VW Diesel Scandal Rocks Auto Industry

Reports of the recent VW diesel scandal revealed that the German automaker cheated on its emissions testing for thousands of its popular diesel vehicles. Representatives admitted that the company applied a “defeat device” to vehicles that underwent emissions tests by authorities in the U.S. and Europe. Vehicles with the device showed emissions within the permissible ranges. However, the VW diesel scandal arose when reports showed that vehicles without the device had toxic pollutant levels of up to 40 times higher than what appeared on the tests.

VW Diesel Scandal: How The “Defeat Device” Worked

The VW diesel scandal came to light with a recent report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA found that the automaker used a sophisticated software algorithm that would fool EPA emissions testing machines. The automaker included the software package on its four-cylinder diesel vehicles. The software would give false readings for testing machines programmed to determine the concentrations of specific air pollutants. When the software was removed, the vehicles mentioned in the VW diesel scandal reports would emit toxic gases at 10 to 40 times the legal limits.

VW Diesel Scandal: Targeted Vehicles

The EPA report on the VW diesel scandal lists more than 482,000 vehicles that could be affected by the false tests. These vehicles include:

• 2009-2015 TDI Volkswagen Golf
• 2009-2015 TDI Volkswagen Jetta
• 2009-2015 TDI Volkswagen Beetle
• 2009-2015 Audi A3
• 2014-2015 TDI Volkswagen Passat

All the vehicles in the VW diesel scandal list come with a 2.0 liter, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine.

VW Diesel Scandal: Automaker Faces Civil, Criminal Penalties

Although the company has yet to announce a recall, the automaker does face severe civil and criminal penalties from the VW diesel scandal. The case could result in the company facing a maximum fine of $37,500 per vehicle for its violations of the Clean Air Act, for a total of up to $18 billion in fines. The EPA has also referred the case to the U.S. Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution. The DOJ recently announced a renewed commitment to combat corporate crime, so some observers see the VW diesel scandal as a litmus test for that commitment.

VW Diesel Scandal: Impact on VW Owners

The VW diesel scandal has forced company to issue a stop-sale order to dealers for the remainder of its 2015 TDI inventory. This order means that consumers who were considering a “clean diesel” vehicle will not be able to purchase one. For current owners of the affected vehicles, the VW diesel scandal does not involve a safety issue. The vehicles will continue to operate as normal. However, the recent news may harm the resale value, as well as cause concerns for those drivers who bought their vehicles believing that they had lower emissions.

Source: Jalopnik:

Get Answers For Your Automaker Lawsuit Questions

To find out how we can answer your questions about automaker lawsuits, contact one of our attorneys today. Our intake team will take down the details of your case and quickly connect you to an attorney who understands how to get the most from your automaker lawsuit. You can also fill out the “Free Case Evaluation” form at the top of this page.

NOTE: This blog post is a news story and is not an endorsement of Arguello Law Firm by any party mentioned herein.