The following 2.0-liter TDI engine vehicles are included and may be eligible*:
* To be eligible, a vehicle must be Operable, meaning that it can be driven on its own engine power. Additional requirements regarding the vehicle’s title also apply.

VW Beetle
2013 – 2015

VW Beetle Convertible
2013 – 2015

VW Golf
2010 – 2015

VW Golf SportWagen
2015

VW Jetta
2009 – 2015

VW Jetta SportWagen
2009 – 2014

VW Passat
2012 – 2015

Audi A3
2010 – 2013; 2015

The Settlements apply only to the 2.0-liter vehicles listed above. The Court has directed the Parties to continue to work expeditiously on a resolution for the 3.0-liter vehicles.  Owners and lessees of the affected 3.0-liter diesel vehicles do not relinquish any of their rights as to those vehicles in these Settlements.

To determine if you may be eligible under the Settlements, please visit the Eligibility Check & Online Portal section of this website. You will be asked a few questions to help you determine if you are eligible and the options that may be available to you.

Yes, military serving overseas or government personnel on assignment overseas can participate in the Settlements, even if their vehicles are located overseas. To determine if you are eligible, please use the Eligibility Check & Online Portal section of this website. If eligible, you can also begin the online registration process through the Online Portal. For questions on how transactions will take place in your circumstances, contact Volkswagen at 1-844-98-CLAIM.

Yes, military serving overseas or government personnel on assignment overseas can participate in the Settlements, even if their vehicles are located overseas. To determine if you are eligible, please use the Eligibility Check & Online Portal section of this website. If eligible, you can also begin the online registration process through the Online Portal. For questions on how transactions will take place in your circumstances, contact Volkswagen at 1-844-98-CLAIM.

If you owned an eligible vehicle as of September 18, 2015 and sold it before June 28, 2016, you may be eligible to participate.

If you fall into this category, you must register by September 16, 2016 to claim benefits under the Settlements. You may register by either (1) registering through the Online Portal or (2) filling out and returning the Eligible Seller Identification Form.  If you don’t register by that date, you will lose your benefits.

To determine if you are eligible and register online, please visit the Eligibility & Online Portal section of this website.

If you had an active lease of an eligible vehicle from Volkswagen Credit, Inc. or Audi Financial Services on September 18, 2015, you may be eligible to participate.

To determine if you are eligible and register online, please visit the Eligibility & Online Portal section of this website.

The following entities and individuals are excluded from the class:

• Owners who acquired ownership of their Volkswagen or Audi 2.0-liter TDI vehicles after September 18, 2015, and transfer title before participating in the Settlements;
• Lessees of a Volkswagen or Audi 2.0-liter TDI vehicle that is leased from a leasing company other than Volkswagen Credit, Inc. or Audi Financial Services;
• Owners whose Volkswagen or Audi 2.0-liter TDI vehicle (1) could not be driven under the power of its own 2.0-liter TDI engine on June 28, 2016, or (2) had a branded title of assembled, dismantled, flood, junk, rebuilt, reconstructed, or salvage on September 18, 2015, and was acquired from a junkyard or salvage yard after September 18, 2015;
• Owners who sell or otherwise transfer ownership of their Volkswagen or Audi 2.0-liter TDI vehicle between June 28, 2016 and September 16, 2016;
• Volkswagen’s officers, directors and employees and participants in Volkswagen’s internal lease program; Volkswagen’s affiliates and affiliates’ officers, directors and employees; their distributors and distributors’ officers, directors and employees; and Volkswagen dealers and Volkswagen dealers’ officers and directors;
• Judicial officers and their immediate family members and associated court staff assigned to this case; and
• All those otherwise in the class who or which timely and properly opt out of the class as provided in the Class Action Settlement.

The emissions allegations regarding the 2.0-liter Volkswagen and Audi TDI vehicles became public on September 18, 2015.  TDI vehicles that were sold before this date did not have the same depreciated values as vehicles that were sold after the emissions allegations became public.  Individuals who sold their TDI vehicle before September 18, 2015 are not part of this Class Action Settlement, and they retain the right to bring their own individual lawsuit.

