Affected Years: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Volkswagen Passat. Our law firm is also investigating 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 Volkswagen Passat for the same issues.
These issues seem to arise from defects in the Various Engine Sensors.
When you see your check engine light illuminate on the dashboard of your VW Passat, whatever you had planned for the day is going to take a back seat to calling the dealer and having it looked into. As long as the car is under warranty, it’s going to be an inconvenience, but it shouldn’t cost you any money. Depending on the dealership, they might even tow it in so that you don’t need to keep driving the car, and possibly make the issue worse.
What can be frustrating is that buying or leasing a new car and getting a warranty shouldn’t be problematic, at least not right away. The warranty is good for several years and several thousand miles. Not every new car runs without issues, though, and often it’s a relatively easy-to-identify and replace sensor. Sometimes there are bigger issues, though, and regardless of the issue, the manufacturer is responsible for getting it addressed. Life can suddenly get really interesting if they are unable to do so, and suddenly you need to learn about the California Lemon Law. Are you eligible to take advantage of the consumer protections offered by the California Lemon Law? Guardian Lemon Law is ready to help you get that question answered. Please contact us, and we can schedule an initial meeting to discuss your situation in more detail. This meeting is free.
The first step is to determine whether your vehicle qualifies under the Lemon Law. This is important because if it does qualify, we can review your options. One of them is that we can sue Volkswagen for selling you a defective, lemon Volkswagen Passat. If you need to hire a lawyer experienced in Volkswagen Passat check engine light lemon law cases, Guardian Lemon Law is ready to assign you one. We can help you resolve your lemon issue, even if it means taking Volkswagen to court. They are accountable when the vehicle is under warranty, and they cannot get it fixed after trying.
What Is Lemon Law In California?
The California Lemon Law was passed in 1970. Originally known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, it was signed into law in early 1971 to protect consumers who were spending a lot of money on items like electronics, appliances, homes, and, of course, automobiles like your Passat. There have been a few updates since it was initially passed and signed, many of which address shortcomings identified over the years. What it continues to do is hold the manufacturer liable for honoring the express warranty for the products they make and sell. There is a qualification standard for any vehicle to be eligible for coverage under the Lemon Law. When you need a Volkswagen Passat lemon law attorney to verify whether it qualifies, contact Guardian Lemon Law. We will be ready to take your call and get to work.
The Known Issues For The 2014-2017 Volkswagen Passat Check Engine Light
The symptom, of course, is that the check engine light is on. It seems self-explanatory, but people often believe the light is the actual issue. Typically, it isn’t. The check engine light indicates the engine may not be running properly. What the culprit turns out to be most of the time is that one of the sensors in the monitoring system is detecting something amiss, or the sensor itself isn’t working correctly. Based on the data we have gathered, the most common issue found and replaced is a sensor located throughout the powertrain system. When a sensor isn’t operating correctly, it sends an error code, usually indicating communication issues. This, amongst other things, is going to leave the check engine light on after reset, and do so repeatedly. The fix is to read the code in the diagnostic system and determine which sensor it is and what it is complaining about.
There are several issues that the check engine light coming on might indicate as well. Only a scanner that can access the codes can perform a complete diagnosis. Beyond issues with the sensor itself, they are:
- The gas cap isn’t on or tightened completely
- There is an issue with your car battery losing charge
- The vehicle’s catalytic converter might be having an issue
- There is a problem with your spark plugs or ignition system
- Your mass air sensor (MAF) is not working or is dirty
If this issue continues to happen to your Volkswagen and the dealer cannot seem to find a permanent fix, you might need to file a Volkswagen Passat defective various engine sensors lemon lawsuit or claim to get a refund or vehicle replacement. These are the two remedies outlined in the Lemon Law. Guardian Lemon Law is ready to represent you with Volkswagen and help get this sorted out.
How Can I Tell If My Volkswagen Is Eligible Under The Lemon Law?
Several things need to be reviewed and verified before any vehicle is determined eligible for buyback or replacement under the California Lemon Law.
- Your vehicle is still covered under the manufacturer’s new car warranty or a certified pre-owned warranty at the start and throughout the repair efforts of the issue
- The dealer has been given a reasonable number of attempts to resolve the car’s issue. What defines reasonable is still somewhat subjective, but at a minimum, there have been two attempts at repair for items that might cause serious safety issues, and at least four attempts for any defect that is not safety-related
- The defect issue that is being repaired is the same one, and it is impacting the safety, use, or value of the vehicle
We recommend you contact Guardian Lemon Law immediately. We can help you validate the qualification of the vehicle and your issue. Once done, we can provide you with a lemon lawyer to sue Volkswagen for a recurring check engine light if they cannot fix the root cause of this issue. The final step is to validate the time limit for your claim.
What Is The Time Limit To File A Lemon Law Claim?
In the State of California, there are two time limits for filing a lawsuit or claim. The first defined time limit is one year from the expiration of your original manufacturer’s warranty. The second time limit begins on the day you take delivery of the Passat, and expires six years from that date. The earliest of the two dates will apply to your case or claim. Guardian Lemon Law includes the expiration date from the information you are going to provide us during the case review.
How Do I File A Lemon Law Claim Or Lawsuit?
The most important thing we recommend you do is hire a lawyer when you are preparing to file a claim or lawsuit. The first thing any lawyer will ask you to do is gather the paperwork documenting the entire ownership experience, including the repair efforts for the check engine light issue. It will be needed when filing a Volkswagen Passat repeated check engine light lemon law lawsuit against VW.
The documentation below will serve as proof and help determine the amount of additional damage to be covered.
- All original documentation for the Passat purchase and the warranty information
- Your records for the repair visits, with dates and times for drop off and pickup
- Any email documentation regarding the repair efforts for the Passat
- All out-of-pocket receipts for expenses centered around the repair efforts, including vehicle rentals, missed work, and similar expenses
From that point, Guardian Lemon Law will work with you to determine the direction you wish to go.
Guardian Lemon Law And Our Zero-Fee Guarantee
Your initial meeting with us will be free, even if you don’t actually hire us to represent you in any fashion. If you have need of a second opinion on your existing case with a different law firm, we provide that to you for free as well. Please call Guardian Lemon Law if you want a 2nd set of eyes on your current attorney.
Guardian Lemon Law offers a Zero-Fee Guarantee for all of our clients. In addition to the lack of any prepaid fees or retainers, if we don’t win your case, there will be no fees at all. Please get in touch with Guardian Lemon Law when you are ready to file your lawsuit against Volkswagen for your Volkswagen Passat check engine light lemon lawsuit.
