EA189 Emissions Update - my experience

[Sad555]

I spoke to an EX owner of a skoda dealership at the bath and west recently and he said that they had not experienced any problem with the FIX because his mechanics were well trained and had good  up to date equipment.I almost began to believe him but  him being a car salesman for many years you would do ,wouldn't you.

[munrorunner]

33 minutes ago, Sad555 said:

I spoke to an EX owner of a skoda dealership at the bath and west recently and he said that they had not experienced any problem with the FIX because his mechanics were well trained and had good  up to date equipment.I almost began to believe him but  him being a car salesman for many years you would do ,wouldn't you.

Hahaha. Love it. Skoda will have standardised equipment and training. What a load of tosh! 

[Ootohere]

They have aspirational employees, Techs and Sales staff.

They used to aspire to get a job in a VW or Audi Dealership and these days would be happy to just get a job with Dacia.

[Llanigraham]

2 hours ago, munrorunner said:

Hahaha. Love it. Skoda will have standardised equipment and training. What a load of tosh! 

 

And yet we have had plenty of experience of dealers who have been unable to reprogramme cars after tow bar fitting, so I can quite believe what he said.

[BillN_33]

another list of articles that tell how bad the situation could be and the future problems that could occur with the EGR value post fix

 

https://www.hypermiler.co.uk/dieselgate/the-volkswagon-group-is-systematically-refunding-owners-for-egr-failures-after-the-emissions-fix

 

presumably the problems will continue after a new EGR value is fitted ..... resulting in EGR values having very short working lives

 

It would seem to me that if you have had the fix and have problems, VAG on balance will do very little, (and the more they do the worse it could be!), - so a re-map is the only, (?) alternative ......... or to sell your car

 

I really like the Yeti, we have 2 in France - I will keep clear of EA189

 

 

Edited 11 July, 2017 by BillN_33

[VAGCF]

5 hours ago, Sad555 said:

I spoke to an EX owner of a skoda dealership at the bath and west recently and he said that they had not experienced any problem with the FIX because his mechanics were well trained and had good  up to date equipment.I almost began to believe him but  him being a car salesman for many years you would do ,wouldn't you.

Isn't that the reason for going to any main dealer!!

 

Edited 11 July, 2017 by VAGCF

[fuzzybunny]

Well there is no way I am letting them loose on my Yeti.

It is not a safety fix or a safety recall.

My car sailed through the MoT so is compliant on UK roads.

As it isn't a safety issue it has no effects on my insurance and I don't believe it will make the slightest difference to any trade in.

If I sell it privately might even be more desirable as it hasn't been messed about with by Skoda!

 

 

[Ian Bridges]

I regrettably had the emission fix done on my 2012 Superb estate 170 4x4 in December 2016. The DTUK CRTD had to be immediately removed after the update as the engine ran terribly,misfiring + warning lights.

I had unplugged it temporarily before the "update" anyway so as to be able to make a comparison. Over 8k miles, fuel consumption up 9-10%, long & short journeys, less torque at low revs, frequent regenerations. All on Shell V+ fuel which I have always used for 60k miles & 6k oil changes.

I decided to have the emission fix reversed in July, both as cost effective in fuel saving in about 1 year, effects on engine wear, EGR DPF etc, and performance. So, 1 k later and a refitted DTUK box on setting 4+2 all is back to the normal great power & torque.

Trying to find a garage to do it was tiresome, eventually I found Avon tuning, outside Bristol, who had the proper software to reflash the ECU completely back to its former delivery software,(VW group dealers do not have this software). It took a couple of hours, + a 250 mile round trip from home and £180.

Worth every penny, it was annoying to have to do the reversal, but sometimes one makes mistakes by being persuaded by people who are themselves being pressured(by the manufacturer).

 

 

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[kenfowler3966]

Sounds like there is a gap in the market for someone to offer this service more widely. About 750000 potential customers already with more being duped every day according to VW/Audi/Skoda.

I wouldnt be surprised if the value of "fixed" cars slump and non-fixed ones become sought after.

No way is my wifes unmolested Fabia 1.6tdi going anywhere near a Skoda garage again!

[VAGCF]

I doubt it really as it's only folks like us that frequent forums will be aware of any difference and prices asked will still be based mainly on spec., condition and mileage.

 

If anything prices of all diesels will drop and the informed buying a Euro 5 having had the fix will just get it mapped which isn't that expensive.

[Sad555]

41 minutes ago, VAGCF said:

I doubt it really as it's only folks like us that frequent forums will be aware of any difference and prices asked will still be based mainly on spec., condition and mileage.

 

If anything prices of all diesels will drop and the informed buying a Euro 5 having had the fix will just get it mapped which isn't that expensive.

