Determine the eligibility of the vehicle for repair(s) covered under warranty. Please refer to the Warranty Paint &
Corrosion Handbook for additional information on warranty eligibility and coverage specifications. It can be
found on the Volkswagen ServiceNet under VGCA Warranty > Corrosion.
If the dealer is certain that a particular vehicle is not covered for paint and corrosion repairs, do NOT submit a request for
pre-authorization / warranty claim for that vehicle. Submit pre-authorizations when the dealer is fairly certain that the
vehicle’s condition is warrantable or if uncertain of the nature of the condition.
Always open a Repair Order upon the customer’s first visit for a paint and corrosion concern. Include the date of the first
visit and the “IN” mileage on the RO. Make sure that the recorded mileage is accurate and consistent across all
documents, including photos of the odometer.
Take clear and focused digital photos of the following:
o the whole vehicle at different angles (for overall condition)
o affected part(s) and / or body panel(s)
o VIN plate(s)
o odometer reading
o glass / window manufacturer stamp (only for corrosion conditions occurring around glass panes)
The vehicle must be cleaned and dried prior to having pictures taken. When taking photos of the affected areas, fill
in and place the provided Damage Documentation Templates next to the condition in the picture (See Section 5.7, “Paint
and Corrosion Diagnostic Tool Kit”). Photos of the condition must also be taken from multiple distances for clarity as per
the following diagram:

Obtain a detailed repair estimate from an external or internal collision center. Hand-written estimates are discouraged.
For a vehicle with multiple, unrelated corrosion conditions, dealers are required to obtain separate estimates for each
condition / panel. Regardless, they must ALL include the following: complete VIN, mileage, customer name, date,
replacement part numbers (if necessary), and a detailed description of the repair. Make sure the estimate(s) coheres with
the applicable VGCA reimbursement policies described in Section 6.5.5, “Reimbursement for Sublet Repairs,” before
sending the request for authorization.
When requesting authorization for a vehicle at or near the warranty expiry date, a repair order opened for the corrosion
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•

•

•

•
•
•

repairs may need to be provided at the request of the dealer’s Warranty Claim Specialist. This will make sure the vehicle
was originally diagnosed while still within the warranty limitations.
E-mail the photos and the complete and detailed estimate to your Paint and Corrosion Warranty Specialist
(warranty.paint.corrosion@vw.ca) for pre-authorization. All paint and corrosion claims sent via e-mail must include a
subject line which follows this example: 4991234 – WVWAB12C34D567890 – Customer Name (or Stock#) –
Additional details. The request for pre-authorization must be received by VGCA before any claims can be entered into
SAGA. All paint and corrosion warranty claims must be pre-authorized prior to performing any repairs.
Dealers will be notified by their respective Paint and Corrosion Warranty Specialist via e-mail once a final decision is
made after review. If approved, an authorization number will be given in the message and, when claiming in SAGA, must
be included in the first line of the “Claim Comments” section. For further claim coding instructions, please refer to Section
5.5, “Paint and Corrosion Claiming Specifications and SAGA Coding.”
Approved paint and corrosion repairs must be completed and claimed within 60 days after the pre-authorization. Repairs
performed after 60 days of authorization must be resubmitted for another authorization. To request an extension, please
contact your Paint and Corrosion Warranty Specialist. A comment in SAGA will be required to justify the need for an
extension beyond 60 days.
For documentation purposes, the paint or corrosion repair estimate(s) and invoice(s) must be attached to the repair order.
Other supporting documentation (photos, etc) must be saved in a retrievable format.
Onsite inspection of a subject vehicle by your FOM or other VGCA employee must still be accompanied by the above
mentioned authorization form, photos, estimates, etc.

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5.3 Paint
5.3.1 Paint Policy
All paint-related warranty repairs are covered under the terms of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty (NVLW) (see Section 1.3.1).
This warranty covers paint repairs for manufacturing defects only during the NVLW period.
Please refer to the Warranty Paint & Corrosion Handbook for further clarification of coverage specifications. It can be
found on the Volkswagen ServiceNet page under VGCA Warranty > Corrosion.

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5.3.2 Paint Claim Coding
The following claim codes are to be entered into SAGA upon being authorized for paint-related warranty repair:
Paint Claim Coding
In Service
150

Claim Type:

Prior to Delivery
950

(1) Service Number:

Code for affected body panel

(2) Damage Code:

0067 through 0087*

(3) Damage Location:

Code for specific section** (Be sure to
specify L/R)

(4) Removed Part:

Same as Damage Location***

Outside Labour Operation

L0 01 00 00 – Paint
L0 02 00 00 – Paint, Metallic
L0 03 00 00 – Paint, Pearlescent

* See Section 5.8, “Paint and Corrosion Damage Categories.”
** See Section 5.9, “Body Panel Codes.”
*** Do NOT enter K21, WWO, 2BR, 3MR, or USM. They will not be accepted by SAGA.

EXAMPLE: Claim Coding for Front Right Fender

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5.4 Corrosion
5.4.1 Corrosion Policy
All corrosion-related warranty repairs are covered under the terms of the Corrosion Perforation Limited Warranty (see Section
1.3.6).
Please refer to the Warranty Paint & Corrosion Handbook for further clarification of coverage specifications. It can be
found on Volkswagen ServiceNet page under VGCA Warranty > Corrosion.

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5.4.2 Corrosion Claim Coding
The following claim codes are to be entered into SAGA upon being authorized for corrosion-related warranty repair:
Corrosion Claim Coding
Claim Type:

160

(1) Service Number:

Code for repaired body panel

(2) Damage Code:

0003

(3) Damage Location:

Code for specific section* (Be sure to specify L/R)

(4) Removed Part:

Same as Damage Location**

* See Section 5.9, “Body Panel Codes.”
** Do NOT enter K21, WWO, 2BR, 3MR, or USM. They will not be accepted by SAGA.

EXAMPLE: Claim Coding for Front Right Fender

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5.5 Paint and Corrosion Claim Specifications and SAGA Coding
The following are clarifications for proper data entry completed once the request for pre-authorization has been received by VGCA.
Labour
All repair labour performed at the dealership should be entered into the “Labour” section of the SAGA program.
Sublet Labour
All sublet repairs performed should have the labour be entered into the “Outside Labour” section in SAGA. Sublet labour charges
must not exceed the designated amount generated by ElsaWeb. This amount is calculated by multiplying ElsaWeb Suggested
Repair Times (SRTs) with the dealers' warranty labour re-imbursement rate in effect on the repair date.
For Example: Technical Bulletin 50-11-03 (No. 2028083), “Corrosion, Front Fenders, at Upper Wheel Opening” allows for 370
Time Units to replace and paint a single fender. The total charged to warranty as a sublet repair should not exceed the total amount
of time allocated multiplied by the Warranty labour re-imbursement rate in effect at the time of the repair. If that labour rate were to
equal $100.00 per hour, then the total allowable sublet labour charge would be $370.00.
For further clarification of the sublet labour policy, please refer to Section 6.5.5, “Reimbursement for Sublet Repairs.”
Parts
All Volkswagen genuine parts required for the repair / replacement task should be claimed under the “Materials” section in SAGA.
Paint
Paint materials are to be claimed under the “Outside Materials” section of SAGA using the Outside Part Number LACKMATF.
LACKMATF represents all supplies / materials including but not limited to paint, primer, filling materials, sanding materials,
masking, and rustproofing. When additional, exceptional outside materials are claimed, do NOT combine them with the
LACKMATF amount. The dealer must manually enter the Outside Part Number and Description in the applicable fields. See
example below:

Whenever you are claiming paint material, please use the material unit (MU) reimbursement rate for all paint and corrosion repairs.
The current rates for painting vehicles are as follows:
•
•
•

Straight colour (single stage finishing): $7.20 per MU
Metallic or Two-Layer paint (two stage finishing): $16.18 per MU
Pearlescent paint (pearl finish – two stage finishing): $16.18 per MU

Repairs may be undertaken in order to best match the vehicle’s original finish. It is important to communicate to your client(s) that
paint or corrosion warranties do not cover the additional cost of painting additional, adjacent body panel(s) or the entire
vehicle solely for the purpose of paint matching / blending.
Authorization Number
The respective Paint and Corrosion Warranty Specialist will give the dealer pre-authorization upon determining that the condition is
eligible for warranty. An “Authorization Number” is given for every claim made. In SAGA, this number must appear in the first line
under the “Claim Comments” field.
Conditions Addressed by Technical Bulletins
Whenever the dealer is claiming a paint or corrosion warranty addressed by a Technical Bulletin, the Instance Number of that
bulletin must be entered in the “HST number” field in SAGA followed by its current version (See Section 6.3.1, “Warranty Claims
Requirements”). Technical Bulletins applicable to specific vehicles can be found listed on ElsaWeb > Technical Solutions under
Technical Product Information. See example below (Instance Number 2028083, version 3, “Corrosion, Front Fenders, at Upper
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Wheel Opening”):

Please refer to the Warranty Paint & Corrosion Handbook for more information on SAGA claim codes and procedures. It
can be found on the Volkswagen ServiceNet page under VGCA Warranty > Corrosion.

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5.6 Dealer Responsibilities for Claims Addressed by Technical Bulletin
The dealer must comply with the following step-by-step instructions whenever a paint- or corrosion-related issue(s) / customer
complaint(s) arises and the condition has been addressed by a Technical Bulletin.
If the paint or corrosion issue has NOT been addressed by a specific Technical Bulletin, please refer to Section 5.2,
“Dealer Responsibilities for Paint and Corrosion Warranty Claims.”
If the paint or corrosion issue has been addressed by a specific Technical Bulletin, then follow the procedures below:










Determine that the issue / condition present on the vehicle is consistent with one described in a particular Technical
Bulletin.
Determine that the vehicle with the issue / condition is eligible for paint and corrosion repairs under warranty. The dealer
is entitled to self-authorize these repairs by determining which vehicles / conditions are warrantable. For help with this
task, dealers may refer to the Warranty Paint & Corrosion Handbook for further clarification of coverage specifications. It
can be found on the Volkswagen ServiceNet page under VGCA Warranty > Corrosion.
Always open a Repair Order upon the customer’s first visit for a paint and corrosion concern. Include the date of the first
visit and the “IN” mileage on the RO. Also, make sure that the recorded mileage is accurate and consistent across all
documents, including photos of the odometer.
Take clear and focused digital photos of the following:
o the whole vehicle at different angles (for overall condition)
o affected part(s) and / or body panel(s)
o VIN plate(s)
o odometer reading
o glass / window manufacturer stamp (only for corrosion conditions occurring around glass panes)
The vehicle must be cleaned and dried prior to having pictures taken. When taking photos of the affected areas, fill
in and place the provided Damage Documentation Templates next to the condition in the picture (See Section 5.7, “Paint
and Corrosion Diagnostic Tool Kit”). Photos of the condition must also be taken from multiple distances for clarity as per
the following diagram:

Obtain a detailed repair estimate from an external or internal collision center. Hand-written estimates are discouraged.
For a vehicle with multiple, unrelated corrosion conditions, dealers are required to obtain separate estimates for each
condition / panel. Regardless, they must ALL include the following: complete VIN, mileage, customer name, date,
replacement part numbers (if necessary), and a detailed description of the repair. Make sure the estimate(s) coheres with
the applicable VGCA reimbursement policies described in Section 6.5.5, “Reimbursement for Sublet Repairs.”
When requesting authorization for a vehicle at or near the warranty expiry date, a repair order opened for the corrosion
repairs may need to be provided at the request of the dealer’s Warranty Claim Specialist. This will make sure the vehicle
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






was originally diagnosed while still within the warranty limitations.
A request for pre-authorization will NOT be required when claiming repair for paint- and corrosion-related issues
already addressed by a Technical Bulletin. Regardless, all regularly applicable terms found in this Policies and
Procedures Manual still apply. All repairs performed, warranty claims, and documentation must be completed in
accordance with the terms of the applicable warranty, technical bulletins, and other related documents.
Approved paint or corrosion repairs must be completed and claimed within 60 days after the pre-authorization. Repairs
performed after 60 days of authorization must be resubmitted for another authorization. A comment in SAGA will be
required to justify the need for an extension beyond 60 days. To request an extension, please contact your Paint and
Corrosion Warranty Specialist.
For documentation purposes, all repair estimates must be attached to the RO.
Although pre-authorization is not required, all documentation for paint and corrosion warranty repairs must be saved /
stored in a retrievable format.

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5.7 Paint and Corrosion Tool Kit
VGCA has developed a “Diagnostic Tool Kit” to aid dealers when assessing the paint and corrosion eligibility inquiries from your
customers. The tools supplied will provide quantitative means with which to educate customers about the importance of acting
rapidly to address corrosion cases as they emerge from a vehicle’s body panel(s). The Tool Kit contains the following:
•
•
•

Damage Documentation Templates
Paint Thickness Gauge
Paint Defect Identifier

This initiative is also aimed at ensuring both the dealership and corporate personnel make uniform and consistent decisions.
Damage Documentation Templates
Damage Documentation Templates are magnetic labels containing a measuring scale and information on the affected areas. They
are to be placed under or around specific areas of corrosion or paint defects in order to better identify the scale and severity of the
condition. Using a dry erase marker, the dealer must fill in the following information prior to taking a picture:
•
•
•

VIN
Component
Paint Thickness (See “Paint Thickness Gauge” below)

A filled-in template should be placed near the affected area on the body panel to take the picture. In cases where the condition is
located on a non-metallic part, simply hold the magnet in place for the picture. An example photo can be found below:

Dealers are also to use Damage Documentation Templates in order to justify responses to customer inquiries regarding corrosion
conditions. The size of the template should provide dealers with a method of visually demonstrating to customers what the
standard expectation is for warrantable corrosion conditions.
Paint Thickness Gauge
Before sending an authorization request to your Paint and Corrosion Warranty Specialist, dealers are required use a paint thickness
gauge in order to assess the vehicle paint condition. In most cases, this will help manage customer expectations by being able to
demonstrate what panels are damage, repainted, defective, etc. This will also facilitate identification of paint abnormality.
Description of paint thickness measurements readings are as follows:
Paint Thickness Scale (in thousandths of an inch, Mils)
5.4 Mils

Normal paint thickness for Volkswagen vehicles
Too thick, possibility of repaint or presence of body filler*

*These CANNOT be assumed if based solely on the paint thickness measurement.

