PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

BACK

FORWARD

Policy Application from A to Z | Service Xpress (VW Brand Approved)

3.50

NEXT PAGE

PREVIOUS PAGE

Page 146

SERVICE XPRESS (VW BRAND APPROVED)
This section contains important information regarding warranty policy exemptions for VW Brandapproved Service Xpress operations maintained by some Volkswagen Dealers. These policy
exemptions are only applicable for express service operations at VW Dealers that fulfill the
requirements of the VW Brand Service Xpress program and are not extended to any other express
service operations that may be operated by Volkswagen Dealers independent from the Volkswagen
Service Xpress program.
POLICY EXEMPTIONS
Dealer technicians who are dedicated to performing the services specified by the Service Xpress
program are exempt from the Required Documentation with Repair Order (section 2.3.2 ) and Time
Recording – Technician (section 3.57) requirements of this manual. These exemptions for Service
Xpress-dedicated technicians are limited to:
 The Volkswagen Carefree Maintenance services listed in the maintenance booklet for vehicles
within the New Vehicle Limited Warranty period and
 The replacement of exterior light bulbs and wiper blades, identified in the table below, due to a
defect in material or workmanship or for wear.
COMPONENTS EXEMPTED FROM DOCUMENTATION AND TIME PUNCH POLICIES FOR SERVICE
XPRESS-DEDICATED TECHNICIANS
SERVICE
NUMBER

COMPONENT

SERVICE
NUMBER

COMPONENT

9423

Halogen Bulb*

9459

Xenon (Gas Discharge) Bulb*

9424

Area Light*

9467

Fog Light Bulb*

9427

Parking Light Bulb*

9469

Rear Fog Light Bulb*

9433

Taillight Bulb*

9475

Reverse Light Bulb*

9435

Turn Signal Bulb*

9487

Daytime running light*

9437

Brake Light Bulb*

9227

Wiper Blade

9444

License Plate Light Bulb*

9243

Rear Wiper Blade

9456

Front Turn Signal Bulb*

*Only the bulb or light is allowable; not the bulb assembly or light assembly.

WARRANTY REPAIRS NOT PERMITTED TO BE PERFORMED BY SERVICE XPRESS-DEDICATED TECHNICIANS
The following warranty repairs are not permitted to be performed by Service Xpress-dedicated
technicians:
 Repairs covered by any Volkswagen warranty or customer loyalty assistance program (except for
the Components Exempted in the table above).
 Vehicle diagnosis including road tests, use of diagnostic scan tools or use of any measurement
tools or equipment including, but not limited to, battery/starting/charging system testers.
 Diagnosis to Improve the Customer Experience (DICE).
IDENTIFICATION OF SERVICE XPRESS-DEDICATED TECHNICIANS
Service Xpress technicians are identified by job title through the Volkswagen Academy.

Volkswagen of America, Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

Warranty Policies and Procedures 06/16

FORWARD

BACK

PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

FORWARD

BACK

Policy Application from A to Z | Seat Covers

3.51

NEXT PAGE

PREVIOUS PAGE

Page 147

SEAT COVERS
 Important:
− A repairable defect, i.e., incomplete or missing stitching must be repaired whenever
satisfactory results can be obtained. Claims for seat covers that are replaced when a

−

repair would have been satisfactory are subject to debit. Deterioration and fading due to
climatic conditions are not covered.
Defective seat covers for an airbag-equipped seat that enclose an airbag must always be
replaced and not repaired.

3.52

SHOCK ABSORBERS – VOLKSWAGEN LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY
See 3.32.1 Limited Lifetime Warranty for Volkswagen Replacement Mufflers, Shock Absorbers, Struts
and Strut Inserts

3.53

STRUTS AND STRUT INSERTS – VOLKSWAGEN LIMITED LIFETIME
WARRANTY
See 3.32.1 Limited Lifetime Warranty for Volkswagen Replacement Mufflers, Shock Absorbers, Struts
and Strut Inserts

3.54

SUNROOF
Original equipment only – covered under the NVLW for defects in material or workmanship. Use Claim
type 110.
For window/sunroof glass, warrantability must be determined by the QTM Team using the Warranty
Repair Acceptance process in WISE, prior to starting the repair (see section 3.64 Warranty Repair
Acceptance Process in WISE). (Also see section 3.25 Glass.)

