Did Audi ship thousands of cars with same VIN?
08-24-17, 06:57 PM
#1
Did Audi ship thousands of cars with same VIN?
Prosecutors investigating Audi's involvement in the Dieselgate scandal have stumbled onto a stranger mystery: Investigators found documents suggesting that thousands of vehicles exported to China, Korea and Japan may have been stamped with identical vehicle identification numbers.
The discovery, reported by the German business journal Handelsblatt, was made when investigators searched Audi's audit department for documents related to the Dieselgate scandal during a wide-ranging raid in March. It came after the German Transport Ministry accused the company of cheating on emissions testing for 24,000 Audi A7 and A8 diesels. According to the report, Audi's auditors had the documents about duplicate VINs because they were assessing a "risk of discovery."
Audi professed ignorance, with a spokesman saying, "We are not aware of the fact the VIN numbers have been issued more than once."
VIN numbers are supposed to be unique to each vehicle, with 17 digits and capital letters that identify that vehicle's DNA — including features such as where a car was built, the model year and engine specifications. They're used to track recalls, ownership histories, registrations and thefts, among other things.
Under EU and German laws, VIN numbers are supposed to remain unduplicated for at least 30 years.
Investigators told Handelsblatt they were puzzled as to why Audi would produce vehicles under common VIN numbers.
Audi, a division of Volkswagen Group, in June issued a recall for around 24,000 A7 and A8 models built between 2009 and 2013. It later said it would update engine software blamed for the emissions cheating scandal on up to 850,000 diesel cars.
But the VIN mystery adds a new wrinkle.
If nothing else, the duplicate VINs would make for an interesting Carfax search.
The discovery, reported by the German business journal Handelsblatt, was made when investigators searched Audi's audit department for documents related to the Dieselgate scandal during a wide-ranging raid in March. It came after the German Transport Ministry accused the company of cheating on emissions testing for 24,000 Audi A7 and A8 diesels. According to the report, Audi's auditors had the documents about duplicate VINs because they were assessing a "risk of discovery."
Audi professed ignorance, with a spokesman saying, "We are not aware of the fact the VIN numbers have been issued more than once."
VIN numbers are supposed to be unique to each vehicle, with 17 digits and capital letters that identify that vehicle's DNA — including features such as where a car was built, the model year and engine specifications. They're used to track recalls, ownership histories, registrations and thefts, among other things.
Under EU and German laws, VIN numbers are supposed to remain unduplicated for at least 30 years.
Investigators told Handelsblatt they were puzzled as to why Audi would produce vehicles under common VIN numbers.
Audi, a division of Volkswagen Group, in June issued a recall for around 24,000 A7 and A8 models built between 2009 and 2013. It later said it would update engine software blamed for the emissions cheating scandal on up to 850,000 diesel cars.
But the VIN mystery adds a new wrinkle.
If nothing else, the duplicate VINs would make for an interesting Carfax search.
08-25-17, 03:12 PM
#3
Lexus Champion
08-25-17, 03:23 PM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
Most newer Audis are not even started with a key. The only thing those "keys" are used for is to open the door in an emergency.
And, on top of that, there should never be two identical VINs. Sometimes, on rare occasions, two different cars can use the same key....but the chances of that happening are only about one in many thousands.
And, on top of that, there should never be two identical VINs. Sometimes, on rare occasions, two different cars can use the same key....but the chances of that happening are only about one in many thousands.
08-26-17, 07:51 AM
#6
Most newer Audis are not even started with a key. The only thing those "keys" are used for is to open the door in an emergency.
And, on top of that, there should never be two identical VINs. Sometimes, on rare occasions, two different cars can use the same key....but the chances of that happening are only about one in many thousands.
And, on top of that, there should never be two identical VINs. Sometimes, on rare occasions, two different cars can use the same key....but the chances of that happening are only about one in many thousands.
08-26-17, 08:07 AM
#7
Lexus Champion
Trending Topics
08-26-17, 08:22 AM
#8
Lexus Champion
Registration may record the VIN (I am only speculating), but unless there is an explicit search for duplicate VINs -- either manually or automated via registration entry software -- the fact that 2 or more cars have the same VIN may not be discovered.
08-26-17, 11:03 AM
#10
In 1984 I worked at a Chevrolet store and we locked both simple mechanical keys inside a Corvette.
Close of business Saturday night we needed to move it from it's display spot outside the gates.
We ended up taking every (Every!) key from the hook board (300+!) and tried each door key in
the Vette door. Half an hour later, click, a Chevette key turned! The companion ignition key did
not work in the Corvette BTW but we were good to go (home) with the correct keys.
Close of business Saturday night we needed to move it from it's display spot outside the gates.
We ended up taking every (Every!) key from the hook board (300+!) and tried each door key in
the Vette door. Half an hour later, click, a Chevette key turned! The companion ignition key did
not work in the Corvette BTW but we were good to go (home) with the correct keys.
08-26-17, 12:21 PM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
^^^ good story.
08-26-17, 05:16 PM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
In 1984 I worked at a Chevrolet store and we locked both simple mechanical keys inside a Corvette.
Close of business Saturday night we needed to move it from it's display spot outside the gates.
We ended up taking every (Every!) key from the hook board (300+!) and tried each door key in
the Vette door. Half an hour later, click, a Chevette key turned! The companion ignition key did
not work in the Corvette BTW but we were good to go (home) with the correct keys.
Close of business Saturday night we needed to move it from it's display spot outside the gates.
We ended up taking every (Every!) key from the hook board (300+!) and tried each door key in
the Vette door. Half an hour later, click, a Chevette key turned! The companion ignition key did
not work in the Corvette BTW but we were good to go (home) with the correct keys.
08-26-17, 07:09 PM
#13
Super Moderator
In 1984 I worked at a Chevrolet store and we locked both simple mechanical keys inside a Corvette.
Close of business Saturday night we needed to move it from it's display spot outside the gates.
We ended up taking every (Every!) key from the hook board (300+!) and tried each door key in
the Vette door. Half an hour later, click, a Chevette key turned! The companion ignition key did
not work in the Corvette BTW but we were good to go (home) with the correct keys.
Close of business Saturday night we needed to move it from it's display spot outside the gates.
We ended up taking every (Every!) key from the hook board (300+!) and tried each door key in
the Vette door. Half an hour later, click, a Chevette key turned! The companion ignition key did
not work in the Corvette BTW but we were good to go (home) with the correct keys.
08-27-17, 05:54 AM
#14
Duplicated VIN should trigger some kind of database error because it is suppose to be the ID for each vehicle. Given that VIN can only be reused every 30 years, it should only be possible to save similar VIN in combination with a different Year.
