CEL on Particle Filter

Here is the issue:

I have a mostly continuous CEL that VW diagnoses as an "internal crack on the particle filter". The flow is not blocked, there is no increased pollution (per VW anyway) and the car starts, idles and runs properly with no decrease in mileage. There are no signs of physical damage, no bad fuel issues, no overheating, the car has received all services per 'the book' using only VW-approved fluids and OEM parts, done either by the dealer or by VW-certified independent mechanics.

2010 VW Jetta TDI Sportwagon, purchased new in the US, April of 2010, 120,000 miles, the problem showing up at 111,000 miles.

VW tells me ~$5,000 to fix it. Which seems insane on the face of it for something that is part of the pollution control system and should be a more-or-less lifetime part.

So, is this common?
Is there a cure short of big-bucks replacement?
Is there a way to reprogram the OBD system to ignore this particular input?
Any other suggestions?

Note that in Pennsylvania, Diesels are exempt from emissions tests. However, this vehicle will pass (by actual test) standards from other states. So I have no guilty conscience asking these questions. I just feel that this is supposed to be an economical vehicle with enhanced longevity - and a $5,000 penalty seems outrageous. VW stated that the warranty on this part expired at 80,000 miles, and would not tell me what a typical life actually was, nor whether this failure was unusual or not.

Thanks in advance!

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

It is not advertised much, but the particulate filter is a wear item,
expected to need replacement at around 100k.



wrote in message
...

Here is the issue:

I have a mostly continuous CEL that VW diagnoses as an "internal crack on
the particle filter". The flow is not blocked, there is no increased
pollution (per VW anyway) and the car starts, idles and runs properly with
no decrease in mileage. There are no signs of physical damage, no bad fuel
issues, no overheating, the car has received all services per 'the book'
using only VW-approved fluids and OEM parts, done either by the dealer or by
VW-certified independent mechanics.

2010 VW Jetta TDI Sportwagon, purchased new in the US, April of 2010,
120,000 miles, the problem showing up at 111,000 miles.

VW tells me ~$5,000 to fix it. Which seems insane on the face of it for
something that is part of the pollution control system and should be a
more-or-less lifetime part.

So, is this common?
Is there a cure short of big-bucks replacement?
Is there a way to reprogram the OBD system to ignore this particular input?
Any other suggestions?

Note that in Pennsylvania, Diesels are exempt from emissions tests. However,
this vehicle will pass (by actual test) standards from other states. So I
have no guilty conscience asking these questions. I just feel that this is
supposed to be an economical vehicle with enhanced longevity - and a $5,000
penalty seems outrageous. VW stated that the warranty on this part expired
at 80,000 miles, and would not tell me what a typical life actually was, nor
whether this failure was unusual or not.

Thanks in advance!

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

On Thursday, November 13, 2014 6:35:22 PM UTC-5, LG wrote:
> It is not advertised much, but the particulate filter is a wear item,
> expected to need replacement at around 100k.
>
OK - but for $5,000? That seems a bit outrageous for a vehicle touted as "Economical". Nor is it listed anywhere in the service program as such - the closest the manual comes is "check" at 120,000 miles.

$5k is too high. The parts should be less than $1200 for genuine parts. I
don’t see $3800 in labor. Did they give you a breakdown?

wrote in message
...

On Thursday, November 13, 2014 6:35:22 PM UTC-5, LG wrote:
> It is not advertised much, but the particulate filter is a wear item,
> expected to need replacement at around 100k.
>
OK - but for $5,000? That seems a bit outrageous for a vehicle touted as
"Economical". Nor is it listed anywhere in the service program as such - the
closest the manual comes is "check" at 120,000 miles.

On Monday, November 17, 2014 5:04:33 PM UTC-5, LG wrote:
> $5k is too high. The parts should be less than $1200 for genuine parts. I
> don't see $3800 in labor. Did they give you a breakdown?
>

"Book Cost" - no breakdown. VWoA stated "that was about right, it varies by region."

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA