VW Diesel Cars in Big Trouble
VW engineered a “defeat device” into their emissions system for 2009 to 2015 TDI Volkswagen Golf, Jetta, Beetle and Audi A3s, and the 2014 to 2015 Passat. Fines could be up to $37,500 a day, and almost half a million cars could be effected.
Yes, it’s a catastrophe. There’s no other way to describe the allegations from the Environmental Protection Agency that Volkswagen cheated on their emissions tests with nearly half a million TDI diesel cars. What’s at stake here? Potentially billions in fines, criminal prosecutions, VW’s reputation, and maybe even the future of diesel in the U.S.
On Friday the EPA said VW found a way to circumvent emissions requirements during testing with a “defeat device” that lets the TDI cars detect when they are being tested and then emit far less than normal.
When the device is not working, and the cars are operating in regular driving, they emit 10 to 40 times more than the allowable legal levels of certain pollutants.
Make no mistake that this scandal is a huge deal. If the EPA’s allegations are true, VW knowingly broke the law with some of their most important products and could face severe financial and criminal penalties. And even in an era of recall after recall, Automotive News puts this well: “Compared with other run-ins between the EPA and automakers, VW’s alleged violation stands out in its brazenness.”
I own a 2011 VW TDI Sportwagen and I love it. I currently have 140,000 miles on it and I consistently get 45 mpg. Worse case scenario that I can think of? New York won’t let me register it. We shall see. What I don’t want? I don’t want the lawyers to get 90% leaving the consumer gettting ten cents on the dollar.