VW "Clean Diesel" Owner
New member
This is a repost to something I added to the FTC blog, yesterday. I appreciate the opportunity to share and get more information here, and am posting for the first time having followed since I bought my TDI in 2014. I was stoked then, getting ready for my new baby and a clean drive cross-country! Sigh:
I am a "VW clean diesel" owner. I have submitted all my information and documents as required by this class action settlement.
Last Wednesday, VW emailed me that my docs were incomplete. They provided concise and thorough instructions how to correct the situation, advising me to call the claim number to ask a rep to reset my claims portal. The issue would be resolved in two business days, the email said. I followed their instructions the next morning and called, right away noticing it was a completely different experience than when I last spoke with VW about a month ago. The rep this time was very sloppy, launched right into the standard guidelines we have already received and didn't listen to my request at all to reset the claims portal. I had to interrupt her to ask my question again and she just continued to ignore. It was very weird so I thanked her and hung up to call back and try to get somewhere with another rep.
The second person did try to be helpful. She said she submitted the request to reset and confirmed what my email said, that this would be resolved in two business days, suggesting I call back this week if nothing had changed.
I checked yesterday morning, which was the following Tuesday, and nothing had changed so I called the claim number. This time, I got someone who told me she is authorized only to provide general information and can't access my claim. I had dialed through the system to get to my specifc issue and so was surprised to get to someone who said she couldn't access my claim. Previously on the phone with VW, they have immediately accessed my info. I asked her how I could check on my portal reset status, and she really evaded my question. Eventually, she told me she is a "third party contractor" hired by VW because VW can't manage the volume of calls, and she can't access any claim information...she finally offered to "put me through to the claims department." I had thought I was on the phone with the claims department. Sure enough, I got the more familiar hold music for VW (I've noticed it before because I think it sounds a little ominous) and when the next person answered, I asked if she was VW or the third party contractor. She confirmed she was VW and she actually reset my portal while we were on the phone. Awesome!!
This is where it got weird again, however. After she and I hung up, I went back through my steps and reached the point where the portal asked me to upload my documents- this would be for the second time, as these are all documents VW already has (and even which the second rep from last week had verified). So, I called the claim number again and got the woman from the morning! I told her that VW had reset my portal and I had a question about the docs, preferring not to upload them again as it takes bandwidth of which I have precious little. She again evaded my question and so I asked her to put me through to VW directly again. She tells me that "the manager" will get back to me in three business days. I told her I didn't need the third party contractor manager to get back to me, I just need to speak with VW directly. The manager Steven then came on the line, tells me he is VW and, grudgingly, yes a third party contractor and then advises me that they cannot provide access to VW, says "good day" and hangs up on me.
This was unprofessional to say the least and, frankly, unnerving. I am afraid that this intermediary service will never put me through to VW directly again, and that I will not be able to address challenges with the online claims portal without VW's authoritative support. It had been relatively quick and easy when VW was answering their own phones.
I am a "VW clean diesel" owner. I have submitted all my information and documents as required by this class action settlement.
Last Wednesday, VW emailed me that my docs were incomplete. They provided concise and thorough instructions how to correct the situation, advising me to call the claim number to ask a rep to reset my claims portal. The issue would be resolved in two business days, the email said. I followed their instructions the next morning and called, right away noticing it was a completely different experience than when I last spoke with VW about a month ago. The rep this time was very sloppy, launched right into the standard guidelines we have already received and didn't listen to my request at all to reset the claims portal. I had to interrupt her to ask my question again and she just continued to ignore. It was very weird so I thanked her and hung up to call back and try to get somewhere with another rep.
The second person did try to be helpful. She said she submitted the request to reset and confirmed what my email said, that this would be resolved in two business days, suggesting I call back this week if nothing had changed.
I checked yesterday morning, which was the following Tuesday, and nothing had changed so I called the claim number. This time, I got someone who told me she is authorized only to provide general information and can't access my claim. I had dialed through the system to get to my specifc issue and so was surprised to get to someone who said she couldn't access my claim. Previously on the phone with VW, they have immediately accessed my info. I asked her how I could check on my portal reset status, and she really evaded my question. Eventually, she told me she is a "third party contractor" hired by VW because VW can't manage the volume of calls, and she can't access any claim information...she finally offered to "put me through to the claims department." I had thought I was on the phone with the claims department. Sure enough, I got the more familiar hold music for VW (I've noticed it before because I think it sounds a little ominous) and when the next person answered, I asked if she was VW or the third party contractor. She confirmed she was VW and she actually reset my portal while we were on the phone. Awesome!!
This is where it got weird again, however. After she and I hung up, I went back through my steps and reached the point where the portal asked me to upload my documents- this would be for the second time, as these are all documents VW already has (and even which the second rep from last week had verified). So, I called the claim number again and got the woman from the morning! I told her that VW had reset my portal and I had a question about the docs, preferring not to upload them again as it takes bandwidth of which I have precious little. She again evaded my question and so I asked her to put me through to VW directly again. She tells me that "the manager" will get back to me in three business days. I told her I didn't need the third party contractor manager to get back to me, I just need to speak with VW directly. The manager Steven then came on the line, tells me he is VW and, grudgingly, yes a third party contractor and then advises me that they cannot provide access to VW, says "good day" and hangs up on me.
This was unprofessional to say the least and, frankly, unnerving. I am afraid that this intermediary service will never put me through to VW directly again, and that I will not be able to address challenges with the online claims portal without VW's authoritative support. It had been relatively quick and easy when VW was answering their own phones.
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