If you currently own or lease an eligible vehicle, you have choices. You can opt to 1) have Volkswagen buy back your vehicle if you currently own it,
2) terminate your lease without an early termination penalty if you are currently leasing the vehicle through Volkswagen Credit, Inc. or Audi Financial Services, or
3) if an Emissions Modification is approved for your vehicle by EPA and CARB, receive an Approved Emissions Modification free of charge. Vehicles that receive an Approved Emissions Modification will also receive an extended emissions warranty covering the emissions system of the eligible vehicle. All three of these options include a cash payment from Volkswagen Group of America.

In addition, certain former owners or lessees may be eligible for cash payments under the Settlements. Former owners must register by September 16, 2016 to claim benefits under the Class Action Settlement. If you are a former owner and don’t register by that date, you will lose your benefits. 

To determine if you may be eligible under the Settlements, and if so, what options may be available to you, please visit the Eligibility Check & Online Portal section of this website.

The Class Action Settlement option you choose is not final until you bring in your vehicle for a Buyback, Approved Emissions Modification, or Lease Termination. You may change your selection by calling 1-844-98-CLAIM or using the live chat function in the Online Portal.

No. Provided that you do not have an outstanding loan on your eligible vehicle, following receipt of your Class Action Settlement payment, you can use your Settlement payment as you wish.

Under the terms of the Settlements, your Volkswagen dealer is able to offer you incentives and/or rebates to reduce the price on a future Volkswagen purchase. The amount of your cash payment and other relief under the Settlements are not affected by your decision to purchase or lease another Volkswagen. The Settlements do not preclude Volkswagen dealerships from providing you with any special offers. Please note that if you sell or trade in your vehicle after June 28, 2016, you will not be eligible for the Class Action Settlement.

Yes, all owners and lessees of included 2.0-liter TDI vehicles are eligible to have an emissions modification (if approved by the EPA and CARB) performed on their vehicle free of charge and will also receive an extended emissions warranty. Notice will be sent to all affected owners or lessees if an approved emissions modification is available for their vehicle. That notice will include information on what the modification involves, the impact (if any) that the modification will have on the vehicle and the terms of the extended emissions warranty. You will also be able to find information about any Approved Emissions Modifications on this website.

At this time, no emissions modifications for the vehicles included in the Settlements have been approved. Later this Fall, a look-up tool will be available through VW.com and AudiUSA.com where owners, and potential future owners, can enter a VIN and determine (1) if an emissions modification is approved for their vehicle, (2) if that modification has been completed on their vehicle, and (3) the terms of any applicable extended emissions warranty.

The “Approved Emissions Modification Extended Warranty” will apply to all vehicles that receive an Approved Emissions Modification, and will cover all replaced components that are part of the Approved Emissions Modification, any component that reasonably could be impacted by effects of the Approved Emissions Modification, and the engine subassembly. The Approved Emissions Modification Extended Warranty also provides for a loaner vehicle if emissions warranty service will last longer than 3 hours.

The Approved Emissions Modification Extended Warranty period for 2009-2014 model year vehicles will be the greater of:

(a) 4 years or 48,000 miles from the date and mileage of the installation of the Approved Emissions Modification (whichever comes first),

(b) 10 years or 120,000 actual miles from the initial date of purchase (whichever comes first), or

(c) 4 years of 48,000 miles from the date of the first resale transaction to the first person who purchases the vehicle for purposes other than resale after the installation of the Approved Modification (whichever comes first).

For 2015 model year vehicles, the warranty period will be the greater of:

(a) 4 years or 48,000 miles from the date and mileage of the installation of the Approved Emissions Modification (whichever comes first),

(b) 10 years or 150,000 actual miles from the initial date of purchase (whichever comes first), or

(c) 4 years of 48,000 miles from the date of the first resale transaction to the first person who purchases the vehicle for purposes other than resale after the installation of the Approved Modification (whichever comes first).

Volkswagen is working on an emissions modification for each of the vehicles in the Settlements, and expects to submit these modifications for regulatory approval on the dates in the table below. The Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) will need to approve any emissions modification within 45 days of Volkswagen’s Final Submittal Deadline below. The EPA and CARB will carefully evaluate the effects of the proposed modification on your vehicle’s emissions levels, reliability, durability, fuel economy, noise vibration and harshness, vehicle performance, drivability, and other qualities.

