Thread: VW caught by the Yanks for breaking emission laws

WV halts all sales of diesels in the US. Korea is now testing for the VW deception and the German govt has launched an investigation into it. Meanwhile CEO of VW has released a statement

Statement of Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, CEO of Volkswagen AG:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board (EPA and CAR revealed their findings that while testing diesel cars of the Volkswagen Group they have detected manipulations that violate American environmental standards.

The Board of Management at Volkswagen AG takes these findings very seriously. I personally am deeply sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers and the public. We will cooperate fully with the responsible agencies, with transparency and urgency, to clearly, openly, and completely establish all of the facts of this case. Volkswagen has ordered an external investigation of this matter.

We do not and will not tolerate violations of any kind of our internal rules or of the law.

The trust of our customers and the public is and continues to be our most important asset. We at Volkswagen will do everything that must be done in order to re-establish the trust that so many people have placed in us, and we will do everything necessary in order to reverse the damage this has caused. This matter has first priority for me, personally, and for our entire Board of Management.

VW must now be facing the equivalent of an airline plane crash.

Looks serious share price down 17%.

Be interesting to see if this was just US cars or global?
Has VW set up a corporate structure which ring fences it's US operations to protect themselves from US courts?

They are at least protected from take over by the corporate ownership structure in Germany so that us one worry the management will not have to concern themselves with.

Be surprised if it didn't also apply to VWs and Audis sold here. Is the testing method different here? I thought we followed European standards.
This raises the question about people blocking the EGR here. Does that mean the vehicle would fail an emissions test and so is actually unroadworthy? Would that be grounds for an insurance company to reject a claim? I don't know the answer, but its interesting.

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Not sure if it will make much difference to consumers here, but the uk will be interesting where it affects rego cost.

American emissions testing is based (incorrectly) on particulate emission. Diesels therefore have a harder time passing their tests than petrols even though diesel particulates aren't that dangerous. That's why there are relatively few Diesels in the states compared to all other markets. You can drive a 6 litre v8 petrol there but not a 1.3 diesel. It's completely crap way of emissions testing IMHO

Our testing is based on the European standard which is totally different than the American style of testing. The ruling will have no legal impact here or in Europe . It might affect sales but it really shouldn't. But that's the rumour mill for you. If they used European tests on all the so called illegal cars in the US, they'd all pass.


Pricey

An opinion on reddit was that the rules for diesels is deliberately set too high / difficult by the EPA. Slanted more towards petrol (errr gasoline).

Originally Posted by gusthedog

even though diesel particulates aren't that dangerous.

so when research says diesel exhaust is carcinogenic, if not the particulate part, what part are they referring to?

Volkswagen Sets Aside $7.2 Billion to Pay for Emissions Cheating Scandal - NBC News