I’ve heard that Volkswagen's total direct injection cars are great low-maintenance cars, but that some years had major problems. If I were going to buy one, which years of TDIs should I be careful to avoid?
, you should typically avoid models from 2009-2012.
The problem with TDIs dates back to the 2014 Dieselgate scandal. In short, some students from West Virginia University did a study on diesel engine emissions—which companies like Volkswagen claimed were far lower than their gas counterparts.
The students discovered that TDIs actually produced over 40 times the amount of nitrogen oxide they normally should. After the story broke, Volkswagen recalled all their TDIs from the relevant years and had them repaired.
While those years of TDIs are problematic, TDI engines typically have more power and better fuel efficiency than other gas-powered vehicles. Make sure you have a
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