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VGCA will NOT mandate the use of a specific paint thickness gauge. However, if your dealership does not possess a paint
thickness gauge, it is recommended that the “ETG-A Electronic Thickness Gauge” be purchased. The ETG-A is made available
through Volkswagen Special Tools and Equipment. To navigate through the Volkswagen Special Tools and Equipment website,
follow either of the two following instructions:
•

•

Log into VW Hub to access ServiceNet > Workshop Equipment > Minimum Required Tools and select the
link http://www.tools.VW.com. This will take you to http://vw.snapon.com/Home.aspx, Volkswagen Special Tools and
Equipment. Log In to view VW Tools > Online Catalog > General Shop and select Paint Thickness Gauge to view all
available tools.
The other way of accessing the Volkswagen Special Tools and Equipment website is to go directly
to http://vw.snapon.com/Home.aspx. Then, log In to view VW Tools > Online Catalog > General Shop and select Paint
Thickness Gauge to view all available tools.

Paint Defect Identifier
A laminated sheet resembling a barcode will be provided in order to aid with the identification of paint defects, dents, bumps, and
other blemishes. As shown below, the reflection of the bars will appear “disturbed” in the presence of dents or bumps as well as
some other defects.

Use the Paint Defect Identifier in photos whenever the condition is difficult to see or assess based on a photo without the tool.

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5.8 Paint and Corrosion Damage Categories
Code
0003
0067
0068
0069
0070
0071
0072
0073
0074
0075
0076
0077
0078
0079
0080
0081
0082
0083
0084
0085
0086
0087

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Description
Corrosion Perforation
Insufficient Adhesion Original Paint
Insufficient Adhesion Repaint
Soft Top Coat
Paint Boundary Visible
Overspray
Spotting/Polishing Marks
Poor Colour Match
Decal/Foil Loose
Cracks in Paint
Wet Paint Damaged
PVC Application Shortcomings
Corrosion Protection Shortcomings
Cavity Wax on Paint
Scratches
Sheet Metal Dents
Insufficient Paint Thickness
Clouding (metallics)
Foreign Material in Paint
Cratering (fisheyes)
Sanding/Grinding Marks
Paint Runs

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5.9 Body Panel Codes

Body Panel Code
010
020
030
031
040
050
060
061
080
090
100
101
110
120
130
150
160
161
170
200
210
230
240
260
270
280
290
900

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Body Panel Designation
Roof
Hood
Rear Lid Outside
Rear Lid Inside
Front Fender
Front Apron
Front Door Outside
Front Door Inside
Rain Gutters
Cowl
Wheel - Steel
Wheel - Alloy
Front/Rear Bumper
Interior Paint - Passenger Compartment
Rocker Panel
Rear Apron
Rear Door Outside
Rear Door Inside
Quarter Panel
Floor
Front/Rear Wheelhouse
Vanagon: Engine Comp. Lid
Sunroof Panel
Fuel Filler Flap
A-B-C Pillar, Door Opening
Engine Compartment
Trunk (not pictured)
Entire Body

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6 Warranty Administration
6.1 Introduction
Volkswagen Group Canada (VGCA), Inc. requires all reimbursements under warranty to be correct, complete, and verified at all
times. All repair work under warranty must be submitted for payment according to the applicable terms outlined in this
Volkswagen Warranty Policies and Procedures Manual.
This section describes the information and documentation required to substantiate claims submitted for reimbursement under
warranty. Volkswagen reserves the right to adjust or debit warranty claims in cases of non-compliance.

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6.2 Warranty Coverage
6.2.1 Warranty Coverage Verification
Dealers must check ElsaWeb > Vehicle Specific Information under Vehicle Data every time a vehicle is serviced to identify open
campaigns, UPDATEs, and warranty extensions eligibility as well as vehicle status prior to repair work.
•
•
•
•

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) entered for inquiry must be a vehicle imported by Volkswagen.
Always verify that the vehicle has a Canadian Warranty Booklet, that an Authorized Volkswagen dealer validated the