2011 Golf TDI- P2015 and NOx Exceedance code

[99.50612TDI]

Good Afternoon Everyone!

I live in Ottawa, Ontario in Canada and recently purchased a 2011 Golf TDI with 178,000km.

When I purchased it, it has 2 codes.

P2015- Intake Manifold Runner Position Sensor/ Switch Circuit Range/Performance Bank 1 (Confirmed, Pending and Permanent trouble Codes)
P2BA6- NOx Exceedance- SCR NOx Catalyst Performance

After I did some research I found out that for P2015 I could buy a DieselGeek bracket to fix the butterfly valve in the intake. I installed it and I have not gotten an engine light for it but I noticed that the code P2015 still shows up under "Permanent Codes".

As for P2BA6, I have an appointment with the VW dealer in town for them to perform some diagnostics and tell me what could be the issue. I have the emissions warranty until 2022. Curious to see what happens. Has anyone had any similar issues?

 

[oilhammer]

Take the bracket off the intake. That is covered under the warranty too. The replacement intake has an improved actuator.

Anything else, unless you are using a VAG-specific scan tool, it becomes muddy. But if it is under the warranty, and you've chosen to try and make use of it, then let them at it. Just don't be surprised if it turns into a game of ping-pong with the dealer. The intake is pretty cut and dry. That car does not have SCR.

 

[99.50612TDI]

I am going to use my friends VCDs to scan the car again soon. I really hope I don't have to play games with the dealer. Considering OBD codes are covered under their emissions warranty.

 

[oilhammer]

I hope they don't either, but boy has Dieselgate been a flipping trainwreck of Fail, and the warranty seems to become a battle for far too many owners. We see it play out here time and time again, and I see it here at the shop over and over. We most recently had a customer who was about to give up but I actually found them a really nice higher mileage but well cared for older TDI for cheap that another customer was selling. I talked them into buying that so they'd have a backup for when the "new" one was being repaired. That is silly, I know, but the rentals were killing them, and the warranty won't cover loaners/rentals, and the dealers are of no help (they are not getting reimbursed either).

Now that the cars under this warranty extension are coming out, the deletes are happening like gangbusters.

 

[99.50612TDI]

My first instinct was just DPF delete it and get a Malone Tune. However, before I jump to anything I figured I would wait until the warranty runs out. That is a smart move. This car is my second car. Thankfully I have a 4Runner that I can rely on

Thank you for the information!

 

[Matt-98AHU]

I think the Touareg V10 is more reliable than the post-fix dieselgate cars, especially the CBEA/CJAA ("Gen 1") engines.

 

[oilhammer]

The CRs had a pretty fragile control system to begin with, and quite complex. The Dieselgate "fix" just made it worse. Then add in the fact that a lot of these cars have been purchased by people who really do not have the means to buy into this class of car in terms of dealing with the potential finicky care and fragile nature due to fire sale prices on the buyback-fixed-resold cars, and now you have piles of broken cars laying all over the place. The dealers' service departments are buried in them. Constantly. They HATE them. It is really sad. And they are otherwise pretty good cars.

 

[oilhammer]

I mean, every day here, more of this:

13 days at the dealer.... first time starting since it was home same issue

I had an engine control module fault happen to myself and my wife a few times, brought it to the dealer(shrewsbury VW). 13 days later they have replaced the oil pressure sensor(believed to be the issue) and i pick the car up. They were also kind enough to provide me a 2600 dollar quote -...

forums.tdiclub.com

...and that is just the people that find this site. Loads more examples of this crap happening out there.

 

[Lightflyer1]

More than likely the ECM is covered by the extended emissions warranty. I don't think these cars are finicky at all. They do have their issues at times and you have to be aware of and know the warranty and be able to calmly stand your ground when dealing with the dealer/VWoA. But I don't find them any harder to care for than any other car. If you go in there and just tell them to service it then you will more than likely get a large estimate. Some common sense and knowledge with these cars goes a long way. Sure there can be issues but that happens with any dealer at times. I haven't had any issues really with my car but it was a brand new stop sale car. Knowledge is power and can make your life easier. Being unaware or ignorant of the warranty and the inability to deal with people puts you at a direct disadvantage. My daughter and ex wife both bought, bought back 2015 Passat TDI SEL premiums. They have had a few issues but have all been covered and worked correctly till fixed. Not had any issues with my dealers service department.

