1. Earlier this summer a lawsuit was filed regarding dangerous defects in the Aisin AWF8F35 8-speed transmission.

    Specifically how it hesitates, shakes, and grinds its way to busted seals, oil leaks, and eventual failure.

    Volkswagen asked for the case to be dismissed on the classic legal defense of sure there complaints, but it's not that many complaints.

    And when they tried to convince the court the plaintiffs shouldn't have a case because VW couldn't have possibly known about the problems before the vehicles were sold, they were asked about a "technical tip" sent to VW dealerships on possile transmission problems before the vehicles were sold. The document describes scraping noises commonly heard when shifting into 5th gear at speeds of 20-25 mph, under light load.

    keep reading article "VW Fails to Convince Judge Their 8-Speed Transmissions Aren't Trash"
  2. Volkswagen is recalling 56,000 vehicles with rear coil springs that can snap, crackle, and pop the tires.

    This appears to be an expansion of a smaller recall for the exact same problem last month. It wasn’t until the cars were shipped and sold that VW’s supplier admitted the coil springs weren’t ready for production. Yikes. Owners of the 2015-2019 Golf, 2017-2017 Golf Sportwagen, 2019 Jetta, and 2018-2019 Tiguan should watch for a recall notice next month.

    keep reading article "VW Recalls More Vehicles with Rear Coil Springs ‘Not Ready for Production'"
  3. There’s an important deadline coming up for VW owners who previously paid for repairs to their timing chain system or damage to their engine from a timing chain failure, and want the automaker to pick up the tab.

    A recently approved timing chain settlement benefits thousands of owners by providing them with an extended “new vehicle limited warranty” for any future repairs, plus conditional reimbursements for any previous repairs.

    The extended warranty is applied automatically if you own or lease one of the affected vehicles and didn’t opt out of the class-action.

    Owners who want to be eligible for reimbursements must file a claim by January 25th, 2019. More information is available at TimingChainLitigation.com.

    How to Submit a Claim

    1. Use the VIN lookup tool to check your eligibility
    2. Gather the documents requested by the Claim Administrator
    3. Submit your claim before 11:59 PST on January 25th, 2019
    keep reading article "Upcoming Deadline for Timing Chain Reimbursements"
  4. Owners and lessees of certain 2008-2014 VW and Audi vehicles may soon be eligible to receive benefits for their engine’s defective timing chain.

    On November 19, 2018 a judge will rule on a proposed settlement that would either reimburse owners for previous repairs or fund future work on the timing chain tensioner system.

    This decision has been a long time coming. Even snails are embarrassed by how slowly this case has crept along.

    keep reading article "It’s the Final Countdown for VW’s Timing Chain Class-Action Settlement"
  5. It appears Volkswagen is close to settling 7 lawsuits regarding defective timing chains and the threat of engine damage.

    The proposed settlement includes all consumers who purchased or leased certain 2008-2014 Audi and Volkswagen vehicles that will be determined by the vehicle identification numbers (VINs).

    According to the terms, reimbursement amounts will be determined based on the age of the vehicle, how many miles are on the odometer and if the timing chain tensioner, timing chain or engine was replaced."

    Reimbursement amounts are highly favoriable to owners who get work done at an authorized VW dealership. Our advice – if something goes wrong with your timing chain or tensioner and you're covered under this settlement, skip your local mechanic and go to an authorized dealer.

    keep reading article "VW Owners to Receive Reimbursements for Busted Timing Chains and Tensioners"
  6. Despite VW's best efforts, a timing chain lawsuit will continue in a New Jersey court after the judge denied the automaker's motion to dismiss

    . The case is a combination of two other lawsuits in the state, both of which allege VW is concealing known timing chain defects that lead to premature engine failure.

    You know that stack of papers they have you sign when you buy a car? Volkswagen's argument for dismissing the case was a hidden clause that says all problems must be taken into arbitration and not in front of jury. Which, let's be honest, is a shady thing to throw into a purchase contract. Luckily the judge ruled those agreements are between the consumer and the dealership, not the automaker.

    While a few of the lawsuit claims were thrown own, this is overall good news for consumers who have dealt with (or are worried about) timing chain failure.

    keep reading article "NJ Timing Chain Lawsuit Will Continue After VW Was Denied a Motion to Dismiss"
  7. For the love of everything, is there an airbag out there that's not trying to kill us these days?

    We all know about Takata, the airbag supplier which made moisture-sensitive, death traps that are responsible for worldwide panic. Well, not to be outdone we're now looking at more airbag recalls but this time from a supplier named Autoliv. From CarComplaints.com:

    "About 5,900 vehicles are affected by front passenger and side head airbags that may not deploy during a crash. In addition, the seat belt pre-tensioners may not activate during a crash if you're driving a 2017 Audi Q7, A4, A4 allroad or 2018 Audi Q5."

    The saddest part? Airbags that don't deploy may actually be safer than those that do deploy these days.

    keep reading article "First Takata, Now Autoliv. More Airbag Recalls for VW."
  8. Owners of Volkswagen and Audi vehicles have filed a lawsuit claiming there's a defect in the timing chain tensioner system that allows the chain to "jump a tooth" in the camshaft.