Volkswagen of America, Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

Warranty Policies and Procedures 06/16

FORWARD

BACK

PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

FORWARD

BACK

Policy Application from A to Z | Technician Efficiency

3.55

NEXT PAGE

PREVIOUS PAGE

Page 148

TECHNICIAN EFFICIENCY
Understanding a technician’s repair efficiency is a valuable way of determining the technician’s
capabilities of performing a quality repair in a timely manner. Low repair shop efficiency can result in
the loss of available hours that could have been sold by your service department. Dispatching repair
work to technicians who are not trained in the repairs or services to be performed, or with a service
department not using an effective time control system correctly are just a few examples that can cause
low technician repair efficiencies. Conversely, excessively high efficiencies may attribute to improper
or incomplete repairs resulting in workshop comebacks and dissatisfied customers, and may affect
your Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI). A good benchmark for repair efficiency is between 115 135%.
TO CALCULATE REPAIR EFFICIENCY
Divide the total SRT by the total clocked time for a repair and then multiply the results by 100.
(Total SRT ÷ Total Clocked Time) x 100 = Technician’s Efficiency
In VWoA’s experience, technicians who routinely complete warranty repairs with efficiencies greater
than 150% of the SRT’s for single or multiple repairs on a repair order may not be following the
prescribed step-by-step procedures outlined in ElsaPro or Technical Bulletins.
Claims from technicians performing warranty repairs on Volkswagen vehicles with efficiencies greater
than 150% may be subject to charge-back if the documentation to support the repair does not justify
the time spent. Each repair will be judged individually based on the merits of the available
documentation. This includes, but is not limited to, a technician’s training certification and detailed
repair notes that explain each step of the repair in a clear, technically sound manner. The repair must
have been performed using the latest edition of ElsaPro or Technical Bulletins.

3.56

TECHNICIAN HELPLINE/VTA CASE NUMBER
The Technician Helpline is not authorized to approve warranty repairs. The Dealer Technician Helpline
should be contacted in every situation where the technician cannot determine the cause of a concern
after using the available diagnosis tools and/or published repair procedure information.
TECHNICIAN HELPLINE VTA CASE NUMBER REQUIREMENTS
A Technician Helpline VTA case number is required when the following conditions occur:
 Vehicle down for 2 days or more
 All repeat repairs with no clear solution available
 Prior to replacing the following components:
−
−
−

W8, W12, V10 TDI engines
All transmissions (complete assemblies)
Main wiring harness

−

Eos complete roof assembly

Volkswagen of America, Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

Warranty Policies and Procedures 06/16

FORWARD

BACK

PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

FORWARD

BACK

NEXT PAGE

PREVIOUS PAGE

Policy Application from A to Z | Technician Helpline/VTA Case Number

Page 149

Volkswagen’s Technician Helpline must be contacted for repair instructions prior to each
replacement. The VTA case number must be documented on the repair order and in the Comments
section of the warranty claim. A valid VTA case number is required, not an access code. Example:
VTA case number XX-12345.
DEALER PREPAREDNESS
When calling the Technician's Helpline, the technician must be prepared prior to placing the call. The
following items are required of a prepared caller:
 A VTA ticket must be created on all calls through the Technical Assistance button on ElsaPro
 Check the accuracy of all information on the ticket before placing the call
 Vehicle must be in the shop at the time of the call
 Pictures of affected area for visual concerns attached to the VTA ticket (if applicable)
 Guided Fault Finding logs should be attached to the VTA ticket (if applicable)
 List any diagnosis steps taken prior to the Helpline contact
 Ensure ElsaPro and ServiceNet has been utilized for any applicable repair information. This
includes, but is not limited to, Technical Bulletins, Service Information, Service Circulars, Tech
Tips, and Campaign Information.
 The call should be placed within 1 business day of the creation of the ticket
 The technician should have all Service History available that could apply to the current repair
 Make the call from a quiet place so all information exchanged can be heard and understood
properly
REIMBURSEMENT FOR COMPONENTS REPLACED PER THE VOLKSWAGEN TECHNICAN HELPLINE
In the event a technician is advised by a VWoA Helpline Consultant to replace a part, which does not
repair the vehicle and it is not possible to use the part again for another repair, Volkswagen will
reimburse the dealership for the component through the warranty claim. The technician's time to
remove and install the component is considered part of the diagnosis.
The reimbursement will be done under the following conditions:
 Technician is properly prepared for the call
 Technician has a valid, closed VTA case number
 The Comment field of the warranty claim must include the equivalent statement: "Part replaced as
per Tech. Line, did not fix vehicle; VTA case number ________". (Note: A valid VTA case number
is required, not an access code. Example: VTA case number XX-12345)
Volkswagen will only reimburse non-defective parts if recommended by the Technician's Helpline and
Helpline call has been properly documented.

