Volkswagen to Modify Diesels to Prevent Improper Fueling

Pumping gasoline into a diesel Volkswagenvoids the warranty and can lead to costly repairs, which is why the brand is kicking off a massive modification campaign.

In it, Volkswagen will retrofit 209,500 cars in the U.S. and 51,600 in Canada to prevent the cars from being inadvertently filled with gasoline. The automaker began fitting its cars with redesigned fuel fillers that will remain closed for a gasoline nozzle, but now the brand says it will replace fuel fillers on diesel versions of the 2009 through 2012 Jetta, Jetta SportWagen (called the Golf Wagen in Canada), and 2010 through 2012 Golf.

“As diesel engine passenger vehicles become more popular, auto manufacturers have seen an increase in the number of misfueling cases where diesel engine vehicles are mistakenly fueled with gasoline,” a notice sent to dealers said. “The resulting fuel system contamination can lead to costly repairs that are not covered under warranty.”

Volkswagen will begin notifying owners of the campaign on May 28 and will replace the fuel fillers through its authorized dealer network.

[Source: Automotive News]