Photo: Catalin Garmacea
At the beginning of November, the Environmental Protection Agency accused Volkswagen U.S. of installing the defeat device on V6 3.0-liter TDI engines sold in America in addition to the hundreds of thousands of affected 2.0 TDI models. We can still clearly remember how VW initially rejected the findings, while Porsche officials used words like "shocked" and "surprised."
Well, it turns out that everything the EPA said was true as Volkswagen of America has released a statement today admitting that 85,000 cars or so equipped with the V6 diesel engine and built between the 2009 and 2016 model years indeed have defeat devices.
According to company spokesman Jeri Ward, the software is derived from that installed on the 2.0 TDI Clean Diesel engine. So presumably, it works the same way, switching to a different engine map when it senses the vehicle is undergoing emissions testing.
A detailed list of all the model years and cars that are affected has not been released. However, we suspect Audi is worse off because it had a major push a few years ago when it installed this engine on the A6, A7, A8, Q5, and Q7. However, the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne will also be targeted by a new TDI recall we believe will take place towards the end of 2016.
"VW has once again failed its obligation to comply with the law that protects clean air for all Americans. All companies should be playing by the same rules. EPA, with our state, and federal partners, will continue to investigate these serious matters, to secure the benefits of the Clean Air Act, ensure a level playing field for responsible businesses, and to ensure consumers get the environmental performance they expect," said EPA spokesperson Cynthia Giles in a statement released earlier.
In our eyes, Volkswagen's second major violation of the Clean Air Act proves that diesel engines are a big no-no. Many folks believed the 3.0 TDI did not have the defeat device because, unlike some of the 2.0 TDI engines, it had AdBlue installed. But even with this urea system, models like the Touareg were found to emit NOx levels "up to nine times the EPA standard."
Amusingly… or not, even though the problems were detected in America, the European customers are likely to be the worst off. The vast majority of big cars sold by VW Group in this domestic continent are equipped with diesel engines. In fact, you can only buy the Touareg with the 3.0 TDI engine.
Despite this, Volkswagen has said it will not buy back the affected cars from customers. Each country is conducting its own investigation regarding the scandal, and in September Volkswagen UK said that V6 TDI and V8 TDI engines were not equipped with the defeat device.
Editor's note: Somebody needs to found GAUAVS (Global Agency to Uncover All of Volkswagen's Secrets). You heard it here first!
According to company spokesman Jeri Ward, the software is derived from that installed on the 2.0 TDI Clean Diesel engine. So presumably, it works the same way, switching to a different engine map when it senses the vehicle is undergoing emissions testing.
A detailed list of all the model years and cars that are affected has not been released. However, we suspect Audi is worse off because it had a major push a few years ago when it installed this engine on the A6, A7, A8, Q5, and Q7. However, the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne will also be targeted by a new TDI recall we believe will take place towards the end of 2016.
"VW has once again failed its obligation to comply with the law that protects clean air for all Americans. All companies should be playing by the same rules. EPA, with our state, and federal partners, will continue to investigate these serious matters, to secure the benefits of the Clean Air Act, ensure a level playing field for responsible businesses, and to ensure consumers get the environmental performance they expect," said EPA spokesperson Cynthia Giles in a statement released earlier.
In our eyes, Volkswagen's second major violation of the Clean Air Act proves that diesel engines are a big no-no. Many folks believed the 3.0 TDI did not have the defeat device because, unlike some of the 2.0 TDI engines, it had AdBlue installed. But even with this urea system, models like the Touareg were found to emit NOx levels "up to nine times the EPA standard."
Amusingly… or not, even though the problems were detected in America, the European customers are likely to be the worst off. The vast majority of big cars sold by VW Group in this domestic continent are equipped with diesel engines. In fact, you can only buy the Touareg with the 3.0 TDI engine.
Despite this, Volkswagen has said it will not buy back the affected cars from customers. Each country is conducting its own investigation regarding the scandal, and in September Volkswagen UK said that V6 TDI and V8 TDI engines were not equipped with the defeat device.
Editor's note: Somebody needs to found GAUAVS (Global Agency to Uncover All of Volkswagen's Secrets). You heard it here first!
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