Volkswagen of America, Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

Warranty Policies and Procedures 06/16

FORWARD

BACK

PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

FORWARD

BACK

Policy Application from A to Z | Technician Time Recording

3.57

NEXT PAGE

PREVIOUS PAGE

Page 150

TECHNICIAN TIME RECORDING
Also see section 3.50 Service Xpress (VW Brand Approved).

All repair orders must include a record of the technician time spent for each repair line whether the
repair is billed to warranty, customer-pay, or an internal dealership account. Each repair line must
have a minimum of one time record [except as indicated by policy 3.50 Service Xpress (VW Brand
Approved)]
Each time record must indicate the time and date punched "on" and the time and date punched "off"
for each repair line. In the case of manually-affixed time flags, the time record must indicate the
technician number, repair order number, and repair order line. The tear-off stub must be permanently
affixed to the back of the repair order hard copy. Dealerships utilizing an electronic time recording
system must ensure that the system programming supports the aforementioned requirements.

The dealership must retain Technician Daily Time and Payroll Records similar to the example in this
section. These documents must indicate the time spent by each technician for repairs performed each
day whether the repair is billed to warranty, customer-pay, or an internal dealership account.
If it is found that time clock entries made on a repair order time flag were not recorded on the
Technician Daily Time and Payroll Record or a Technician Daily Time and Payroll record is not
available, the corresponding warranty claim(s) may be charged back.
The initial start time or punch-on time for a repair is to occur when the vehicle is in the repair bay ready
to be worked on by the technician. The time entries (starting and finishing times of each repair on a
repair order) must be performed with a time clock or an electronic system that records the technician
time by month, date, and increments of hundredths of an hour.
Technician time spent on activities such as shop repairs, studying training manuals, breaks from work
activities, retrieving parts, retrieving vehicles, locating special tools, or consulting Volkswagen
Technical Assistance may not be included in time represented to Volkswagen as spent in the
diagnosis or repair of a vehicle.
In the event of a time clock failure, or if a technician forgets to punch "on" or "off" for a repair, the
Service Manager/Service Director or a Service Manager/Service Director designate (see page 46
Service Management Approvals) can authorize the estimated actual time by signing the repair order
hard copy next to the time flag or time record of an electronic repair order.
All time clocks in the dealership (including electronic time clocks, clocks for test equipment such as
battery testers, scan tools, and wheel alignment equipment) must be synchronized. If the time clocks
are not synchronized, the corresponding warranty repair(s) may be charged back.
A malfunctioning time clock must be repaired or replaced immediately.
All time clocks or electronic time recording devices must be secured to prohibit tampering or
manipulation.

Volkswagen of America, Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

Warranty Policies and Procedures 06/16

FORWARD

BACK

PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

FORWARD

BACK

NEXT PAGE

PREVIOUS PAGE

Policy Application from A to Z | Technician Time Recording

Page 151

A-time (actual time) and diagnosis time: These labor operations require "on" and "off" punch times
separate from the "on" and "off" punch times for the repair unless used in combination with a SRT
operation. In this case, the technician must punch "on" when the repair is started and "off" when
completed. The technician may also punch individually for diagnosis and/or "A" time if used in
combination with a SRT operation in order to preserve the technician’s efficiency on the SRT
operation.
Multiple time punches: If two technicians are working together on the same vehicle repair at the
same time, (for example, an apprentice or less experienced technician working with an experienced
technician or shop foreman), the time clock flags for both technicians must be affixed to the same
vehicle repair order hard copy. Credit and responsibility for the time spent on the repair must be given
to the experienced technician. The less experienced technician time is to be represented as training
and may not be claimed in addition to the labor claimed by the more experienced technician.

