Volkswagen drivers have until November 29 to claim reimbursement from $1.95 million pot as turbocharger lawsuit settles

VOLKSWAGEN Motor Group is set to pay $1.95 million to certain customers who purchased new vehicles from two of its biggest mass market brands.

Purchasers of specific models which had certain engine components fail are eligible to get in on the class-action lawsuit payout, if they file in time.

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Multiple vehicles under the Volkswagen Auto Group umbrella have been affected by the failure[/caption]

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Audi, VAG’s luxury mass market brand, also fell prey to fauly turbochargers[/caption]

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Audi excellence has declined in recent years, according to the brand’s diehard fanbase[/caption]

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The suit alleges that VAG was aware of the defect but concealed it from consumers[/caption]

United States and Puerto Rican drivers of Volkswagen and Audi vehicles could have a chance to earn back a portion of their money spent on costly engine repairs.

However, eligible owners only have until November 29 to file a claim, with the final fairness hearing coming days later on December 4. The exclusion deadline is October 15.

Eligible class members are those who purchased or leased eligible Volkswagen or Audi vehicles in either the United States or Puerto Rico.

Model years from as early as 2008 to as recently as 2024 could be eligible for a payout.

However, only certain VINs in each make, model, and year of the affected vehicles will qualify.

Class members can determine if their vehicle is included in the settlement via the VIN lookup tool on the settlement website, or by calling the settlement administrator.

The repairs concern failing wastegates on stock turbochargers from generation 1, 2, and 3 EA888 engines, resultantly covering a wide range of vehicles due to the engines’ widespread use.

Owners who paid for a qualifying turbocharger repair or replacement before September 15, and within 8.5 years or 85,000 miles (whichever came first) from the vehicle’s in-service date, can claim 50% reimbursement on the paid invoice amount for one such repair.

Additional qualifications apply depending on which generation of EA888 engine was purchased, which specify the exact circumstances of the failure necessary for the repair to qualify for reimbursement.

Claimants must provide their name, the vehicle make, model, and VIN, the turbocharger repair date and facility, a description of the work, a parts and labor cost breakdown, vehicle mileage at time of repair, and proof of payment.

A signed declaration confirming no engine modifications were made before the repair is also needed. These modifications would include ECU tunes of any stage, as well as modification of the turbochargers’ electronically governed PSI output.

Excluded owners include used car dealers, purchasers of settlement class vehicles either for commercial resale or with a salvage title, insurance companies that acquired a totaled vehicle, and issuers of extended vehicle warranties/service contracts.

Those who previously settled with and released Volkswagen Group of America Inc. from related claims will also be unable to collect as a result of their previous settlement.

The failure stems from the exhaust manifold and turbine side of the turbochargers (the side which generates power from the engine’s exhaust gases) creating vibrations which prematurely wear out the wastegate, eventually making it nonfunctional.

Turbocharger wastegates allow for excess exhaust gases to be diverted away from the turbine, which limit the amount of boost provided to the engine by the turbocharger.

A failed wastegate can result in a continuous cycle of the turbocharger feeding the engine more air, which gives it more power, which creates more exhaust gases, which then spool the turbo, starting the cycle anew.

Effectively, wastegates are what make turbochargers controllable on everything from mass market cars to those built specifically for motorsports.

YEAR OF THE RECALL

While Volkswagen Motor Group is past the recall stage of its failing wastegate issue, plenty of other mass market manufacturers have issued recalls in 2025 so far.

Ford has broken records with its recalls this year, having gone well over 100 total concerning everything from distorted rearview cameras to faulty fuel pumps and blank digital instrument clusters.

A recent recall saw over 568,000 of South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai’s vehicles recalled for defective seat belts which couldn’t be fastened.