Volkswagen Singapore implements technical measures for EA189 diesel engines

There are 662 customer vehicles in Singapore that are fitted with the EA189 diesel engine including the Caddy, Caddy Maxi, and Tiguan 2.0 TDI, and have software that can recognise a test bench situation, enabling the engine control system to optimise NO_x emission levels during the test cycle. This comprises 441 passenger cars and 221 commercial vehicles.

Customer-friendly solutions were developed for these vehicles and the technical measures have been fully approved by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) in Germany. Volkswagen Singapore is continuing to work closely with the Land Transport Authority and National Environment Agency in Singapore to implement these solutions for customers here.

The 2.0-litre EA189 engine will receive a software update, which will take less than 45 minutes to implement. For the 1.6-litre EA189 engine, a 'flow rectifier' in the intake duct is fitted, in addition to a software update. The expected labour time for this procedure is under 60 minutes.

Globally, since the end of January 2016, the first vehicles have been updated to the new technical standard in a recall campaign. Volkswagen AG is still assuming that the recall process will extend over the entire calendar year 2016 and will have started by the end of the year for all affected models. Volkswagen Singapore will contact the affected customers in phases as the measures for their individual vehicles become available, following final approval from the relevant authorities.

It was the aim of Volkswagen that the technical measures do not result in a change to the fuel economy, performance, CO₂, or noise emissions of the vehicles. The KBA confirmed that this objective has been fully achieved, following tests of all the vehicles that underwent the procedure in Germany.

Customers in Singapore can check if their vehicles require the technical measures to be implemented, by using the tool on the Volkswagen Singapore website.

Until the measures are carried out, the vehicles continue to be technically safe and roadworthy, and can continue to be driven without any limitations. Volkswagen is continuing to work diligently on the implementation of the technical solutions. This is being done in close consultation with the relevant authorities. The affected customers will incur no costs as a result of the technical measures being carried out.