Volkswagen 2.0 TDI (EA189, EA288 and EA288 evo)Emissions control
Manipulated emissions software (dieselgate) and the subsequent update on the 2.0 TDI
The 2.0 TDI EA189 (2008-2015) had software that reduced the EGR outside type-approval tests. Volkswagen fixes it free of charge with an update of about 30 minutes, which is not mandatory to pass the ITV (Spain's roadworthiness inspection, similar to the MOT) and whose long-term effects are still under discussion.[1][2][3]
Why this rating?
Medium severity: It can leave you stranded or get worse if ignored, without destroying the engine.
Frequency very frequent: It affects the entire EA189 series. In Spain that means 683,626 Volkswagen, Seat, Audi, Škoda and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles cars, according to the figures acknowledged by Volkswagen and reported by the OCU (Spanish consumer organisation).[5]
Symptoms
- No visible symptom: the software detected the type-approval test and, in real-world driving, reduced or cancelled exhaust gas recirculation.[1]
- After the update, according to its critics, the engine generates more soot and the particulate filter may clog sooner; Volkswagen states that it lasts at least 180,000 km with the correct oil.[1]DPF warning light: other faults that cause it · Garage soon
Why it happens
The ECU recognised when the car was on the type-approval test bench. Outside it, it activated a mode that lowered the EGR rate, with NOx emissions far above the approved figures.[1]
The update advances the main injection, reduces its quantity, adds a post-injection and raises pressure at part load so that more gas can be recirculated and combustion temperature lowered.[1]
If it is not repaired: Without the update, the car emits more NOx than approved. With it, the European Commission and an Italian laboratory feared greater engine wear; Volkswagen denies this and no conclusive data have been published.[1][6]
Affected cars and years
Euro 5 EA189 engines only. Volkswagen and Germany's KBA maintain that the EA288 has no illegal devices; some German courts have found against the brand over the EA288 and several higher courts have rejected those claims.[2][4]
| Version | Years | Codes |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 TDI common rail EA189 (2008-2015) | 2008–2015 | CBDCCFFDCAACCBABCFFBCFHCCFHDCAGACJCACBACCAHACBBBCFGBCFGCCGLC |
Models fitted with the affected versions
Audi
- Audi A3 II2003–2012
- Audi A4 B82008–2015
- Audi Q3 I2011–2018
- Audi Q5 I2008–2017
Seat
- Seat León II2005–2012
- Seat Altea2004–2015
- Seat Exeo2008–2013
- Seat Alhambra II2010–2020
Škoda
- Škoda Octavia II2004–2013
- Škoda Superb II2008–2015
- Škoda Yeti2009–2017
Volkswagen
- Volkswagen Golf VI2008–2012
- Volkswagen Passat B62005–2010
- Volkswagen Passat B72010–2014
- Volkswagen Tiguan I2008–2016
- Volkswagen Touran I2003–2015
- Volkswagen Scirocco III2008–2017
- Volkswagen Jetta VI2010–2018
- Volkswagen Sharan II2010–2020
How much it costs to repair
Includes: Software update at an official dealer: about 30 minutes of work and roughly one hour in the workshop.[2]
Volkswagen Spain states that the operation is at no cost to the customer. Later EGR or particulate filter faults are paid for separately, unless the brand accepts them under its confidence-building measure.
Prices in Spain, including VAT. A workshop hour costs on average €38–66 at independent garages and €77–134 at dealerships in Spain, depending on the region and the brand. How we calculate costs
How to check for it before buying a used car
- Check with the chassis number (17 characters) on the brand's website or on 900 180 361 whether the car has an EA189 and whether the update has been done.[2]
- Ask for the proof of the campaign: the ITV cannot tell whether the car has been updated, because it does not measure NOx or detect it through OBD.[3]
- If it has already been updated, have a diagnostic scan done to rule out particulate filter and EGR errors.[1]
How to prevent it
Recalls, campaigns and claims
Software updateVolkswagen · January 2016
All 2.0 TDI EA189 engines: ECU reprogramming in about 30 minutes, at no cost. The 1.6 TDI engines also need an airflow stabiliser. The campaign began in January 2016.[2][7][8]
Extended warrantyVolkswagen España
Volkswagen undertakes to look into customer claims about EA189 engines after the update. Its website does not detail the parts, time limits or mileage covered.[2]
Legal actionOCU · October 2024
OCU class action against Volkswagen
Some 7,500 affected owners are claiming around €3,000 each. Commercial Court no. 1 of Madrid ruled in their favour in January 2021, but that ruling was annulled on a question of jurisdiction and the case was tried again in Barcelona, where it was heard and left awaiting judgment on 22 October 2024.[9][10]
Legal actionTribunal Supremo · March 2020
Individual claims for moral damages
Spain's Supreme Court recognised in March 2020 that buyers can claim moral damages directly from the manufacturer. The Afectados TDI platform was asking in 2020 for around €6,000 per car and warned that the five-year deadline for claiming expired at the end of that year.[11]
What owners say
Frequently asked questions
Is it compulsory to update a 2.0 TDI EA189 to pass the ITV?
