Emissions defeat-device software and the approved fix (2009–2014)
Major repairEPA found these cars ran full emissions controls only during testing and emitted NOx at 10–40 times the standard in normal driving. The approved fix swaps the software and NOx catalyst, and VW says it can cut fuel economy by up to 2 mpg on automatic cars. An unmodified car may get parts of the fix installed later when emission parts are repaired.[10][7][8][11]
Symptoms
- No drivability symptom on an unmodified car; the issue is emissions software
- After the fix: possible small fuel-economy drop
Check before buying
- Enter the VIN in Volkswagen's recall look-up, which the settlement program site says shows whether the approved emissions modification was completed and the terms of any extended emissions warranty
- Look under the hood for the two labels VW installs after the fix: an emissions modification completion label and an updated Vehicle Emissions Compliance Information (VECI) label
- Ask the seller for the dealer repair order for the emissions modification (and, on a 2015 car, both Phase 1 and Phase 2)
Program: 2016 court-approved settlement: buyback, lease termination or EPA/CARB-approved emissions modification at no cost, plus an extended emissions warranty on modified cars. The 2.0L claims program ended December 30, 2018.