Volkswagen Says 3.0 Litre Engines Also Affected

The EPA had issued a complaint in which it accused VW of incorporating emission-cheating software into its 3.0-liter V-6 TDI diesels, used by Audi and Porsche as well.

The California Air Resources Board gave Volkswagen AG 45 business days to deliver the plan for the 2009 and newer VW, Audi and Porsche models, according to a statement Wednesday from the agency.

Separately, Audi said late on Monday a “mid-level double-digit million euro” amount will be needed to reprogramme the auxiliary emission control software (AECD) in 3.0 liter diesel engines deemed illicit by US authorities.

Hong Dong Gon, a director at the Ministry of Environment, said in a live television broadcast that the ministry will continue investigating 30,000 other Volkswagen diesel cars for which it did not find evidence of emissions cheating. On the road, however, the vehicles were polluting more than legally allowed.

VW has said that “defeat” software is included in roughly 11 million vehicles fitted with the diesel fours since 2009, and sold worldwide.

The third AECD “relates to the temperature conditioning of the exhaust-gas cleaning system”, Audi said.

Global deliveries at Volkswagen’s namesake brand dropped 5.3 percent in October, as the company lost market share in Europe, the United States, and China.

BBC News reports that many VW owners in Europe now fear that the value of their vehicles will drop because of this issue, and we can understand why that is – who wants to buy a used auto knowing that it has been cheating the system?

Volkswagen has subsequently revealed that beyond the nitrogen oxide scam, it had also understated carbon dioxide emissions of 800 000 vehicles, including petrol cars.

The models affected are the A6, A7, A8, Q5 and Q7.

It also faces billions of euros in legal and recall costs.

“The final technical solution for the 1.2-litre diesel engine will be presented to the Federal Motor Transport Authority at the end of the month and is expected to comprise a software update”, Volkswagen said.

Clearly, VW are going to have another mess to clear up in the USA with the 3.0 litre diesel engines, but it’s unacceptable – if it proves to be the case – that they will escape any kind of sanction in Europe because the regulations are so flawed that the actual emissions of NOx are not subject to limits.