No. The ITV rules that came into force in May 2018 do not require the update and the inspection cannot check whether it has been done. Even so, it is free and Volkswagen warned of possible future requirements.[3]
Does the update cost power or increase fuel consumption?
Volkswagen states that it does not change the approved power, torque, fuel consumption or noise. The European Commission and an Italian laboratory raised doubts about long-term reliability, but no conclusive data have been published.[2][6]
Can I claim compensation in Spain?
The OCU class action, for around €3,000 per affected owner, was left awaiting judgment in Barcelona in October 2024. On the individual route, the Supreme Court accepted moral damages in 2020, but the five-year deadline was considered to have expired at the end of 2020.[10][11]
Is the EA288 also affected?
Volkswagen and Germany's KBA maintain that it is not: the KBA found no illegal devices in 2016 and did not order any recalls. Some German courts have found against Volkswagen over the EA288, while other higher courts have rejected those claims.[4]
Is the update entirely legal?
An administrative court in Schleswig ruled in 2023 that the thermal window retained by the update, which reduces emissions treatment below 15 °C, is an illegal device. The ruling was not final.[12]
What can you do now?
We will put you in touch with a partner only if you authorise it in the form.
Other 2.0 TDI faults
- Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalLubricationOil pump failure on the pumpe-düse 2.0 TDIOn the pumpe-düse 2.0 TDI (2003-2010), especially the 140 hp, there are numerous cases of an oil pump that does not provide enough pressure. If lubrication fails, the first thing to break is usually the turbo.
- High severityFrequency: OccasionalInjectionHigh-pressure pump, injectors and diesel leaks on the EA189On the 2.0 TDI EA189, the high-pressure pump can shed metal particles that force the pump and injectors to be replaced. In addition, 2009-2011 units were recalled for diesel leaks from the high-pressure pipes.
- High severityFrequency: OccasionalTurboTurbo with seized vanes or premature failureOn the 110 and 140 hp 2.0 TDI engines, the vanes of the variable-geometry turbo get dirty and seize and the engine loses power. On some 140 hp units the turbo has failed before 70,000 km.Repair (garage): €1,000
- Medium severityFrequency: CommonEmissions controlDirty EGR valve and EGR cooler leaksThe 2.0 TDI's EGR valve often fills with carbon, especially with short journeys, and causes smoke and loss of power. On the EA189, the EGR cooler can also lose coolant.Repair (garage): €100–€300
- Medium severityFrequency: CommonEmissions controlClogged particulate filter or faulty pressure sensorThe 2.0 TDI's particulate filter clogs if the car mostly makes short journeys, because it never gets to regenerate; sometimes the fault is just the differential pressure sensor. Cleaning it costs around €200 and replacing it, €800 to €3,000.Repair (garage): €800–€3,000
- Medium severityFrequency: CommonCoolingCoolant loss from the water pump or the coolersMany 2.0 TDI engines lose coolant. On the 150 hp EA288 the water pump is usually the culprit and, more rarely, the cylinder head; on the 140 hp EA189 the typical causes are the oil cooler or the EGR cooler.
Have you had this fault? Your case helps other owners know when it appears and how much it costs. Report your fault in 2 minutes.
Sources
Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.
- VW EA189Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
- Información sobre el motor EA189Volkswagen España · Manufacturer · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
- ¿Se verá afectado mi Volkswagen diésel no actualizado en la ITV?Motor.es · Motoring press · published 20 May 2018 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
- VW EA288Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
- Las mentiras de Volkswagen se paganOCU · Consumer association · published 18 November 2015 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Caso Dieselgate: ¿las revisiones afectarán a la fiabilidad de los motores TDI?Motor.es · Motoring press · published 29 October 2016 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Maxi-fiche fiabilité - Audi A4 (2007-2015) : belle, mais capricieuseCaradisiac · Motoring press · published 1 April 2023 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité de l'Audi A3 (3e génération) : la maxi-fiche occasion de CaradisiacCaradisiac · Motoring press · published 19 December 2018 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
- Dieselgate: OCU gana la batalla contra VolkswagenOCU · Consumer association · published 25 January 2021 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Juicio por el Dieselgate en BarcelonaOCU · Consumer association · published 22 October 2024 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Los afectados por el Dieselgate en España exigen 80 millones de euros de indemnización, frente a los 830 que recibió AlemaniaMotorpasión · Motoring press · published 27 November 2020 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Gerichtsurteil: VW-Software-Updates illegalAuto Motor und Sport · Motoring press · published 21 February 2023 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German