Recalls: Volkswagen Mk.6 CC
Overview
Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.
Recalls: Volkswagen Mk.6 CC
2011-15 Volkswagen Mk.6 CC 2.0 TDI: NOx emissions and “defeat device”
In October 2015, a recall was issued for 2011-15 Volkswagen CC vehicles with 2.0-litre EA189 diesel engines. According to the recall notice, ‘the emissions levels may not meet regulatory requirements when the affected vehicle is driven under normal conditions’ (see ‘Diesel engines: NOx emissions “defeat device”‘, below). For the 2.0-litre EA189 engine, a software update will be introduced which takes advantage of improved simulation of air currents inside the air intake system. Volkswagen aims to implement the software update from January 2016; the labour time for installing the updated software is around half an hour. Owners could determine if their vehicles were part of the recall by visiting volkswagendieselinfo.com.au (PRA 2015/14950).
2011-12 model year Volkswagen Mk.6 CC: overheating of starter motor relay
In March 2018, a recall was issued for 2011 and 2012 ‘model year’ Volkswagen CC vehicles. In these vehicles, a bent or broken spring could obstruct the clearance of the spindle in the starter motor relay. Over time, this could cause a blockage, a permanent current supply to the starter motor and overheating of the starter motor relay. If the current supply was not detected, overheating of the starter motor relay could cause local scorching damage and a possible vehicle fire. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/16669.
2012-16 Volkswagen CC: Takata airbag recall
In December 2018, recall campaign 69Q7 was issued for Volkswagen CC vehicles that were available for sale in Australia prior to 22 June 2016. These vehicles had Takata airbags and the propellant wafers in these airbags could absorb moisture over time. In the event of airbag deployment, excessive internal pressure could cause the metal inflator housing to rupture and metallic fragments could be projected through the airbag cushion towards vehicle occupants – these fragments posed a risk of serious injury and fatality. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/17197.
2015-16 Volkswagen CC: airbag could be deactivated or activate inadvertently
In November 2019, recall campaign 69Z5 was issued for Volkswagen CC vehicles that were available for sale in Australia from 1 May 2015 to 30 June 2016. These vehicles may have had a faulty condenser fitted inside the airbag control unit and this could cause:
- Deactivation of the airbag. If the airbag was switched off, the airbag warning lamp would illuminate; and,
- Inadvertent activation of airbags or seatbelt pretensioners. The control unit may interpret the faulty condenser as a crash signal (faulty front crash detection), which could cause the airbag(s) and/or seatbelt pretensioner(s) to be triggered incorrectly.
If the airbag was deactivated or was inadvertently activated, these events increased the risk of a collision and injury to vehicle occupants and other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2019/17958.
Problems and faults: Volkswagen Mk.6 CC
Overview
This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.
To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.
Carbon deposits (build-up) on intake valves
Volkswagen’s naturally aspirated, direct injected petrol engines (such as the CC’s 3.6 FSI) are considered susceptible to accumulating carbon deposits (or build up) on the intake valves. In these direct injection petrol engines, carbon deposits may accumulate on the stem and throat of the intake valve due to:
- the vaporisation of oil which is not trapped by the oil separator; or
- unburned fuel and exhaust gases that escape past the piston rings and enter the crankcase (‘blow-by’).
Since direct injection engines do not spray fuel on the backside of the intake valves, the detergent properties of the fuel cannot remove the carbon build up (as occurs in port injected engines). Symptoms of carbon deposits on the intake valve include difficulty starting the vehicle (hard starting), misfiring and misfire engine codes and reduced engine performance. Potentially, these deposits can result in damage to the catalytic converter and, for turbocharged engines, the turbocharger itself if bits of the deposit break off and enter the exhaust. To remove the carbon deposits, the intake must be removed and the valves cleaned manually. To reduce the incidence of carbon deposits, a common aftermarket measure is the fitment of an oil vapor catch can. The catch can receives dirty air from the crankcase via the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve, filters it and returns it to the intake manifold via the PCV port.
Diesel engines: NOx emissions “defeat device”
Australian-delivered Volkswagen CC vehicles powered by 2.0-litre diesel engines that were available for sale from 2011 to 2015 had software in the electronic control module (ECM) that could sense – via sensors measuring the position of the steering wheel, vehicle speed, the duration of the engine’s operation and barometric pressure – when the vehicle was undergoing emissions testing. The ECM would then run a ‘dyno calibration’ to produce lower nitrous oxide emissions during testing. At all other times, the ECM would run a separate ‘road calibration’ which reduced the effectiveness of the emission control system, specifically the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) or the lean NOx trap.
Based on testing conducted by the EPA and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), NOx emissions for the ‘road calibration’ were 10 to 40 times higher than US standards – this led the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue a notice of violation under the Clean Air Act.As a result, these vehicles did not meet the environmental standards claimed by Volkswagen.