Affected owners and lessees will be notified by mail (and email if you register at www.VWCourtSettlement.com and elect to receive updates by email), when an emissions modification is approved by EPA and CARB. In addition, Approved Emissions Modifications will be posted to this website.

The Buyback compensation is intended to restore eligible owners back to their position prior to the emissions allegations on September 18, 2015. The full retail purchase price of the vehicle does not account for an eligible owner’s use of the vehicle, which would otherwise be deducted from the owner’s recovery under many state laws.

For eligible owners who purchased their car prior to September 18, 2015, the Buyback formula uses the NADA Clean Trade In value from the beginning of September 2015, and adds 20% of that value, plus a fixed amount of $2,986.73.

For 2015 vehicles, the same formula applies with a percentage of Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (“MSRP”) used in lieu of the NADA Clean Trade In value because NADA values were not yet available for those vehicles.

As long as your vehicle is operable under its own power, and you still have the title to it, you can schedule a Buyback and drive it to your preferred Volkswagen or Audi dealer. If your vehicle is not operable under its own power, you can check the Online Portal to learn the amount of your Buyback and Restitution payment, and attempt to negotiate with your insurance company for a payment to repair it. If you “totaled” your vehicle and sold it to your insurance company before June 28, 2016, you would qualify under the Settlement as an eligible seller.

Eligible sellers can receive a cash payment of 10% of the NADA Clean Trade value of their vehicle plus additional restitution of $1,493.37 OR a minimum cash payment of $2,550 (whichever is greater). Eligible sellers can identify themselves by filling out the eligible seller form available here. Eligible sellers must submit this form by September 16, 2016 to receive compensation in the Class Action Settlement.

Under the terms of the Class Action Settlement, if you choose the Approved Emissions Modification option, you will receive the restitution payment after you take your vehicle to a dealership and the Approved Emissions Modification is installed. If you choose to receive your payment by check, a check will be mailed within 3 banking days of completion of the modification.  If you choose to receive your payment by Electronic Funds Transfer, an EFT will be submitted within 3 banking days of completion of the modification.

It is anticipated that the 2015 model year TDI vehicles (also known as the “Generation 3” vehicles) will require two dealer visits to complete the Approved Emissions Modification. Two-thirds of the restitution payment will be paid after the first visit to the dealer, and one-third will be paid after the second visit. A free oil change also will be provided for generation 3 vehicles on the second dealer visit.

This website cannot answer specific legal questions or dispense tax advice. Because your tax situation is unique to you, you should consult a tax professional to assess the specific tax implications of any payment you may receive.  For more information, you may contact the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee at [email protected] or 1-800-948-2181.

The total amount you are eligible to receive under the FTC settlement and the Class Action settlement is the same. To calculate your total amount using the FTC charts, you have to select the appropriate region, add or subtract your vehicle’s options, and make any adjustments based on mileage. Note that there are three different mileage tables, depending on your vehicle model. The Online Portal does those calculations for you automatically, including any adjustments based on the mileage you enter. So the amount you receive through the Online Portal will be the same as a correctly calculated amount using the FTC charts. If you believe there is an error, please call us at 1-844-98-CLAIM.

The FTC charts provide your total amount for a buyback or for an approved emissions modification, subject to any adjustments for options and mileage. The Class Action Settlement divides this total amount into “vehicle value” and “restitution.” The FTC does not divide its total amount this way, but the overall dollar figure is the same. As long as you correctly calculate your amount using the FTC charts, this will provide you with your total buyback amount.

Note that to calculate your total amount, you will need to use two different charts. These are all found in the Court Documents section of this website under FTC Consent Order. To determine your total amount, start with Attachment 1A and then add or subtract any amounts for mileage adjustments from one of the following three attachments for your corresponding vehicle:

Attachment 2A (Golf), or Attachment 2B (Jetta, Beetle) or Attachment 2C (Passat, A3).

You have until September 1, 2018 to submit a claim under the class action settlement. You may change your selection of remedy at any point up until the Buyback or Approved Emissions Modification is complete.  Importantly, under the Buyback formula, aside from a standard annual mileage allotment of 12,500 miles, vehicle value does not decrease despite your use of your vehicle from September 2015 until your Buyback is completed, which could be as late as 2018. If you drive more than this standard number of miles, your Buyback compensation will be reduced slightly. If you want to learn how potential hypothetical mileage numbers may affect your options, you can enter those values on the Claims Portal.

Class members who have sold their eligible vehicle between September 18, 2015 and June 28, 2016 receive the Seller Restitution because they no longer possess the vehicle to pursue a Buyback or Approved Emissions Modification. Because the Settlements also compensate the current owners of these vehicles, the eligible sellers split the Owner Restitution compensation with the current eligible owner.

Mileage requirements in leases are negotiated terms between the lessee and lessor, and the contractual terms of your lease as to mileage are unchanged by the Settlements. To learn whether you will have to pay a mileage penalty when your lease terminates, you should review your lease contract.

You are still eligible to participate in the Settlements and you will not be required to travel to a different region to facilitate the transaction or pay to ship your vehicle to a Volkswagen or Audi dealership.  To determine if you are eligible, please use the Eligibility Check & Online Portal section of this website. If eligible, you can also begin the online registration process through the Online Portal. Once your eligibility has been confirmed, a representative of Volkswagen will contact you to explain how your Buyback / Early Lease Termination or Approved Emissions Modification will take place in your circumstances, which will depend on your location and the remedy you select.  You may also contact Volkswagen at 1-844-98-CLAIM for additional information.

Now that the Court has granted preliminary approval of the Class Action Settlement, eligible class members will receive a notice by mail announcing its specific terms. The notice, which can be viewed here, provides current owners and lessees and some former owners and lessees information about their rights under the Settlements; how to opt out from, object to, or comment on the Settlements; and other options available to them under the Settlements.

Eligible individuals can now create an account online, which will allow them to evaluate their options if the Settlements receive final Court approval.

After the notice period is over, the Court will hold another hearing to decide whether to grant final approval of the Settlements. This final approval hearing will be held in San Francisco on October 18, 2016 at 8 a.m., and the Court will consider comments on the Settlements.

At this time, the Court has granted preliminary approval of the Class Action Settlement, but not final approval. VW has also mailed a formal notice, also called the Long Form Notice, to individuals who may be eligible. After the notice period is complete, the Court will hold a final approval hearing, which is scheduled for October 18, 2016.

If the Settlements receive final approval from the Court, Buybacks, Lease Terminations and payments to eligible former owners and former lessees will begin shortly afterwards. Emissions modifications (if approved by the EPA and CARB) will begin shortly after the modifications are approved.

To be eligible to participate and receive a Buyback, Lease Termination or Approved Emissions Modification under the Settlements, you must be the owner or lessee of an eligible vehicle at the time you seek to obtain relief.

If you owned an eligible vehicle on June 28, 2016 and sell, trade or otherwise transfer ownership of your vehicle before the Court grants final approval of the Class Action Settlement, you will lose your rights to any benefits under the Class Action Settlement.

The Online Portal allows you to adjust your tentative return date so that you can understand how different return dates and vehicle mileage will impact the amount of the payment that you will receive from Volkswagen. This is not the actual return date.

Appointments to complete the claims process cannot be scheduled at this time.  If the Court grants final approval of the Settlements at the final approval hearing on October 18, 2016, then the claims process will begin.

At that time, Volkswagen will review proof of eligibility documents submitted by consumers. If a consumer is deemed eligible, Volkswagen will send a final offer packet to the consumer. The consumer must accept the offer and return a signed offer packet to Volkswagen before he or she can schedule an appointment. Eligible Owners and Eligible Lessees will be able to schedule Buyback and Approved Emissions Modifications appointments within 90 days of acceptance of an offer and scheduling an appointment.  Eligible Lessees will be able to schedule Lease Termination appointments within 45 days of acceptance of an offer and scheduling an appointment.

If you have additional questions about the Settlements, you may read any of the Court Documents posted on this website, including the Long Form Notice.

The Long Form Notice has also been mailed to individuals who may be eligible to receive benefits under the Settlements.

You may also visit the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and Court websites or call Volkswagen at 1-844-98-CLAIM.