by Personal Story and Court Outcome
When the turbocharger on her 2010 Audi A4 failed, Julie Kimball spent about $3,000 to replace it. The car had long been out of warranty, and she needed to get back on the road quickly. However, she decided to sue Volkswagen, believing the cause was a defective design.
She probably didn’t imagine then that after more than three years of litigation, her reward would be just $3,500.
Kimball purchased the car new and encountered the turbo issue at approximately 63,000 miles after nearly ten years of ownership.
The court dismissed most of her lawsuit in 2023 but allowed several revisions and refilings of claims. Ultimately, the case succeeded on only one point—negligent misrepresentation—but the result hardly met her expectations.
Volkswagen was not forced to admit guilt or a defect. The conglomerate also did not pay millions to the plaintiff herself. Instead, according to documents, the company will pay $1.95 million to her lawyers. If Kimball achieved any success, it was likely in expanding warranty coverage for numerous owners across America. But even here, her efforts have limitations.
Warranty Coverage Terms
The settlement agreement provides extended coverage for dozens of Volkswagen and Audi models, from early GTIs and Passats to relatively new Atlases and Arteons. Some of the involved vehicles are now up to 16 years old, and eligibility depends on strict requirements regarding mileage, age, maintenance records, and the specific cause of the turbocharger failure.
The extended warranty applies only to third-generation vehicles, and even then, coverage is limited. It is valid for up to 8.5 years or 85,000 miles from the vehicle’s first registration and applies only in cases where the turbocharger fails due to corrosion of the exhaust flap.
Even if a claim is approved, and records from an authorized VW or Audi dealer confirm that the cause was a faulty flap, owners will receive reimbursement for only 50% of the repair cost. If this specific part is not documented, reimbursement drops to 40%. For repairs performed by unauthorized services, the maximum amount does not exceed $3,580.
For older vehicles whose extended warranty period has already expired, the agreement provides a narrow 60-day window after the notification date to file claims, provided the mileage limits have not yet been exceeded. If your Volkswagen or Audi has had a turbo failure, now is the time to act.
Models Included in the Agreement
Volkswagen and Audi 1st Generation Vehicles:
- Volkswagen GTI and Golf R (2008-2014)
- Volkswagen Beetle (2012-2013)
- Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen (2009)
- Volkswagen Jetta Sedan and GLI (2008-2013)
- Volkswagen Eos (2009-2016)
- Volkswagen Passat (2008-2010)
- Volkswagen CC (2009-2017)
- Volkswagen Tiguan (2009-2018)
- Audi A3 (2008-2009)
- Audi Q3 (2015-2018)
Volkswagen and Audi 2nd Generation Vehicles:
- Audi A4 (2009-2014)
- Audi A5 (2010-2014)
- Audi A6 (2013-2015)
- Audi Q5 (2011-2014)
- Audi TT (2011-2012)
Volkswagen and Audi 3rd Generation Vehicles:
- Volkswagen Golf (2015-2018)
- Volkswagen GTI (2015-2021)
- Volkswagen Golf R (2015-2019)
- Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen and Alltrack (2015-2019)
- Volkswagen Jetta GLI (2019-2024)
- Volkswagen Arteon (2019-2021)
- Volkswagen Atlas (2018-2023)
- Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport (2020-2023)
- Audi A3 (2015-2020)
- Audi Q3 (2019-2024)
This large-scale settlement agreement, covering thousands of vehicles, vividly illustrates the complexity of class-action lawsuits in the automotive industry. On one hand, it sets an important precedent for manufacturer responsibility for potential design flaws in the long term. On the other—strict eligibility criteria, limited timeframes, and partial reimbursement can significantly reduce the practical benefit for individual owners, especially those with the oldest models. The situation also raises questions about the real balance of benefits in such cases between end consumers and the legal teams representing them.
