Audi Water Pump Settlement: Zhao, Fiscina, and Larr

The Audi water pump settlement is actually two separate class action settlements, both finally approved and both with claim deadlines that have already passed. Zhao v. Volkswagen Group of America covered Audi (and VW) models with 1.8- and 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines; Fiscina v. Volkswagen covered Audis with 3.0-liter V6 engines. If you own a covered vehicle, the extended warranties from those settlements may still be in effect even though you can no longer file a reimbursement claim for past repairs. A newer lawsuit, filed in May 2026, targets later Audi V6 models and is still in its early stages.

Which Settlement Covers Your Audi

Coverage depends on your engine and, ultimately, your VIN. Neither settlement covers every car in the listed model years; eligibility is confirmed by VIN through the settlement administrator.

  • Audis with a 1.8- or 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (EA888 Gen 3 family) fall under the Zhao settlement.
  • Audis with a 3.0-liter V6 (EA839 family) fall under the Fiscina settlement.
  • Audis with a 2.9- or 3.0-liter V6 in model years after Fiscina’s coverage may be part of the pending 2026 Larr lawsuit rather than an existing settlement.

Volkswagen Group of America has denied that any of these pumps are defective, calling them “properly designed, manufactured and sold.”1WaterPumpSettlement.com. Zhao v. Volkswagen Water Pump Settlement No formal recall has been issued for any of the affected engine families.2ClassAction.org. Audi Defective Water Pump Class Action Includes 2021-2022 Vehicle Models With 3.0T Engines

The Zhao Settlement: Four-Cylinder Audis

Zhao received final approval on October 19, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.3CourtListener. Zhao v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. Covered Audi models (subject to VIN confirmation) are:

The defect in these engines involves plastic pump components, including plastic impellers, that crack and let coolant leak, which can lead to overheating and engine damage before the driver notices.1WaterPumpSettlement.com. Zhao v. Volkswagen Water Pump Settlement

What Zhao Paid

The settlement offered three kinds of relief. Past water pump repairs done within 8 years or 80,000 miles of the in-service date were fully reimbursed at authorized dealers, and capped at $1,150 at independent shops.4Top Class Actions. Volkswagen Audi Defective Water Pumps Class Action Settlement Engine damage caused by a failed pump was reimbursed on a sliding scale, from 100% for vehicles under four years old with fewer than 50,000 miles, down to 5% for vehicles seven to eight years old with 70,001 to 80,000 miles. Non-dealer engine repairs were capped at a $4,500 invoice.5WaterPumpSettlement.com. Zhao Settlement Agreement – Exhibit 1

The reimbursement claims deadline was September 8, 2022, and it has passed.6WaterPumpSettlement.com. Zhao Water Pump Settlement FAQs Initial payments went out in March 2023, with a second round around September 2023. Some claimants received denial letters or were asked to resubmit documentation, and as of January 2025 appealed claims were reportedly in final review.4Top Class Actions. Volkswagen Audi Defective Water Pumps Class Action Settlement For status questions, the settlement administrator can be reached at 1-833-711-0261 or through waterpumpsettlement.com.

The Extended Warranty (Still Useful)

Even though you can no longer submit a past-repair claim, the Zhao settlement created an extended warranty that runs for 8 years or 80,000 miles from your car’s in-service date. It covers one water pump repair or replacement at an authorized dealer, plus engine damage caused by pump failure on the same sliding scale.4Top Class Actions. Volkswagen Audi Defective Water Pumps Class Action Settlement The extension took effect on June 10, 2022. To use it, you must show proof that you followed the vehicle’s maintenance schedule, including VW-recommended coolant, within a 10% variance of the scheduled intervals.7NHTSA. Volkswagen Water Pump Limited Warranty Extension TSB

The Fiscina Settlement: V6 Audis

Fiscina, filed in the same New Jersey federal court, received final approval after a September 18, 2024 fairness hearing, with a final effective date of December 25, 2024.8PrimaryWaterPumpSettlement.com. Fiscina v. Volkswagen Primary Water Pump Settlement Covered models, by VIN:

