Other Diesel Automakers: We Comply With U.S. Emissions Standards

As Volkswagen's diesel crisis continues, other automakers with diesels deny that they are using similar emissions-control software, which evades emissions testing. That software is in 482,000 diesel Volkswagen and Audi cars in the U.S., VW says. The automaker later revealed that as many as another 10.5 million cars outside the U.S. used the same software.

Related: More on the Volkswagen Diesel Recall

While many people believe that diesels are popular mostly among European luxury vehicles and large American pickup trucks, automakers such as GM and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles build diesel sedans and smaller trucks for the U.S. market. Do those smaller diesels comply with U.S. emissions standards?

An October 2014 report by the International Council on Clean Transportation, which collaborated with West Virginia University to raise questions on Volkswagen's diesels, found "strong evidence of a real-world NOx [nitrogen oxide] compliance issue for recent-technology diesel passenger cars, both for the EU [European Union] and US test vehicles."

But most of ICCT's findings stemmed from European tests, not U.S. ones. Other diesel automakers in the U.S. say they have their diesel ducks in a row, and the European Automobile Manufacturers Association said this week that there's "no evidence that this is an industry-wide issue."

We asked every major automaker that makes a diesel vehicle in the U.S. if it's confident in its compliance with emissions standards. They all denied using defeat devices.

"Jaguar Land Rover does not use any emissions 'defeat' devices or software on its vehicles to falsely pass emissions tests," JLR spokesman Nathan Hoyt told us. "We're confident that they will be fully compliant with all EU and U.S. emissions regulations."

BMW models "are not equipped with systems specifically designed to force engines to work differently in test modes to meet EPA requirements," spokeswoman Rebecca Kiehne said.

In a statement to Cars.com, Mercedes-Benz said it "does not use defeat devices, which illegally limit the effectiveness of the exhaust after-treatment system. This applies to every Mercedes-Benz diesel and gasoline engine worldwide."

Ford spokesman Said Deep said the automaker's "vehicles and engines meet all applicable emissions standards, and they are designed to perform consistently both in the lab and on the road." Ford does not employ any defeat devices, Deep added.

FCA spokesman Eric Mayne said the automaker "works closely and continually with the EPA and CARB [California Air Resource Board] to ensure its vehicles are compliant with all applicable requirements. FCA U.S. does not use 'defeat devices.' "

GM spokesman Pat Morrissey said the automaker "does not use 'defeat devices' in our vehicles."

We asked the EPA if it is investigating other automakers with diesels; the agency did not respond. On Friday, the EPA announced plans to spot-check other diesel vehicles for Clean Air Act compliance.

Editor's note: This story was updated on Sept. 25 to reflect the EPA's decision to check other automakers' diesel vehicles.