a loaner!


:(
 

Lightflyer1

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I don't really. Don't want the responsibility and it is much easier and faster to just use my own. I always keep an old used spare car around for just such things. Kids, breakdowns, repairs, visitors etc...

It costs very little to keep one around especially if you buy older as an antique (over 25 years in Texas). $50 for 5 years registration and insurance is very low. Just checked for an 1986 truck I was buying and it was only $117 a year.
 

2010TDI

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Any objective guidance or link to the exact warranty language appreciated, thanks!
For a 2015 Gen 3 VW the warranty is outlined in this booklet and provides that:
The emissions system warranty shall cover the following parts or systems:
  • The entire exhaust after treatment system, including the Diesel Oxidation Catalyst, the Diesel Particulate Filter, the Selective Catalytic Reduction converter, the dosing injector and other Diesel Exhaust Fluid system components, the exhaust flap, and all sensors and actuators
  • The entire fuel system, including fuel pumps, high pressure fuel rail, fuel injectors, vibration damper, pressure control valve and all sensors and actuators
  • The EGR system, including EGR valves, EGR cooler, EGR filter, EGR
  • temperature sensor, all related hoses and pipes, and all sensors
  • and actuators
  • The turbocharger, including the turbocharger damper
  • The On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) system, including SCR DEF quality sensor, and any malfunctions detected by the OBD systems other than those related to the transmission.
Additionally, the engine long block warranty shall cover the engine sub-assembly that consists of the assembled block, crankshaft, cylinder head, camshaft, and valve train.

The extended emissions warranty includes parts, labor, and applicable taxes. The extended emissions warranty shall not void or supersede any existing warranty. Conflicts concerning the warranty are to be resolved in favor of the consumer.
The warranty for other model year vehicles can be found in their respective warranty booklets under Emissions Modification heading on https://www.vwcourtsettlement.com/en/2-0-models/
 

DIVISIONINCISION

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The warranty for other model year vehicles can be found in their respective warranty booklets under Emissions Modification heading on https://www.vwcourtsettlement.com/en/2-0-models/
Thanks for the useful info.

Unfortunately, my 2011 JSW TDI only has about a year left on the warranty based on my current usage.

4yr/48K miles from the date the mod was done (Nov/2018).

The car has 26k miles on it now.

I drive about 2K miles/month.


:(
 

Lightflyer1

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Read it again, it is the greater of the two:

The Approved Emissions Modification Extended Warranty period for 2009-2014 model year vehicles will be the greater of:

(a) 4 years or 48,000 miles, whichever comes first, from date and mileage of implementing the Emissions Modification, except for vehicles offered for resale, in which case from the date and mileage of the first resale transaction after the modification to the first person who in good faith purchases the vehicle for purposes other than resale, or

(b) 10 years or 120,000 actual miles from the initial date of purchase (whichever comes first).


b says you still have several years at least and nearly 100k miles.
 

DIVISIONINCISION

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R
(b) 10 years or 120,000 actual miles from the initial date of purchase (whichever comes first).


b says you still have several years at least and nearly 100k miles.
The way I read it was 10 years from "in-service" date, which was 2011, not 10 years from modification and re-sale.

Are you sure?

I'll ask when I hit up the VW in my city, but just wondered.


:cool:
 

kjclow

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Yes, it should be ten years or 120k miles from date of purchase. That should still give you at least 18 months of warranty coverage. That's making the assumption that the car was placed into service early in the 2011 cycle (Sept 2010). Even if you bought a ten year/120k warranty yourself, you would still use that up in about 5 years.
 

flargabarg

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Only semi related, this is a reminder that miles cost money. It's not just the cost of fuel. At least this has been very reliable so hopefully your costs stay low.
 

GoFaster

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Thanks for the useful info.
Unfortunately, my 2011 JSW TDI only has about a year left on the warranty based on my current usage.
4yr/48K miles from the date the mod was done (Nov/2018).
The car has 26k miles on it now.
I drive about 2K miles/month.
:(
Yes ... you've got 4 years or 48,000 mi from Nov 2018. Lots of time left. At current usage you'll burn through the mileage allowance in a couple of years.

