Germany’s automotive authority, the KBA, has given Volkswagen final approval to fix all 1.2-, 1.6-, and 2.0-liter diesel engines in Europe.
No buybacks were offered to owners of TDIs that skirted emissions laws in Europe. Instead, a comprehensive recall project was embarked upon to install software and mechanical updates that prevent VWs from emitting more than the legal amount.
The recall applies to about 9 million cars sold in 28 nations by Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, and SEAT. The fix is applied at no cost to the customer, and does not adversely affect fuel consumption, performance, or engine noise, says VW.
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A software fix is all the 1.2 and 2.0-liter engines require, while the 1.6-liter engines need to have a piece of mesh installed to regulate air flow on top of a software fix.
Although this closes one chapter in VW’s TDI scandal, some authorities are still calling on the automaker to compensate European owners. That argument is losing traction, though, now that it is becoming clear that TDIs are holding their value on the second-hand market.
The European technical fixes, unfortunately, do not apply to North American cars. Volkswagen is set to propose its first round of technical fixes for that market early next year.
[Source: Automotive News]
