It was recently revealed that Volkswagen is guilty of skirting US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emission laws on models of vehicles sold between 2009 and 2015. Volkswagen claimed the models were “clean-diesel”, when in fact, they were not. This scandal has caused Volkswagen’s reputation to nosedive and slews of duped car owners to file lawsuits.
Vehicles labelled as “TDI” after the model name apparently indicated they were “clean-diesel” models. TDI versions of the Jetta, Passat, Golf, Jetta Sportwagon and the Beetle were supposedly running with 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engines, while models of versions of the Audi A6, A7, A8, Q5, and Q7, the Porsche Cayenne Diesel, and the Volkswagen Touareg TDI were purportedly powered by 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel engines. It is estimated 480,000 vehicles are affected.
Volkswagen has confessed they installed software equipped with a “defeat device” that could recognize when the vehicle was undergoing emission testing. Due to various factors, the vehicle could sense when it was in testing mode and reduce the generation of nitrous oxide, making it appear to be compliant with EPA emission laws. Volkswagen was accidently exposed by an independent clean-air group conducting a study on emission standards and efficiency of diesel cars. As a result, EPA tested Volkswagen’s 2016 models and did not certify them after determining the models exceeded emissions testing outside of a lab.
For now, affected car owners can do nothing but wait. Volkswagen has stated that they are trying to work on a solution to meet the emissions standards and are assuring customers that the vehicles are safe to drive. When a solution has been found, the cars will be recalled to make repairs.
However, the scandal may cause some long-term issues for consumers. The resale values of the affected vehicles are expected to plummet and the predicted performance and fuel efficiency may not be as ideal once a fix is found. There is also the concern that owners may not be able to re-sell or re-register the vehicles until they are fixed because the cars are considered to be “illegal”.
The fallout from this scandal has been severe. Volkswagen’s CEO has resigned and shares are down by about 20%. Consumers feel cheated and Volkswagen’s reputation has been slashed. The company is said to be possibly facing fines of $40 billion dollars or more.
Multiple class-action suits have been filed and the company is still struggling to find a solution to an issue it knowingly created.
If you, a loved one, friend, neighbor, colleague or client has purchased or owned an affected Volkswagen vehicle, please contact our firm at 561-655-1990 or chat with us at www.ForYourRights.com. We are available to answer your questions 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.
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Conveniently located in West Palm Beach for 27 years, Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath, LLP concentrates in Personal Injury, Wrongful death, Medical Malpractice, Product Liability and Auto accidents. At Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath, we specialize in helping victims and their families get fair compensation for injuries caused by the negligence or recklessness of others. Our main areas of practice include personal injury, wrongful death, auto accidents, product liability, medical malpractice, and premise liability. We provide each client with the highest quality representation from a top Florida accident and injury lawyer.
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