It doesn't matter if the other condition expires. If EITHER <one set of conditions> OR <the other set of conditions> is met, you're covered.
 

kjclow

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Let's summarize divisionincision's case:

2011 JSW with 26,000 miles on it. He puts on 2,000 a month, so 24,000 miles a year. He would use up the first limit of the warranty at the end of the second year after the fix. 4 yr or 48,000 miles. However, the other limit of the warranty is 10 years or 120,000 miles from original in-service date. If we assume the original in-service date was Oct 2010, then the extended warranty would expire in Oct 2020, regardless of miles, since it doesn't look like he would pass 120,000 miles within the next ~18 months.
 

viper550

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It is in the publications that VW provided to owners in the course of all this. Your googling is as good as mine, so that's on you.
In a nutshell ... "another dealer" is right. It covers the emission control system including the DPF and other catalysts including the SCR catalyst where so equipped (Gen 1 doesn't have one), the fuel injection system (which is part of the emission control system - includes the fuel injection pump), and it covers the engine long block insofar as foreseeable effects that the emission control system could have on it. (If you have a leaky valve cover gasket, it's probably not covered, because there's no conceivable way that the emission control system could have any connection to it. If you punch a hole in a piston, it probably is covered, because the calibration of the emission control system could have an effect on this. If you blow a turbo, again, the calibration of the emission control system could have an effect on this.)
It DOES NOT cover: Clutch, transmission, CV joints, wheel bearings, brakes, air conditioning, power steering, etc.
From my personal experience with a Q5 the valve cover gasket ( VW calls it a Head Cover Gasket) WAS covered by the Extended Emissions Warranty. Although not at first, I did have to get Audi Customer Care involved. I asked them to explain how the long block, heads, and head covers are explicitly covered and not the gasket between the covers and heads. It took them a little bit to respond but they DID cover the leaky valve cover gasket under the Extended emissions warranty.
So moral of the story. If according to VW's own warranty booklet it seems like something that should be covered. Use their own wording against them. Where it states "Any conflict concerning warranty coverage should be resolved in favor of the consumer". That worked for me.
My experience can be found here
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=494873
 
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Paracordinnovations

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Couple of questions/opinion on what to do here as this is my first TDI or diesel powered vehicle for that matter. I purchased my 2012 Jetta 12/2018 after the fix from a dealer with 52,000 miles on it, 6-speed premium package. In Northern Illinois through the cold winter it was fine and within the first week I installed the Kerma TDI Qpro+ tune. Works great, no issues. As it has now warmed up to the 70-80 degree mark for the weather, I noticed the other day puffs of the black soot (smoke) briefly after a shift. No codes, no loss of power, and I can monitor several different gauges through the alpine iLX-107 head unit I installed through the communications port. All readings, boost, MAF, EGT, torque are reading as they always have with no issues.

I have searched and read many posts here and on Google relating to the black smoke on the TDI engine. I know it can be a number of things causing it but I don't know why it would just start doing it. I can switch my rear camera on while driving and monitor the smoke coming out. As I said it's very short and not like I'm "rolling coal" like a truck. I also read that with a tune, this can happen, but the tune is designed to work without having to delete anything.

So under this "warranty" would this be something for the dealer to look at considering the EGR is covered as well as the DPF and other components that all seem linked to black soot/smoke? I also have yet to try removing the tune and seeing if it changes anything, which is the next step before starting to look at intercooler piping for leaks.

Any help would be appreciated, I don't think it's that big of a deal since the car is running fine, just annoying when the first 6 months I had it this didn't happen.
 

flargabarg

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Remove the tune. If it continues you have a problem and the warranty should cover it unless they decide your tune caused it, which is within their right as the tune changes the behavior of the engine management.
 

Paracordinnovations

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Thank you for that information and I do understand if I program it there's a chance it comes back on me. All my vehicles are tuned but they are also all gas. If it is just the tune and that's something you deal with on a TDI that's tuned, I can deal with that. Thanks for the info though, I will try removing it first.
 

Lightflyer1

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Most of the tunes I have seen/had are slightly overfueled and will do this (older cars, pre dpf). I would be contacting Kerma though and not the dealer. I would also be concerned about the dpf and regens if you are seeing black smoke/soot. Either the dpf isn't handling it or it is cracked letting soot through. Soot should not be making its way past the dpf. The tailpipe should be nearly clean at all times. Run your finger inside of the exhaust outlet and see if it is black with soot. I bet it is. I would also think that if the dealer finds the TD1 code you will be refused warranty work on it for this event.
 

El Serch

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The Extended Emissions Warranty Coverage, can be covered on any VW dealer outside of USA?
My Jetta 2011 still under warranty and I am currently in Mexico
 
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kjclow

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I doubt that any dealer outside of the US will cover the US agreed upon warranty coverage. Same as Canada.
 

notagearhead

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Edwardsville, IL
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2013 JWS M6; 2002 Jetta (fate tbd)
Hi all, my JWS is within emissions warranty period. I’ve got a P2196 code and (I think) an intermittent loss of mileage.
My question is, is the O2 sensor covered by emissions warranty? I can’t see how it’s not, but I don’t want to pay VW service to diagnose ($120 min, I guess) and then tell me it’s not covered. Thanks
 
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