 

[oilhammer]

Lightflyer, with all due respect, you parted ways with a car specifically because the person you tasked with taking care of it moved away. That right there, in your own words, DEFINES what "finicky" means when it comes to these cars. And you've now taken to being reliant on a warranty that is quite often not worth the paper it is printed on. Your experience is quite different than those of us that are piling miles on our cars every day.

Sure, if I were retired I could sit and wax on my car and claim how great it is, but not all of us have that luxury. I already have MANY customers who miled past that warranty within a year's time.... and during that time the car had a half dozen visits to the dealer. This is not anecdotal AT ALL. This is quite common.

If it was not the case, we'd not have this thread, or the hundreds just like it.

 

[redbarron55]

The TDIs are craptacular! But fun.
I bought a bought back 2012 Touareg TDI Exec just because I like gambling and it is cheaper the drive a throwaway Touareg than live in Vegas.
Bought at 94 k miles with the "warranties" and now at 120+ K miles and this is a great car for us towing out 16' Scamp all over the country like a champ.
I have had VW Diesels since 1979 off an on. Bought a 2009 JSW and put close to 300K miles on it and when I thought it was getting worn out bought a "new" used 2013 JSW TDI for the wife as we could not find a car we liked better.
Let VW have them back and bought a 2016 T&C minivan and a 2015 Passat TSI.
Traded the Passat mostly because it was a little low getting in and out for us old folks. The Passat was a nice road car as well as the JSWs and I just wished they made a PSW...
The Touareg uses more fuel, is much quieter and tows like it thinks it is a little Mack Truck.
If you are going the do the VW thing you have to be, well, adaptable and able to do some of your own work.
Still much more reliable and lower cost than my daughters 2010 BMW X3 that cost more to maintain than to buy.
Of course out $13K Touareg could end up that way as well.
When out of the Dieselgate warranty if something goes wrong there is still aftermarket "fixes".

 

[99.50612TDI]

This is my 5th diesel in the span on 8 years. I love them! I can do timing belts for these things without a problem. I don't find them to be finicky, especially when all the emissions crap has been removed. Since I just got this car and don't want to drop 1.2K CAD on a DPF delete and tune until I know what the warranty can do, I figured I'd wait. Thank you for everyones prompt responses! This is why I love the VW community.

 

[redbarron55]

One thing is certain and that is without this forum and others like it you have a harder time living the VW dream.
Thanks to those who know more than I for all the help since I bought that first 2009 JSW TDI.
Unfortunately many of the specialists who helped me have moved on.
Especially DAX in Louisville who did the delete on my 2009 at X miles and the two timing belt changes.
I loved that car!
I just wish I were closer to Oilhammer these days, but Navarre, FL. is nice.
Getting a little old to do serious work on these things now.

 

[Lightflyer1]

Lightflyer, with all due respect, you parted ways with a car specifically because the person you tasked with taking care of it moved away. That right there, in your own words, DEFINES what "finicky" means when it comes to these cars. And you've now taken to being reliant on a warranty that is quite often not worth the paper it is printed on. Your experience is quite different than those of us that are piling miles on our cars every day.

Sure, if I were retired I could sit and wax on my car and claim how great it is, but not all of us have that luxury. I already have MANY customers who miled past that warranty within a year's time.... and during that time the car had a half dozen visits to the dealer. This is not anecdotal AT ALL. This is quite common.

If it was not the case, we'd not have this thread, or the hundreds just like it.