So it looks like the  VAG CHEAT that was unleashed in america has lead to the demise of Diesel cars throughout the world and the long awaited FIX/FAIL has lead some owners with their cars not being fit for purpose and larger drops in value........well done VW for cheating on your customers and killing off Diesel cars and increased petrol prices to come

[kenfowler3966]

I have read elsewhere that a remap does not reverse all the changes from the fix. Just masks some of the problems it causes.

Flashing the ecu back to original before remap is probably needed?

[langers2k]

19 minutes ago, kenfowler3966 said:

I have read elsewhere that a remap does not reverse all the changes from the fix. Just masks some of the problems it causes.

Flashing the ecu back to original before remap is probably needed?

 

I would expect the remap to replace the software with an older version rather than changing the parameters on the current software. Mostly as the location of the parameters in the different software versions can change.

 

Any decent tuner should be able to advise further

 

@Ian Bridges, ODIS (which is dealer software) can revert the fix assuming an older software version is available from VAG. The issue is that dealers don't want to revert the fix and can't be bothered looking for older software versions...

[twoladies]

Just read in the Daily Fail that Watchdog tonight is doing a piece on Dieselgate!!  So many owners not on here, will receive a wake-up call!  Just what VW want - not.

[Merlinman]

Some of us have been very active attempting to persuade VAG of the limitations of their 'fix'!

[VAGCF]

7 hours ago, kenfowler3966 said:

I have read elsewhere that a remap does not reverse all the changes from the fix. Just masks some of the problems it causes.

Flashing the ecu back to original before remap is probably needed?

Good point Ken, as I believe that as well as a software change the dealers have to make other changes to get the cars to run properly. Well, in some cases!

 

So they would have to be reversed as well.

[Ian Bridges]

What I was told that a remap does not change the part of the software that controls the fuel injection sequence, which has been to totally changed to a high frequency multi injection of fuel over a longer period of each compression ignition cycle, and other changes as well of course.

Apparently, VAG dealers do not have access to the software that gives permissions for changes for this part of the program, it is locked. Therefore they cannot reverse it. It needs a complete re-flash back to the original, as delivered, program. A program from the factory can do this, which is what the tuning firm said they have in their possession.

One way or the other, it worked very well for me. and, as far as I can tell, testing for over 1000 miles, all is back to what it was before the "fix".

Because the  changed settings are in a locked part of the program, a remap might help performance etc, but I doubt that it will address the frequent regeneration problems, and subsequent rapid wear of the EGR and filling of the DPF with soot & subsequent ash. It may make them worse, and I expect that VAG would be even less sympathetic to rectification.

The tuning firm will also remap after reversal, delete EGR and or DPF, but as I had the tuning box and had been happy with it for some 55,000 miles why change. "If it works don't fix it", lesson learned as they say.

I am sure that if dealers could reverse it, they would. I have never known a dealer to turn down an offer of the opportunity for extra money.

I would be happy for anybody to come for a test drive to demonstrate, with and without DTUK connected if they want. PM me.

Ian

[Ootohere]

^^^ 

Even the greediest Main Dealer with a VW Group franchise is not going to be taking the wrath of the VW Group and ending up in all kinds of poo reversing the Fix 

unless there is some type of EU Authority permission if 'The Fix' currently being undertaken does prove to be Safety Critical in some instances and there is a Corporate Responsibility that might end up with Board Members in a Coroners Court & then a Law Court and maybe needing soap on a rope if there are fatalities which would not be accidental.

[marcusthehat]

Whats that v big software firm called, erm, ah yes! Microsoft.

Why do I imagine VAG are as bad, with their "fixing fixes" or patching patches.

Which, even I, very reluctantly, being a 58 year old Co Antrim thrifty farmers Son, recognise ( more than several & very colourful  inner tubes later) does not bloody work!

[Eddie-NL]

Just been covered on BBC Watchdog, trouble after fix

 

 

[Sad555]

Post fix or gm Safire ?

[HowardBury]

24 minutes ago, Sad555 said:

Post fix or gm Safire ?

 

A BMW 530D apparently, although you might find yourself speculating about what else was in the car to make it explode that way ........ 

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/moment-police-car-explodes-on-a38-is-caught-on-camera/story-30438783-detail/story.html

[Urrell]

9 hours ago, HowardBury said:

A BMW 530D apparently, although you might find yourself speculating about what else was in the car to make it explode that way ........

Could be one of the seat belt tensioner explosive devices.

[HowardBury]

22 minutes ago, Urrell said:

Could be one of the seat belt tensioner explosive devices.

Possibly, but I'd have thought that maybe the insurance companies would be having a fit at the thought of cars being totally destroyed in this way. I'd much prefer that it was an armed response unit and this was their ammo going off big style.

[Urrell]

But that explosion is not what started the fire just the result of it.
Could have been something as simple as a poorly fitted replacement heater fan resistor starting the original fire as in most cases of fire with the Vauxhall Zafira.