    Once that happens, the engine could be destroyed. Want to repair it? You'll destroy your bank account too.

    The lawsuit focuses on 2008-2013 Audi and VW models equipped with 2-liter TSI or 2-liter TFSI EA888 engines. The plaintiffs say the problems happen well before 120,000 miles (the recommended time to repair them) and can cost upwards of $11,000 to fix.

    "The plaintiffs claim Audi and VW not only refused to acknowledge the alleged timing chain problems, but also refused to compensate certain owners for engine repairs. The lawsuit also alleges Audi and Volkswagen didn't offer loaner or replacement vehicles even though the vehicles were useless to owners."

    This isn't the first lawsuit to accuse VW of concealing timing chain defects.

    keep reading article "Lawsuit Says Engines Fail After the Timing Chains 'Jump a Tooth' in the Camshaft"
  9. Volkswagen just can't seem to catch a break. Well, unless you count their child door locks. Those are breaking all over the place.

    Simple vibrations are disengaging the rear door child locks in many 2016 VWs, prompting a recall.

    "A molding problem caused the locking mechanism to be improperly manufactured causing the position retaining mechanism inside the door lock to break"

    That's a problem, especially for my toddler where her seat-kicking-snack-throwing-booster-seat-bouncing routine creates much more than a simple vibration.

    The 2016 CC, Golf R, Tiguan, and eGolf are all involved. For specific build dates, visit CarComplaints.com.

    keep reading article "Vibrations Opening Child Door Locks in 2016 Volkswagens"
  10. A lawsuit filed in New Jersey says Volkswagen's timing chain tensioner has serious defects and can lead to premature engine failure.

    According to the plaintiff, in VW's warranty and maintenance schedules the tensioning system is expected to last 120,000 miles without the need for maintenance.

    "The VW and Audi A3 vehicles are equipped with EA888 2.0L TSI engines with engine codes CCTA or CBFA. The remaining Audi vehicles are equipped with EA888 2.0L TFSI engines designated with engine codes CAEB, CAEA, or CDNC. The plaintiff says all the engines with these five codes are versions of the EA888 engine and all use the same timing chain tensioning system."

    When the tensioning system fails, the results can be catastrophic and lead to out-of-pocket expenses that will make your bank account cry.

    This is a big lawsuit, covering many VW and Audi models from the 2008 model year on.

    keep reading article "VW Timing Chain Tensioner Lawsuit Says Defects Cause Engine Failure"
  11. Your vehicle might be involved in one of the largest and most dangerous recalls in automotive history.

    Volkswagen is recalling 734 VW Tiguans and Audi Q5s with Takata airbag inflators.

    You've probably heard about Takata's defective inflators by now. They're the ones that explode with too much force and sometimes send metal shrapnel flying throughout the cabin. Yeah, those. They've also been linked to a number of deaths and injuries.

    While the majority of Takata airbag recalls have been for frontal airbags, this recall is for airbags mounted on the seats which deploy from the side.

    keep reading article "Dangerous Seat-Mounted Takata Recall"
  12. **Th

    re are 11 automakers that have recalled millions of cars with Takata inflators. So far, VW isn't one of them. However, that might change soon because NHTSA documents say investigators want to know if an exploding side airbag in the 2015 Tiguan is related to previous Takata recalls.

    The vehicle in question experienced a ruptured side airbag in a June crash when the driver struck a deer. Unlike Takata airbags that have killed and injured vehicle occupants, the Missouri driver wasn't injured and it's possible this airbag explosion is different than previous Takata airbag ruptures._"

    In addition to the 2015 Tiguan, NHTSA will be determining which VW vehicles have airbags that contain ammonium nitrate.

    keep reading article "The Feds Have Questions About Takata Airbags in VW Tiguan"
  13. The 2015 Tiguan could have been recalled for a curved door frame that's been known to cut open the driver's leg when they exit the vehicle, but instead VW is recalling the SUV for some stickers.

    VW says a new computerized system put the wrong tire pressure and weight limits on some certification labels. That's a federal safety standards no-no.

    The recall will begin sometimes in June. Owners with questions can contact VW at 800-893-5298 and use the recall number 01A5.

    keep reading article "Tiguan Tire Pressure Labels Recalled"
  14. **VW

    is pulling back 151,000 Tiguans for gas bubble problems. My wife is wondering if they can include me in the recall as well. VW says it's possible for gas bubbles to form in the fuel system when winterized fuel with high vapor pressures is used in warmer temperatures. The bubbles can also occur if the Tiguan is restarted soon after being shut off with a hot engine. Bubbles in your car's gas is worse than bubbles out your own ... nevermind ... just know that you want to get rid of them to avoid things like an engine misfire.

    Additionally, the fuel pump can experience pressure problems because of a degraded electrical current which can lead to the engine stalling.

    151,000 model year 2009-2014 Volkswagen Tiguan SUVs.

    keep reading article "Gas Bubble Recall"

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