More VW vehicles have emission-cheating devices

The Environmental Protection Agency and Air Resources Board revealed that Volkswagen, along with its majority-owned subsidiary Audi, admitted during a meeting on November 19 to installing “alternate exhaust control devices” in more vehicles.

Volkswagen AG’s (VW) use of emissions-cheating devices on its larger 3-liter diesel engine cars extends back five years earlier than originally reported, United States regulators said on Friday, deepening the crisis at the German auto giant. The statement concluded with: “Based on this information, EPA and CARB will continue to investigate and take all appropriate action under their respective authorities”. Volkswagen told the EPA that “defeat device” software is on about 85-thousand Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche vehicles with three-liter engines going back to the 2009 model year. Volkswagen also presented California regulators with a proposal to make those cars compliant with pollution standards. Additional VW and Porsche models affected were not disclosed but initially the EPA said it also was on the 2014 VW Touareg and 2015 Porsche Cayenne.

Audi of America had previously issued a stop-sale order for the A6 Quattro, A7 Quattro, A8, A8L and Q5 models from the 2013 to 2016 model years, company spokeswoman Jeri Ward said.

The EPA says that if the engine’s control software detects an emissions test, it enters a “temperature conditioning” mode that limits the output of NOx. That means every VW diesel sold from 2009 onward had the cheating devices.

Stertz said it would cost in the “double-digit” millions of euros to reprogram all the software on the six-cylinder diesels.

“As announced, anything that is not absolutely necessary will be canceled or postponed”, he said after a regular meeting of the company’s supervisory board, according to a press release.

The revelations have sparked investigations in several countries and the company is facing potentially tens of billions of dollars in fines and compensation to vehicle owners.

In a separate announcement Friday, the company said it was slashing spending on new products, factories and initiatives by $1.1 billion a year.

The heads of Volkswagen, while they have expressed deep disappointment for this scandal, have not given any details in regards to recalls.