I parted ways with the car (2003 Beetle tdi last) due to my trusted mechanic moving away and my inability due to handicap to do the work myself. If I am going to pay the dealership to work on my car I might as well let them work on a new one for free, for a very long time. I am close to retirement and this car was going to last me for some time. I have had no issues with the warranty or my dealer service. But I am also fully aware of how the cars are supposed to work, monitor mine, I know about dieselgate and what actually happened, I know about the warranty and what it covers and I have the names and phone numbers of the people to call/get in touch with if needed if they don't want to cover something. I believe the warranty is worth something if you know about it and know what it covers and such. I can also discuss and get something accomplished without getting mad or making everyone else that way. If you are ignorant of all of this then yeah you could have some real issues. The warranty is only worthless if you let it be. The more people that know and hold VW's feet to the fire when needed, the better things will be for "us". It bothers me when someone like yourself preaches that it is worthless. It is probably one of the strongest warranties on a car ever due to court involvement. I have read here where quite a few have had good warranty service as well, without much trouble. Not any more finicky than the Hyundai engine we just had replaced due to sludging issues. 3k mile or less oil changes are needed to keep that thing clean it seems.

I guess we just have had different experiences with them. Not a car you want to get into without completely knowing the warranty, just in case. Several people here at least, have thanked me for pointing out the warranty and specific parts that applied to them, said they took it to the dealer and everything was covered. They didn't report any hassles getting it done.

The forum has been a great resource! It has helped with the many tdi's I have owned over the years.

 

[oilhammer]

The mere fact that "feet need to be held to a flame" proves the point I am making. Thank you for that.

Hyundai is not at all like Volkswagen. They will happily warranty things, no feet or flames. My cousin's Forte is on engine #3, never once did they bat an eye at her. And it has no special extended warranty.

I've worked for three different manufacturers over the years, VAG is BY FAR the worst to deal with regarding warranties. Charging people to diagnose something? Who does that? Oh, right, the Germans (MB does that crap too). Toyota: "Oh, I see you spilled sugar laden coffee in your ES330's cupholder, and your car is 12k miles out of warranty.... no matter, here's a new one, we'll put it in, oh and here is a loaner car for the day for the inconvenience."

I work in the field, and I am telling you it is quite different than your letting on. Do you know I had, at one time, FIVE customers with cars waiting for backordered DPFs? That's just my customers. There were over A THOUSAND listed on national backorder at the time. Do you know what happens to your EGR system and deNox catalyst if you drive the car around with a broken DPF? They get ruined.

So yeah, the car may be under warranty, the repair may be "free", but if you cannot drive the car, or drive it without fear of even MORE things breaking, then what difference does it make?

I've had over 10 cars through here ping-pong back and forth with leaking DEF injectors. Three, four, FIVE tries to get it fixed. Some of these poor cars have been taken apart and put back together so many times all the wire clips and stays are falling apart. And dealer techs (and I know this first hand) get shafted on time for warranty repairs at Volkswagen. They have to work for 75% pay essentially. So stuff gets rushed, quality suffers, they make you "try" this and that part, over and over, no matter how many times it takes, rather than just give you the method and parts to fix it correctly the first time. And of course, no parts are stocked, so everything is a day away provided it is even in a warehouse in the country and doesn't suddenly get backordered. Oh, and now with this covid nonsense, they have taken to quarantine of the parts. Yes, you read that correctly. So now the parts supply is disrupted even more.

But the point of all this, which seems to fly right over your head (your username is possibly appropriate here is the fact that the need for a warranty at all is the big problem, regardless of how easy or not it is to make use of it. Do you think once the warranty is up, all these cars will magically not ever have any engine management/emission control system problems? HA! I guess all these people are just to throw their cars away when the magical warranty expires? That seems to be at odds with the whole "economy, longevity" part of what TDI ownership was built upon. And the warranties ARE expiring on a lot of these cars now, and as time goes on, it will be less and less anyway.

I've had new cars with warranties. I never needed them. It sucks that so many people have USED cars with one that do.

 

[Lightflyer1]

Well our opinions differ. No need to insult me with the reference to my username even though you put a wink on it. Others can make up their own mind about the warranty and if it benefits them in any way. I have respect for you and your opinions we just differ.

 

[99.50612TDI]

Good news everyone! VW didn’t cause a single problem. They replaced the intake under warranty and performed a forced regen. Since then I’ve done 2000km and no issues! Thanks everyone!

 

[Lightflyer1]

Glad to hear it worked out okay for you!

 

[ToxicDoc]

...Oh, and now with this covid nonsense, they have taken to quarantine of the parts. Yes, you read that correctly. So now the parts supply is disrupted even more...

I found a rare/unobtanium lower door seal. 6 weeks to receive it from overseas