— An Audi piston lawsuit settlement has been reached in a class action which alleges there are defects in the pistons and/or piston rings that cause excessive oil consumption.
Volkswagen and Audi deny all the allegations and say there are no problems with the pistons or piston rings that caused oil consumption.
The Audi piston settlement includes the following models, but not every vehicle is included in the class action settlement.
- 2012-2014 Audi A4
- 2012-2014 Audi A5
- 2012-2014 Audi A6
- 2012-2014 Audi Q5
- 2012-2014 and 2016-2017 Audi TT
- 2015-2017 Audi A3
The Audi piston class action lawsuit asserts Audi should recall the vehicles to remove, repair or replace the 2.0T engines with engines that aren't defective. The lawsuit also says Audi should reform the warranties and give up all profits from selling the vehicles, then make full restitution to owners.
Audi Piston Settlement Agreement
Though the plaintiffs wanted certain benefits from the lawsuit, they settled for much less.
Audi Piston Ring Settlement: Reimbursement
The reimbursement applies for repairs related to excessive oil consumption or fractured pistons if prior to January 29, 2024, and within nine years or 90,000 miles (whichever occurred first) from the vehicle’s in-service date for a customer who paid for the following repairs:
For Audi A4, A5, A6, Q5 and 2012-2014 Audi TT repairs of a diagnosed condition of excessive oil consumption as confirmed by an Audi dealer’s oil consumption test.
For Audi A3 and 2016-2017 Audi TT vehicles: A repair of a diagnosed condition of a fractured piston(s).
Audi customers may be eligible to receive a 75% reimbursement of the paid invoice amount for one repair per vehicle.
However, there are many conditions that must be met, especially if work was performed by non-Audi repair facilities. Click the link below to learn more.
Audi Piston Settlement: Warranty Extension
This "benefit" likely won't help some Audi customers due to the age of the vehicles. Not to mention owners will still be stuck with paying a percentage for repairs.
According to the settlement, Audi customers must provide proof they followed the maintenance schedules for the vehicles.
The Audi new vehicle limited warranty will be extended to cover 75% of the cost of repair (parts and labor), by an Audi dealer of the following vehicles during a period of up to nine years or 90,000 miles (whichever occurs first) from the in-service date for a diagnosed condition of excessive oil consumption by an Audi dealer, as confirmed by an Audi dealer’s oil consumption test.
- 2012-2014 Audi A4
- 2012-2014 Audi A5
- 2012-2014 Audi A6
- 2012-2014 Audi Q5
- 2012-2014 Audi TT
Keep in mind the nine year warranty extension has already likely expired on the above vehicles due to their age. The settlement calls these “Timed-Out” vehicles. The warranty extension for timed-out vehicles will apply only until April 8, 2024.
For 2015-2017 Audi A3 and 2016-2017 Audi TT vehicles, there must be a diagnosed condition of a fractured piston by an Audi dealer.
According to the Audi piston settlement, the warranty extension will cover a percentage of the repair cost by an Audi dealer of a diagnosed condition of engine damage which was directly caused by excessive oil consumption for Audi A4, A5, A6, Q5 and 2012-2014 Audi TT vehicles.
For Audi A3 and 2016-2017 Audi TT vehicles, there must be a diagnosed condition of engine damage other than to a piston which was directly caused by a fractured piston.
This applies during a period of nine years or 90,000 miles (whichever occurs first) from the in-service dates of the vehicles, "subject to (i) the Proof of Adherence to Maintenance Requirements, and (ii) the following Sliding Scale percentages of coverage which are based upon the age and mileage of the Settlement Class Vehicle at the time of such repair:"
Time from In-Service: Date 4 Years or Less
- Less than 50,000 Miles 100% / 50,001 - 60,000 Miles 70% / 60,001 - 70,000 Miles 60% / 70,001 - 90,000 Miles 50%
Time from In-Service: Date 4-5 Years
- Less than 50,000 Miles 70% / 50,001 - 60,000 Miles 60% / 60,001 - 70,000 Miles 50% / 70,001 - 90,000 Miles 40%
Time from In-Service Date: 5-6 Years
- Less than 50,000 Miles 60% / 50,001 - 60,000 Miles 50% / 60,001 - 70,000 Miles 40% / 70,001 - 90,000 Miles 35%
Time from In-Service Date: 6-7 Years
- Less than 50,000 Miles 50% / 50,001 - 60,000 Miles 40% / 60,001 - 70,000 Miles 35% / 70,001 - 90,000 Miles 30%
Time from In-Service Date: 7-9 Years
- Less than 50,000 Miles 40% / 50,001 - 60,000 Miles 35% / 60,001 - 70,000 Miles 30% / 70,001 - 90,000 Miles 25%
The piston settlement also says the warranty extension will not apply to "excessive oil consumption, piston damage or breakage, or engine damage, resulting from abuse, modification or alteration of parts, absence/lack of sufficient oil maintenance (i.e., absence/lack of oil changes performed with the use of the correct Audi recommended oil and within a 10% variation of each time and mileage oil maintenance interval)."
There are many limitations and conditions of the piston settlement as well as more settlement details. Audi customers can learn more at www.pistonsettlement.com.
According to the piston settlement, these Audi owners who filed the class action will share one $5,000 payment: Tom Garden, Carrie Vassel, Karen Burnaugh, Grant Bradley, Clydiene Francis, Ada and Angeli Gozon. And these two plaintiffs will receive $5,000 each: Peter Lowegard and Patricia Hensley.
The lawyers representing Audi owners will receive $2,200,000.
The Audi piston ring settlement is not official until a judge grants final approval. The court will hold a final fairness hearing April 22, 2024.
The Audi piston class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey: Rieger, et al., v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., et al.
The plaintiffs are represented by Berger Montague PC, Capstone APC, and the Ladah Law Firm.