Does Emissions fix HAVE to be done?

[AGinOntario]

Hey all - I did a search and couldn't find this particular question elsewhere - my apologies if this has already been addressed somewhere else on the forum...

I have a 2011 Jetta TDI in Ontario. Haven't gotten around to having the emissions fix done yet and, considering the various and conflicting reports I've seen about the effect on the car post-fix, does the fix actually HAVE to be done, or can it be left as-is?
I wonder about this also because, as of today, the Ontario DriveClean test is officially history (though, technically, I suppose an "un-fixed" TDI would still pass this test, wouldn't it?)
Besides performance and fuel efficiency, I wonder about future resale value etc.
How long is VW obligated to do the fix on affected vehicles for free?

Thanks for any input.

 

[GoFaster]

There is no prescribed end-date for VW doing the fix, although one suspects that if you wait 15 or 20 years, they'll just look at you funny wondering what you are talking about.

Nothing forces you to have it done ... even when Drive Clean was still in effect.

I suppose theoretically a car with a still-valid warranty is worth more than one with no warranty, although that also means a car which is unfixed still has pending warranty coverage that could be activated at any moment, although that's probably too much for a lot of consumers to grasp. Keep in mind that transmission, clutch, DMF, air conditioning, suspension, drive shafts etc are not covered, and sooner or later it's just another tired old car. It's an 8 year old car, even now ... When I sold my '06 Jetta it was 7 years old (and 430,000 km) and it sold for essentially one-tenth the as-new price. I keep cars until the resale value is a rounding error.

How long are you planning to keep it ... Getting the fix done and having it cover the rest of your planned ownership period protects you from HPFP and DPF headaches, more or less. There's no point having still-valid emissions warranty coverage on a car that's going to the scrap heap because the total of fixing transmission + A/C + rust + suspension + who knows what else, is more than what it's worth ...

 

[xiaolu]

I see you are in Ontario, Canada, and I am also in the same province.

I had my 2012 JETTA TDI emission control hardware and software modification/fix done in May last year (2018), and hence received $5,250 (Canadian) settlement payment, plus extended warranty (of any issue indicated by instrument panel other than transmission related,. etc)

According to the official VW settlement:

1. The free emission control software and hardware fix/modification plus settlement payment (over $5,000 depending on model and year of car) is ONLY valid until this past September 1, 2018, and the settlement claim application plus supporting document, etc must be submitted and received no later than the deadline of December 30, 2018, which means:

2. Now that we have passed this expiry date, if you now choose to have VW perform this hardware and software modification/fix, it may NOT be free of charge no more

3. If you do NOT go through this modification/fix, and later you have to replace some parts related to the modified hardware and/or software, VW may NOT be able to provide such parts no more, and finally

4. You are no longer entitled to claim any settlement payment


Volkswagen/ Audi/ Porsche Diesel Emissions Settlement Programs in Canada


https://www.vwcanadasettlement.ca/en


PS: I am NOT aware of any law here in the province of Ontario that says this emission fix must be done.


Cheers

 

[GoFaster]

I believe the situation now is that if you have the fix applied, it is at no charge and you still get the warranty coverage, but there is no restitution payment.

 

[skyblaster]

Has anyone had the fix done lately?

I called today about a rebuilt title 2012 Golf on Craigslist and the owner claimed to know nothing about the emissions scandal, which leads me to believe the fixes have not been applied. I'll know more if/when I go to check it out and pop the hood.