VW cheating on diesel emissions testing in the U.S. market - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

renaissanceman · #1 09-20-2015, 07:25 PM

I'm hoping this does not usher in another era of diesel hating/regulation.

I was looking forward to buying a brand new Jetta TDI in the (somewhat) near future to join my 300D in the garage, but that might not happen now that the gov't is reaming VW a new one. I wonder if they even continue to sell the TDIs in North America...

It's a sad day for dieselheads.

leathermang · #2 09-20-2015, 07:44 PM

Why would a Government testing agency be depending on the equipment supplied by the TesTee ?
Ripe for cheating from the get go....

psaboic · #3 09-20-2015, 07:51 PM

To be perfectly honest.....I could care less. I have two TDI's in my driveway, a 2002 Jetta, and a 2013 Passat. They do exactly what I want them to do, start, drive very well, and get incredible fuel economy.

Let people get pissed at VW, and want to dump them.....it will just flood the market with used TDI's and I will pick up my next one at a bargain basement price!

renaissanceman · #4 09-21-2015, 01:35 AM

I'm thinking it may affect them being able to sell in the US market after the gov't shakedown...which may have the opposite effect and make the used market tighter. Time shall tell. I'm just hoping that this does not start a cascade of diesel hate/regulations.

They are talking fines of $18 billion...while GM gets a $900 million slap on the wrist for covering up faulty ignition switches that actually caused the deaths of ~100 people. Favoritism maybe?

Knee jerk reactions from regulators could be bad news. Hopefully I'm totally wrong!

m1tch · #5 09-21-2015, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renaissanceman

I'm thinking it may affect them being able to sell in the US market after the gov't shakedown...which may have the opposite effect and make the used market tighter. Time shall tell. I'm just hoping that this does not start a cascade of diesel hate/regulations.

They are talking fines of $18 billion...while GM gets a $900 million slap on the wrist for covering up faulty ignition switches that actually caused the deaths of ~100 people. Favoritism maybe?

Knee jerk reactions from regulators could be bad news. Hopefully I'm totally wrong!

Its because GM didn't break any rules, they just make bad cars that kill people, whereas VW actively added something to negate the rules - I guess its a bit like when people decat a car and then just reinstall the cat for the 1 days of the MOT.

renaissanceman · #6 09-21-2015, 02:43 AM

Looks like VW has suspended sales of all TDI vehicles.

m1tch · #7 09-21-2015, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renaissanceman

Looks like VW has suspended sales of all TDI vehicles.

This can only be bad news for all diesel powered cars - eg there will now probably be a push for emissions testing on all diesel cars - in the UK we don't have emissions checks for diesels only that if there were a cat in place when the car was new its still there.

renaissanceman · #8 09-21-2015, 02:53 AM

Yep, my thoughts exactly. And higher standards that may kill the diesel segment of the new vehicle market. Very sad.

m1tch · #9 09-21-2015, 03:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renaissanceman

Yep, my thoughts exactly. And higher standards that may kill the diesel segment of the new vehicle market. Very sad.

I guess I am glad that I can technically class my car as 'alternative fuel' as I can run mine on veg oil etc *crosses fingers*

mannys9130 · #10 09-21-2015, 03:29 AM

I'm not surprised. I have never been a fan of the VAG...

Mxfrank · #11 09-21-2015, 07:25 AM

My first reaction was that something must be wrong here...the testing was done by an independent group of activists and the University of West Virginia. This seemed like and odd thing. The explanation seemed too pat, and the reaction too quick. But if you review the information on the EPA site and at CARB, it's anything but an overreaction. The problem has been known for some time, maybe years. Regulators notified VW quietly last year. VW proposed a software fix and a recall, which turned out not to fix the problem. In negotiations, they admitted that the software was designed to rig the test...apparently, it used ECU inputs for wheel speed, steering angle, and engine conditions to determine if it was on a rolling road and adjusted accordingly. This clearly constitutes a defeat mechanism under the law, which triggers a $37,500 fine for every single non-compliant car produced. Hundreds of thousands of cars, billions in fines. And having admitted what they did, there's no viable defense.

What's even more concerning is that their software fix didn't work, which raises the question of whether their emissions systems can ever be made to work. And since their system derives from the same Bluetec technology that all the German manufacturers use, you can bet there's going to be a lot more scrutiny of the diesel sector, and not just VW.

tbomachines · #12 09-21-2015, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renaissanceman

I'm thinking it may affect them being able to sell in the US market after the gov't shakedown...which may have the opposite effect and make the used market tighter. Time shall tell. I'm just hoping that this does not start a cascade of diesel hate/regulations.

They are talking fines of $18 billion...while GM gets a $900 million slap on the wrist for covering up faulty ignition switches that actually caused the deaths of ~100 people. Favoritism maybe?

Knee jerk reactions from regulators could be bad news. Hopefully I'm totally wrong!

NHTSA vs EPA is the difference...

Sent from an abacus

DieselJim · #13 09-21-2015, 08:59 AM

This one hurts. VW got out of BlueTEC in 2007 because of branding. How much different is the technology? I don't think this will kill Diesel in the US but maybe in California.

andrewjtx · #14 09-21-2015, 09:03 AM

The EPA is far from what I would consider an above-board entity themselves. At this point, we've only heard the side from the federal imperial government. I'd like to see the full investigation and a response from VAG.

I'm now divested of all VAG products, not because of this. I can say that the wife's '05 Passat got great mileage for a heavy wagon. And it didn't require a piss-tank. That said, it pisses me off that all of these rednecks "rolling coal" drive on every day and cause real pollution damage.

barry12345 · #15 09-21-2015, 09:28 AM

Unless something is really worked out the diesel line of Volkswagons in north America may be history. Strange Volkswagon had an opportunity to fix the claimed problem and did not as well. That portion is very disturbing unless there are politics at some level involved.

I wonder if they will try a buyback scheme to mitigate some of the fine amounts? They also may have no choice if the government orders them or worse the owners to get the tdis off the road as well. Or at least the ones with the manipulative electronics. Depending on if that statement is really true or not.

I wonder if we might also see a real court battle. There is so much money at stake. There may have to allow some form of comprimise anyways.