In these engines, the pump’s seals, housing, and internal parts degrade prematurely and let coolant leak into the engine’s vacuum system, which can damage turbochargers and the engine itself.9Carscoops. Audi EA839 Water Pump Lawsuit

What Fiscina Paid

The terms are less generous than Zhao. The extended warranty covers 75% (not 100%) of the cost of a failed primary water pump repair or replacement, and it runs for 7 years or 75,000 miles from the in-service date.10PrimaryWaterPumpSettlement.com. Primary Water Pump Settlement FAQ Engine damage caused by pump failure is reimbursed on a sliding scale from 100% (under four years, fewer than 50,000 miles) down to 10% (over seven years with 65,001 to 75,000 miles). Vehicles already past the seven-year cutoff at the notice date fell into a “timed out” tier of 10% to 35%, but only for repairs made within 90 days of the notice.11PrimaryWaterPumpSettlement.com. Fiscina Settlement Agreement

Non-dealer water pump repairs were capped at $1,200 and non-dealer engine damage repairs at a $5,500 invoice. Proof of maintenance adherence, within 10% of scheduled intervals for the coolant system, was required. The reimbursement claims deadline was September 24, 2024, and has passed. The administrator, Rust Consulting, can be reached at 1-833-637-4020 for warranty questions going forward.12PrimaryWaterPumpSettlement.com. Fiscina Reimbursement Claim Form

If Your Audi Isn’t On Either List: The 2026 Larr Lawsuit

A newer proposed class action, Larr v. Volkswagen Group of America (Case No. 2:26-cv-05678), was filed on May 19, 2026, in the District of New Jersey.13ClassAction.org. Audi Hit With Class Action Lawsuit Over Allegedly Defective Water Pumps It targets Audis with 2.9- or 3.0-liter EA839 V6 engines that fall outside Fiscina’s model-year range, alleging the same pattern: coolant leaks into the vacuum system, causing overheating, vacuum damage, and turbo failure. The plaintiffs claim Audi has known about the defect since at least November 2018. One plaintiff was quoted nearly $6,000 for a repair on a 2019 A6 involving the water pump, PCV valve, and vacuum system.14Road & Track. Audi Class Action Lawsuit Over EA839 Engine Water Pumps

Models named in the complaint include the A4, A5, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Sportback, RS 5, and SQ5 (2018–2024); A6, A7, A8, and Q8 (2019–2024); RS 5 Sportback (2019, 2021–2024); A6 Allroad, S6, S7, and Q7 (2020–2024); A8 e quattro (2020–2021); and SQ5 Sportback (2021–2024).13ClassAction.org. Audi Hit With Class Action Lawsuit Over Allegedly Defective Water Pumps The case is in early proceedings, moving toward discovery and class certification; no dismissal motions have been filed and no hearing dates set.15ClassActionU.org. Audi Facing Class Action Lawsuit Over Allegedly Defective Water Pumps A separate class action filed in March 2024 reportedly targets EA888 four-cylinder water pumps in 2022–2024 VW and Audi models left out of Zhao, though case details remain unclear.

Because Larr is a proposed class action still in the pleading stage, there is nothing to file for yet. If you own a listed model and have paid for a related repair, keep your invoices, service records, and proof of scheduled maintenance; those documents are what any eventual settlement is likely to require.

Canadian Owners

If you bought or leased your Audi in Canada, the U.S. settlements do not apply to you. A separate nationwide Canadian settlement, Blaine Covill v. Volkswagen Group Canada, was heard in the Court of Queen’s Bench for Saskatchewan on December 1, 2023. It covers many of the same Audi lines, including A3, A4, A5, A6, Q3, Q5, Q7, and TT, with an extended warranty and reimbursement for past repairs. The Canadian administrator can be reached at 866-642-0774 or canadianwaterpumpsettlement.ca.16CarComplaints.com. Audi VW Water Pump Settlement Canada