You hear about the VW/Audi recall???!!!!

[slo town]

"The Environmental Protection Agency issued the company a notice of violation and accused the company of breaking the law by installing software known as a "defeat device" in 4-cylinder Volkswagen and Audi vehicles from model years 2009-15. The device is programmed to detect when the car is undergoing official emissions testing, and to only turn on full emissions control systems during that testing. Those controls are turned off during normal driving situations, when the vehicles pollute far more heavily than reported by the manufacturer, the E.P.A. said."

This is corporate dishonestly at the highest level. They should be fined billions.

Scott

 

[Klutch9]

Link? So what does the recall do, turn those emissions controls on all the time?

 

[wemay]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/19/busine...tware.html?_r=0

 

[typ901]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/19/busine...tware.html?_r=0

 

[kschachn]

No real details are given in that article, why do I get the impression this is far less a big deal than it's being made out to be?

 

[kam327]

Just read about it here.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/busines...rules/72401296/



I smell a third billion-dollar fine coming (after Toyota and GM).

 

[Shrubitup]

Evil German air polluters!

 

[wemay]

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/busines...rules/72401296/

"The issue first came to the attention of the agencies in 2014 after independent analysis by researchers at West Virginia University, working with the International Council on Clean Transportation, a non-governmental organization, raised questions about emissions levels, and the agencies began further investigations into the issue.

In September, after EPA and CARB demanded an explanation for the identified emission problems, Volkswagen admitted that the cars contained defeat devices, the agencies said."

 

[Nick1994]

My aunt's 2013 VW Beetle TDI is supposedly affected by it. It got a recall letter earlier this year about needing to re-program the computer for emissions something or other. I took it in for the recall and the car gets the same mpg and has the same performance.

Why is this now coming out?

 

[slo town]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
No real details are given in that article, why do I get the impression this is far less a big deal than it's being made out to be?

Intentional fraud "is far less a big deal"? Hmmm...

All I know is that I rather like it that America doesn't become a polluted cesspool like regions in China. China lets big business run wild - at the expense of their powerless citizens. I feel sorry for these people and am happy to live in more regulated nation that isn't being poisoned in order to increase corporate profits.

You have a dog? Buy Chinese dog food. You know how that ended up. Want to buy formula for your new baby? Buy Chinese formula. You know how that ended up.

To heck with government oversight and regulation!

Scott

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
No real details are given in that article, why do I get the impression this is far less a big deal than it's being made out to be?


I agree with you, my guess is the story is more about sensationalism than substance, it may be that the programming is legal, but the parameters were not exactly correct. I doubt that VW is going to purposely program the emissions to fail compliance in any way.
It is an oversight which will be easily corrected with a reflash of the ECU.

 

[Kawiguy454]

No international fraud is not a big deal! We've got Iran on track to a nuke NK has nukes and is rattling it will use them. China is building military islands and russia is on the move as well.

And its a big deal that a company tweaked its ECU to optimize testing parameters? How about this ...its an enviro wacko cash grab cause if you haven't noticed the vault is full of IOU's.

 

[Kool1]

It appears as though these are allegations which are not fully substantiated. There are too many stories from all sides to draw conclusive facts at this time.

 

[wemay]

Hyundai/KIA*, Ford, BMW and Mercedes Benz with mpg restatements and now VW/Audi with this. They were all looking to get away with something and got caught with their grubby hands in the cookie jar. They'd like you to believe it was a programming error. I ain't buying it though.

*by far, the worse offender in the mpg arena.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
My aunt's 2013 VW Beetle TDI is supposedly affected by it. It got a recall letter earlier this year about needing to re-program the computer for emissions something or other. I took it in for the recall and the car gets the same mpg and has the same performance.

Why is this now coming out?


I don't understand this. If the car still passes smog without this defeat software and performs the same without it, why would they add it in the first place?

Aren't diesels exempt from smog anyway?

 

[czbrian]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
My aunt's 2013 VW Beetle TDI is supposedly affected by it. It got a recall letter earlier this year about needing to re-program the computer for emissions something or other. I took it in for the recall and the car gets the same mpg and has the same performance.

Why is this now coming out?


Perhaps the change is too small to measure accurately at home such as a 1/3 mpg difference or 10 hp? For the manufacturers though producing thousands of vehicles they might need that slight boost to meet there CAFE standards? Just a guess on my part.

 

[Garak]

All automakers set up their emissions systems and fuel economy programs to pass the actual tests, not necessarily to be what's "best" for the environment (whatever that might be) or for best real world fuel economy.

 

[Win]

Wow, pretty brazen stuff. Makes you wonder what else they have cheated on.

I'll take a WAG that EPA will make this really expensive for VW, and some people may have to go to jail to appease them.

edit: Still, there is a bright side. At last there is proof they can make an electrical gizmo that works as it was intended.

 

[kam327]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
My aunt's 2013 VW Beetle TDI is supposedly affected by it. It got a recall letter earlier this year about needing to re-program the computer for emissions something or other. I took it in for the recall and the car gets the same mpg and has the same performance.

Why is this now coming out?


Maybe that was for something else. My coworker with a 2013 Jetta TDI was surprised by this.

 

[kam327]

Originally Posted By: Kool1
It appears as though these are allegations which are not fully substantiated. There are too many stories from all sides to draw conclusive facts at this time.



In September, after EPA and CARB demanded an explanation for the emission problems, Volkswagen admitted that the cars contained defeat devices, the agencies said.