Anyone had their emissions "fixed"?

[M7R]

Has anyone had their emissions fixed? if so how are the MPG and power etc? both on a run and around town? I can't seem to find much info on anyone thats had it done on any vehicle really.

I am in two minds if to get mind done, the exeo we have will be with us for another year or two tops, but I don't fancy it using more fuel in reality, or having EGR issues in a year or so (I have already had to clear it out once at 42k as it had a good 7mm covering of soot and gunk already, where as my 1 year old 60k passat with the 140 engine has a film of sooty oil and that's it. (The exeo is a manual 170)

Cheers

 

[chriswales6]

I’d also be interested in find out, since an Exeo ST is at the top of my shopping list once my 13 year old Leon gives up.

From what I’ve been able to find out the ‘defeat’ software only activities when the driving pattern matches the emissions testing cycle.

It would seem logical that if only the ‘defeat’ software is removed, there shouldn’t be any affect on the normal performance and economy.

But this is only guess work and would need to be confirmed.

 

[M7R]

I’d also be interested in find out, since an Exeo ST is at the top of my shopping list once my 13 year old Leon gives up.

From what I’ve been able to find out the ‘defeat’ software only activities when the driving pattern matches the emissions testing cycle.

It would seem logical that if only the ‘defeat’ software is removed, there shouldn’t be any affect on the normal performance and economy.

But this is only guess work and would need to be confirmed.

not quite.. it is more the opposite.. when in the emissions lab the EGR does its thing... when on the road the amount of EGR is reduced. That is the simple version.

however the "fix" is alot more complicated than simply just making it EGR more.. as the whole point of less EGR is higher MPG, but at the expense of nigher NOx levels plus a few other bits and bobs, inc the way it drives. This means that the "fix" has to achieve lower compliant NOx levels while still giving the same MPG as before. This is not an easy task.

I can't go into more detail for reasons I wont disclose however I have not been privy to real world info on "fixed" vehicles, other than I have an understanding how the "fix" works in principle, but in a lab vs real world as we all know are 2 different things.

I love our Exeo but I don't love it's drink problem vs my 140bhp 2011 passat (yes I know the exeo is a 170 not a 140 and I know there is approx 250kg between the kerb weights when I have put them on the weigh bridge at work..) however at this rate we don't need 2 diesels so unless the fix does make things better ours maybe going in a year or so for a Leon ST Cupra.. but it all depends on the "fix" and I don't what to be the guinea pig and find it is even worse on fuel...

 

[chriswales6]

Never liked the idea of the EGR system. My TDI Leon is the pre-PD 110 model, the EGR actuation value has been unplugged for the last ten years. The only ill effect I’ve noticed is an increase in the warm up time during the winter.

If the Exeo has a bit of drinking problem I may have to reconsider, they look nice and seem great value. But I do over 250 miles a week and currently average 55MPG and wouldn’t really want to drop much below that.

May have to hope my MK1 Leon keeps going long enough so I can afford a MK3 replacement.

 

[M7R]

if you are doing mostly longer runs then they aren't too bad, wife with mostly town, stop start etc is mid to high 30s, if I use the car for a week to do my trip to work its mid to high 40s, maybe low 50s after the first day, but it is very sensitive to driving style. lower speeds with low revs, gentle accels and slowing down using the gear box rather than flying up to junctions and braking last minute all help.. if i do all that I can be OK, however hit the motorway and the short gearing kills the economy!

Face lift 12MY cars with the black head lights have longer gearing in the higher gears to increase the mpg and lower the tax, however 70mph is still just over 2000rpm, where as in all the mk6 based cars (so my Passat, and the Scirocco, and the MK6 golf I have all owned over the last year) all have gearing that is apporx 1800rpm at 70mph, and longer gearing in all the other gears too.

Lack of EGR can lead to higher temps and over time will cause piston damage if it is not mapped properly, but for these vehicle with the "defeat" device it is mapped to be used very little so is OK, and older cars had little EGR anyway so again unplugging wont cause too much damage (but does raise NOx emissions).

any way back on topic, so I take it no one has had their fixed?

 

[Dark Andrew]

... however hit the motorway and the short gearing kills the economy!

That's weird, I've just come back from a week of about 1,500 miles of (mostly) French motorway driving, using about a tank and a half of diesel (2011 TDI143) . So at a constant(ish) 70-80 MPH with cruise control on for about 80% of the time I probably got around 800 miles from a tank - I don't reckon that's too bad.