Volkswagen of America, Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

Warranty Policies and Procedures 06/16

FORWARD

BACK

PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

FORWARD

BACK

NEXT PAGE

PREVIOUS PAGE

Policy Application from A to Z | Technician Time Recording

Page 152

Example Time Flag for
Replace Rear Window Seal –
Labor Operation 6123 19 00 for 30 Time Units

The line code designation can be either alpha or numeric1

1

BEST PRACTICE RECOMMENDATION: While not required by Volkswagen, it is a best practice recommendation to

also include a notation for the type of work performed (e.g. Diagnosis, A-Time, Normal Repair Time, etc.). While
Volkswagen does not mandate the usage of specific notation for the type of work performed, it is recommended that the
notation used by the Dealer be consistently applied throughout the Service Department.

Volkswagen of America, Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

SEARCH

Warranty Policies and Procedures 06/16

FORWARD

BACK

PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX

FORWARD

SEARCH

BACK

PREVIOUS PAGE

Policy Application from A to Z | Tires

NEXT PAGE
Page 153

WHY IT MAKES SENSE TO PUNCH INDIVIDUALLY FOR DIAGNOSIS AND/OR "A" TIME DURING REPAIRS
Example: The normal SRT to replace a component in question is 1.0 hour (1.00 time units).
The technician can carry out this repair in 45 minutes (0.75 time units) thus making him 133% efficient.
(100 ÷ 75) x 100 This claim will pay 1 hour.
If during the course of the repair a need arises to go into "A" time, a separate punch will preserve the
technician’s efficiency on the component replacement. For this example, we will assume that a bolt’s
head is rounded off and needs to be drilled out and tapped before the component can be replaced.
We will also assume that drilling out the bolt and tapping out the hole takes ½ hour (0.50 time units).
If we combine the punch, i.e. only punch “on” when the repair is started and “off” when the repair is
completed, the technician will show a total punch time of 1 hour and 15 minutes (1.25 time units); 0.50
time units for the "A" time and 0.75 time units for replacing the component. Punched in this manner,
1.25 time units is the maximum that can be claimed for this repair. The claim is made up of 1 hour for
the component’s SRT plus the remaining punch time of 15 minutes (0.25 time units) for the “A” time.
A typical punch will show:
 Punch On at 8.00; Punch Off at 9.25
 A total of 1.25 time units may be claimed using the combined punch method
If in the above example individual punches are utilized, we will see:
 Punch On at 8.00; Punch Off at 8.50 (drilling out the damaged bolt)
 Punch On at 8.50; Punch Off at 9.25 (replacing the component)
 The first punch (drilling out the damaged bolt) will pay the complete 0.50 time units as reflected by
the punch.
 The second punch of 0.75 time units will support the claim for the SRT of 100 time units and still
be within VWoA guidelines for efficiency.
 A total of 1.50 time units may be claimed using the individual punch method.
The above examples are also true when claiming for diagnosing a vehicle using Volkswagen-approved
diagnostic tools.
Remember! Efficiency cannot be gained when claiming for "A" time, diagnosis or road tests.

3.58

TIRES
Tires are not covered under the NVLW. Tires are warranted by their respective tire manufacturer.
Volkswagen dealers should assist the customer in any way possible to obtain warranty service from
the tire manufacturer. Volkswagen dealers are responsible for obtaining the manufacturer's tire
warranty statement, which is to be given to the customer. NHTSA and regulations require that a tire
warranty pamphlet be placed in every new vehicle prior to sale. To assist you in replacing any missing
warranty pamphlets, please contact the following tire manufacturers.

Volkswagen of America, Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS