Has vw 'done' something to my van.

[flying banana]

After my 2nd and last vw service before the warranty ran out my van now seems underpowered and the mpg is way down. Is this a coincidence. Am I being paranoid or have they gone and done one of those updates on my van engine electronics without telling me. How can I prove anything or find out. If I go back without a warranty I don't want a daft diagnostic bill for sod all

 

[GrannyJen]

I had an "emissions recall" when mine was in last week. Difficult to tell MPG because of weather differences but I am seeing less MPG than normal and it'a drinking Adblu. My warning went from 1,400 miles to 1,000 miles in just under 300 miles, mostly relaxed (legal limit) motorway driving.

 

[westfalia]

Ask them if they think you need the Upgrade, if they say Nah its okay mate we´ve
already done it, then you'll know.

 

[AlisonF]

My emissions upgrade came with 8 vouchers for free Adblue refills as it is known to increase consumption, apparently...

 

[Tom Rae]

After my 2nd and last vw service before the warranty ran out my van now seems underpowered and the mpg is way down. Is this a coincidence. Am I being paranoid or have they gone and done one of those updates on my van engine electronics without telling me. How can I prove anything or find out. If I go back without a warranty I don't want a daft diagnostic bill for sod all

The perceived power loss is worrying. What is the adblue "range" stating, I would assume this will be less than before the service if the update has been done and it could be the basis for your enquiry to the dealer?

Tom

 

[Loz]

Adblue is injected in the exhaust so wont affect mpg, but regeneration does,
after mine was updated it reset the regen cycle and immediately did a regeneration so that took a hit on my mpg.

 

[Borris]

Have I got this right?

VW increases regeneration to help clean up the emissions during that process. In doing so it uses more Ad Blue and more fuel. More fuel being burnt creates more polutants and more greenhouse gases.

I suppose there must be a benefit somewhere! It just seems like a vicious circle to me.

 

[Loz]

Have I got this right?

VW increases regeneration to help clean up the emissions during that process. In doing so it uses more Ad Blue and more fuel. More fuel being burnt creates more polutants and more greenhouse gases.

I suppose there must be a benefit somewhere! It just seems like a vicious circle to me.

Not quite, they have increased AdBlue usage DURING regeneration.

 

[Borris]

Not quite, they have increased AdBlue usage DURING regeneration.

Sorry Loz. That is what I was trying to say. Bad use of words on my behalf.

 

[flying banana]

update. on the drive home from buxton I notice the mpg is still down. not noticed any increase in ad blue use which is still saying 5000 MLS after my last fill up. then on the motorway at a steady 70 ish the mpg finally slowly climbed to 38 - 40 so it looks like its 'settled' down a bit. but it was down to 17 - 20 mpg for weeks which was way down and wasn't doing regen. the power loss I'm still not sure. giving it a 'good blast' think I might just be paranoid. i'll have to keep an eye on it. I just don't trust those vw 'updates'.

 

[Paul Grice]

Well VW were very publicly done for distorting the emissions data... maybe they have tweaked the software to give a more realistic reading of mpg? Is mpg “down” according to the vw readout or according to your own record of miles covered between fill ups? I’ve noticed on my vw toureg that the real mpg I calculate from miles covered since last fill divided by gallons purchased to refill gives me a lower mpg than the dashboard reading of average mpg. Some VW tweakery perhaps

 

[flying banana]

Well VW were very publicly done for distorting the emissions data... maybe they have tweaked the software to give a more realistic reading of mpg? Is mpg “down” according to the vw readout or according to your own record of miles covered between fill ups? I’ve noticed on my vw toureg that the real mpg I calculate from miles covered since last fill divided by gallons purchased to refill gives me a lower mpg than the dashboard reading of average mpg. Some VW tweakery perhaps

Yes. Exactly that. I'll have to work out a tank. Rim to brim mpg. See what I get. The mfd is way down after the service