 

[M7R]

The problem is the gearing, yours is a 105kw engine and looking at the data the gearing for yours vs mine (125kw) is the same, bar the final drive ratio.

105kw is 3.3:1
125 is 3.75:1

This means that to do 69mph you are doing 1750 rpm, but mine is doing 2000 rpm. (That is assuming the same 225/40 R18 size tyres that are on mine, but smaller wheel size normally has a bigger tyre side wall to get back to the same rolling radius within a few mm).

This does explain why our 125kw goes like a stabbed rat despite it's 1700kg weight with just me (90kg) and pretty much full tank of fuel.. no extra "junk" in the boot etc, and this is on the calibrated scales at work. This also matches my old B7 A4 S line 140 to within a few kg in the same conditions so it is a genuine weight.

Also is yours a saloon or estate? saloons are better on fuel, plus I have the roof spoiler on mine which was a dealer fit option, due to the fact that it messes up some of the aero and creates extra drag. If I am doing well I will be getting 600 - 650 from a tank. If the wife drives it mostly then that can easily be low to mid 500s, and we have even been in the high 400s in winter. (hence next will be a Cupra R ST, I wont be as bothered about the low MPG as it is expected, and at least it will be fun)

We did test drive a 140 before we got the 170, now it was a auto which prob didn't help but it felt very flat compared to the remapped 140 PD and 130pd estates I had been driving the few years before, and I didn't fancy remapping a car that was only 3 months old just encase, now maybe we should have gone 140 and just mapped it, but hey ho too late now.

Back on topic my mate who has the twin of my ST (same colour, spec - bar tow bar and roof spoiler, even reg down to the last 2 letters) was going to get his fixed, but chickened out in the end, so we still don't have any real info how the fix works on the road in real conditions over time yet, which is annoying.

 

[Dark Andrew]

I didn't realise the final ratio was so different, which also explains why I was doing 130 KMH (about 80 MPH) at 2000 RPM in 6th gear. Also back on topic, I wonder if the motoring press have backed off the story now due to the need to sell advertising space to the VW group (not wanting to bite the hand that feeds), in which case, will we ever get a published comparison of before and after?

 

[mdaw1985]

I am also in the same situation. I have a 11 plate 170 saloon in Dakota red. I love the car. I've had it for over 4 years now and bought it at just short of a year old. Got the letter telling they are ready to sort it out and book it in. I'm reluctant to do so as I don't want the performance to decrease. As it is I feel it's a good balance between performance and economy. I don't want it any slower. I used to have a 52 plate Ibiza sport TDI 130. I had that mapped, decatted with exhaust etc and it was running at 183 bhp with 310 lb/ft torque when I had it on a rolling road. So going from that to the 170 exeo was a slight come down in performance but the car is so much nicer in every other way. Don't want to get this done and then find I need to map it to get performance back as that would put the insurance up.

 

[mdaw1985]

Also has anyone looked to see if others with the same engine in the Leon , golf, Passat etc have had this done?

 

[M7R]

Why would you want it done? the cheat software was installed to get it through the emmisions ratification for new cars, it would not have been installed if the engine could achieve high scores without it. The engines have not changed, the engineers have not changed, how can they do now what they could not then? If you have it changed it will be worse than before, for power, economy & flexibility, it may improve the atmosphere for pedestrians if you do a lot of city driving or the cows and sheep if you dont.

Sorry I have to disagree with this. I am in two minds if to get mine done.. however I know far more than I can say due to where I work... but what I will say is this.. the engine has not changed BUT the way the injection system works and is mapped is different. A lot was learnt by all manufacturers in order to meet Eu6 emissions levels without reducing power, economy etc, and VW have applied that knowledge to fixingjng this issue and saying it is worse for power, economy and flexibility is just not true.

one problem is VW don't appear to have released publicly exactly what has been done in technical detail which leads to a lot of non experts filling in the blanks..however all models which are being fixed have to be signed off by the approval authority who issued the relevant approvals, and part of that check is on power, economy, emissions and the way it drives,

Also depending how you look at it the software works the other way round.. it works like normal during the test, and then cheats on the road to get even higher Mpg that it would if the EGR was working as per the test at the cost of increased NOx emissions. You can also reduce the amount of EGr at lower temps and stop it working altogether if the temp gets too low provided you can show it is to help preserve the engine or emissions related parts, as the UK has a lower ambient than say Spain it means that your EGR will be working less anyway as most days possibly don't have a high enough ambient to get it into the sweet spot and working as designed. If you EGR too much at low ambient you can end up with condensation in the cat or it doesn't light up properly.. plus other issues due to the combustion temp being lowered too much.

 

[taffybloke]

I have had a letter from the dealer saying that they notice mine has not been done following there first request to book it in for the work. I just didn't bother. This letter also has the DVLA heading on it so is it being monitored?

Any of you guys had the same


Mike

 

[M7R]

I have had a letter from the dealer saying that they notice mine has not been done following there first request to book it in for the work. I just didn't bother. This letter also has the DVLA heading on it so is it being monitored?

Any of you guys had the same


Mike

Non safety recalls are not mandatory. However DFT expect the vast majority of folks to have their cars fixed. If you didn't respond to the first one then this next letter is a slightly more firm gentle reminder.

The heading is the DVSA ( not DVLA) the DVSA is the new name for VOSA who deal with mandatory and voluntary recalls btw.

The recalls will be being monitored as no doubt the DFT will be asking for updates on how many cars have been fixed, and it is in Seat, VW, etc interested to get them done as soon as possible, however you can not be forced to have it done. VW group could authorise incentives through to encourage people to update their cars if uptake isn't quick enough to please the DFT, but that is only speculation on my behalf.

The short answer is if you don't want it doing just keep collecting the letters like I am for my 2 cars

 

[Windydave13]

Just had a quick read of this as my father has just dropped his VW Tiguan in for its anual service and they asked him if he wanted the update doing. VW are apparently saying the update is optional and its up to him if he wants it doing

Dave

 

[taffybloke]

Non safety recalls are not mandatory. However DFT expect the vast majority of folks to have their cars fixed. If you didn't respond to the first one then this next letter is a slightly more firm gentle reminder.

The heading is the DVSA ( not DVLA) the DVSA is the new name for VOSA who deal with mandatory and voluntary recalls btw.

The recalls will be being monitored as no doubt the DFT will be asking for updates on how many cars have been fixed, and it is in Seat, VW, etc interested to get them done as soon as possible, however you can not be forced to have it done. VW group could authorise incentives through to encourage people to update their cars if uptake isn't quick enough to please the DFT, but that is only speculation on my behalf.

The short answer is if you don't want it doing just keep collecting the letters like I am for my 2 cars

M7R you are right it was DVSA.

My car is a 62 reg 2013 with 25k on the clock and I am concerned that the update will cause my EGR and DPF to clog up to quickly now my mileage is lower I may not bother with the update but I think the resale will be affected and VAG should be making some sort of gesture to us for this.

Mike

 

[decadent]

Taffy that's my concern aswell (dpf/egr). I've had the same reminder to, decided not to bother: I'd rather keep the car as intended rather than have some rush job fix applied to it.

 

[hobgoblin]

emisions fix

Still waiting,Seat telling me they are not ready yet.
2011 Exeo Tech CR TDI.

 

[Flobadob]

Booked my 2012 CR143 sport tech in for its 70kmile service at local stealership online (for free 12 months breakdown) and unticked the emissions fix box. When I took the car in I was questioned on my reasons why as they have to report back the SEAT HQ on why the car was not converted, so just stated that I will wait and see how others get on 1st before I comply. Service manager said that it was a category 1 of the VW list saying that BHP, MPG was unaffected.

Still didn't have it done

 

[Dark Andrew]

Booked my 2012 CR143 sport tech in for its 70kmile service at local stealership online (for free 12 months breakdown) and unticked the emissions fix box. When I took the car in I was questioned on my reasons why as they have to report back the SEAT HQ on why the car was not converted, so just stated that I will wait and see how others get on 1st before I comply. Service manager said that it was a category 1 of the VW list saying that BHP, MPG was unaffected.

Still didn't have it done

That's odd, I've just booked my 2011 143CR TDI in for a service online too, and got a pop up telling me that my engine is affected by the issue but that I will be hearing from them shortly with more information. No offer of a fix and no box to tick.

 

[pooclah]

Same as that, including year & engine.

Then I had a letter this morning from the DVSA with the following couple of paragraphs in it

Volkswagen Group UK has received approval to release technical measures for over 440,000 affected vehicles. Our intention is to release technical measures for all remaining vehicles with an outstanding EA 189 service action by the end of 2016. Implementation of these technical measures will however continue into 2017.

No action is required from you at this time. Once the specific technical measure for your vehicle is released, we will write to you directly with details of how to book your car in for this service action.