Volkswagen under investigation over illegal software that masks pollution

[Bayman]

Not sure if this was posted previously but my vehicles are in the clear using it MY09 Tiguan and MY1405 Golf

Diesel Info : Volkswagen UK

Type your VIN in the field to check. Guess this detects cheat software only rather than the EU4/5 or 6 location regulations.

[Eaglen00b]

Diesel Info : Volkswagen UK

DOH!!

Dear Volkswagen customer,

We regret to inform you that the Type EA 189 engine built into your vehicle with the Vehicle Identification Number WVWZZZ3#$#@%#@^*? you submitted, is affected by software that causes discrepancies in the values for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) during dynometer runs. Your car is safe from a technical standpoint and roadworthy.

We are very sorry to have broken your trust and are working at full speed to find a technical solution. Volkswagen will cover the cost relating directly to this repair.

We will be in touch with you directly to explain what steps are required. We'll do the necessary work at our cost.


Yours faithfully,

Volkswagen.

[Ryeman]

Ryeman: LOL! - you have a wicked (and coincidentally, a rye/wry) sense of humour - I like it!! I wonder if VW's fix will also solve world hunger?



Not sure why our brothers/sisters in the UK got a better response. At least with the UK site, folk there know (now) whether their car is affected, or not. Guess us Aussies just don't pay enough for our VW's to warrant the additional service (or perhaps being antipodean colonists, we simply don't have the same consumer rights as our country's founders)!

Thanks for your reply
Don

I'd take VW current site with a large grain of salt as nothing is set in stone at this stage whilst they resolve all the questions for themselves to start with and I'm glad I'm not a senior salaried VW engineer right now.

[Bayman]

Sorry to hear that, at least the check works, but why does the slack @#$@ VGA not have a similar link. VGA are a joke again.

Here's the direct link:

http://info.volkswagen.com/gb/en/home.html?iframe=true&tab=check-own-car

Cheers & good luck.

[Bayman]

"We are very sorry to have broken your trust and are working at full speed to find a techhnical solution"

I guess the situation is a double edge sword, if they sack the two smart head engineers that created this mess, they might not have the brains trust to fix it?

I say sack the dumb managers that pushed these guys for a solution that never met the financial metrics of the day re profits and USA sales.

[Ryeman]

I guess for VW, the old saying applies: if you have nothing useful to say, don't say anything.
They may have to backtrack at some time and that'll only get more offside.

[Swallowtail]

if someone can replace a car when it's only 3-4 years, he really doesn't suffer any financial hardship, does he?

On the other hand, ordinary people who keep their car for much longer, shouldn't be much worst of when the time comes to buy the next TDI for the same or better price, because VW will try to get back/or stay at their current market position.

Also, should the price of the s/h TDI drop, it's a good news for people who buy the s/h cars.

Correct, as I can "afford" to replace a car every 3 or 4 years, I won't be suffering financial "hardship". Financial "loss" - maybe, if I buy a car that then loses more value due to these events than it otherwise would have. Not saying that gives me right or reason to sue - but cause to question the wisdom of proceeding with a VW purchase over another manufacturer. All just part of the decision process.

I do wonder though (rhetorically I imagine) what the threshold is at which people suffer financial hardship due to illegal action on the part of other parties - is it if they can afford to replace cars every 5 years, or 10 years? When does it start to matter because they are "ordinary" people?

[Ryeman]

Correct, as I can "afford" to replace a car every 3 or 4 years, I won't be suffering financial "hardship". Financial "loss" - maybe, if I buy a car that then loses more value due to these events than it otherwise would have. Not saying that gives me right or reason to sue - but cause to question the wisdom of proceeding with a VW purchase over another manufacturer. All just part of the decision process.

I do wonder though (rhetorically I imagine) what the threshold is at which people suffer financial hardship due to illegal action on the part of other parties - is it if they can afford to replace cars every 5 years, or 10 years? When does it start to matter because they are "ordinary" people?

I don't think there's anything normal in the buying process that includes corporate malfeasance.
Even VW understand that.

[woofy]

Not sure why our brothers/sisters in the UK got a better response. At least with the UK site, folk there know (now) whether their car is affected, or not. Guess us Aussies just don't pay enough for our VW's to warrant the additional service (or perhaps being antipodean colonists, we simply don't have the same consumer rights as our country's founders)!

Thanks for your reply
Don

You should try being a Skoda owner in Australia. While the UK get cheap parts and decent service VWA treat us like dirt and we certainly pay more than the UK guys do. It really stands out that Audi got onto announcing things here pretty quick but VWA still haven't done jack.

[Ryeman]

You should try being a Skoda owner in Australia. While the UK get cheap parts and decent service VWA treat us like dirt and we certainly pay more than the UK guys do. It really stands out that Audi got onto announcing things here pretty quick but VWA still haven't done jack.

New Skodas out here are very competitive with UK pricing (OR) from my research but spares may be a bit more of a gouge.
Over all new car prices in Australia are only second to the U.S. due to cut throat competition and choice.
In 1995 I bought a Nissan Pulsar Q manual with air and a tacho......nothing else and it cost $23,700
imagine what you could buy (or) for that today and compare the equipment - air esp abs airbags streaming Bluetooth and on and on
BUT
they cost more to maintain due to complexity especially if it's a diesel.

[ParaBul]

No, it's not.

[OilBurna]

One article said they have 3 options on the table including complete new car replacements


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[Amalgam]

One article said they have 3 options on the table including complete new car replacements

Very unlikely.

The cost of 11 million new cars would be unthinkable. Most likely it will be a ECU reflash and possibly a large donation to some 'green' organisation to plant trees to offset the extra pollution caused. If we are lucky we may get some small compensation as a gesture of 'goodwill'. There might be some new hardware and plumbing to add AdBlue urea but that would be a very difficult retrofit.

As previously posted, I am going to wait and see. My Passat is booked in for a service this Thurs 8/10. This will buy me a year of thinking time..

[Ryeman]

I had my 103TDI Yeti serviced last week.......they didn't know anything as to what was going to happen and as a VW/Audi dealer weren't particularly interested.

[ducksonetime]

Very unlikely.

The cost of 11 million new cars would be unthinkable. Most likely it will be a ECU reflash and possibly a large donation to some 'green' organisation to plant trees to offset the extra pollution caused. If we are lucky we may get some small compensation as a gesture of 'goodwill'. There might be some new hardware and plumbing to add AdBlue urea but that would be a very difficult retrofit.

As previously posted, I am going to wait and see. My Passat is booked in for a service this Thurs 8/10. This will buy me a year of thinking time..

AFAIK planting trees only offsets carbon emissions due to trees pulling CO2 from the atmosphere, storing the carbon and emitting O2. This scandal is regarding NOx emissions - I don't think planting trees is gonna help. Correct me if I'm wrong.