With just eight days left for Volkswagen to present a solution to its emissions-cheating diesels, the automaker has announced that it has come up with a “service procedure” aimed to put the 11 million affected cars into compliance. These vehicles used the EA189 diesel engine and were not equipped with an exhaust-cleaning aftertreatment system. According to VW, some five million of the total carry Volkswagen badges; the balance includes cars from brands such as Audi, Škoda, and SEAT.
-In a statement released today, VW says that it “and other Group brands whose vehicles are affected will present the technical solutions and measures to the responsible authorities in October.” We take this to mean VW intends to meet the deadline imposed by the German authorities.
-This official statement comes after Reuters reported that CEO Matthias Müller said that Volkswagen would contact TDI owners within “the next few days” to bring in their cars for repair. Müller could be referring to European customers, as Volkswagen and Audi of America have not initiated an official recall. Reached for comment, a U.S. VW spokesman said, “We don’t have any information on what the remedy might be at the moment, but we are working on it as a matter of the utmost urgency.”
-On September 27, Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority demanded the automaker plan its repair schedule by October 7 or face an outright ban on the affected cars from driving in the country. On Monday, a report claimed that Bosch—the supplier behind VW’s engine-management software—told the company in 2007 that it was illegal to use the software on anything but test vehicles. Another report claimed that Volkswagen shelved the use of a urea-injection system when it was developing the diesel engines in 2005 because the move saved $335 per car. (It’s worth noting that the 2015 models included in this scandal use the newer EA288 diesel engine and are fitted with urea-injection systems; these cars, however, also had the so-called “defeat device” software code.)
-Here is the full text of today’s statement:
-Volkswagen AG is announcing its action plan to correct the emissions characteristics of diesel vehicles.
-In a first step, the customers affected will be informed that the emissions characteristics of their vehicles will be corrected in the near future. All vehicles are technically safe and roadworthy.
-Under the action plan, Volkswagen and the other Group brands whose vehicles are affected will present the technical solutions and measures to the responsible authorities in October.
-Customers with these vehicles will be kept informed over the coming weeks and months. All of the Group brands affected will set up national websites to update customers on developments.
-An internal evaluation on Friday established that a service procedure is required for some five million vehicles from the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand out of a total eleven million Group vehicles worldwide. These vehicles from certain models and model years (such as the sixth generation Volkswagen Golf, the seventh generation Volkswagen Passat or the first generation Volkswagen Tiguan) are fitted with Type EA189 diesel engines.
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- Report: Bosch Warned VW About Diesel Emissions Cheating in 2007 -
- Germany Gives Volkswagen 10 Days to Present Solution to Diesel-Emissions Problem -
- VW Diesel Emissions Scandal: Ongoing Coverage from Car and Driver -
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VW of America has already set up its website for information about its noncompliant TDI models at vwdieselinfo.com.
-This story was published prior to the release of VW’s official statement and has been updated.
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