Volkswagen Group, makers of Volkswagen and Audi cars, admitted in September 2015 that it sold cars that intentionally faked their emissions-testing results. The admission came after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice of violation of the Clean Air Act.
The company had installed a defeat device, one that detects when an emissions test is in use and turns on the full emissions controls only during that test, thus leading to inaccurate real-time results. Volkswagen owners were thus intentionally misled into believing that they were buying high-performance, high-mileage, low-emissions vehicles.
The emissions falsification may affect as many as 11 million cars—500,000 in the U.S. —produced from 2009 to 2015 with Type EA 189 engines, which are diesel. According to the EPA and the Chicago Tribune, affected cars include (but may not be limited to) the diesel versions of:
Experts believe that any potential fix for the emissions problem may compromise the affected cars’ performance, mileage, and resale value, as well as the vehicles’ ability to pass inspection.
Volkswagen is currently working on plans to repair the affected vehicles, and will administer the refits during a recall campaign. Volkswagen has admitted that the refitting may take years, as the hardware and software needs are complex, and might impact overall performance. Recently, Volkswagen said its emissions-testing scandal had widened beyond what was previously disclosed, now encompassing a broader set of infractions that could affect about 800,000 more cars and cost the company at least an extra $2 billion. Just prior to that, Volkswagen recorded an accounting charge allocating approximately $7 billion to pay the costs of fixing diesel cars affected by software that could lower emissions during testing.
How the Volkswagen Diesel Emissions Recall Affects You
If you purchased a Volkswagen or Audi that was advertised with the false emissions data, contact an attorney at Hodge & Langley Law Firm immediately. Product recalls require an attorney experienced in this type of litigation, and our firm has decades of experience with product liability and the motor-vehicle industry. You may stand to receive compensation for your vehicle purchase, so contact an attorney today.
Submission of information in this contact form does not establish an attorney-client relationship. In order to establish such a relationship with our firm we require a direct meeting with the attorney.
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