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VW scandal: fix for defeat device is a fudge

Published on 07.07.2016

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PRESS STATEMENT - 07.07.2016

European owners of a VW group car have even more reason to feel misled and unsettled following a test by Italian consumer group Altroconsumo, a BEUC member organisation. The test of an Audi Q5 after the removal of the defeat device revealed that NOx emissions were 25% higher than legal limits allow.

 

Monique Goyens, Director General of The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) commented:

“This is another blow for EU consumers and a new dimension of the VW scandal. This test by our Italian member clearly demonstrates that VW’s solution to deactivate the defeat device is not reliable.

“It is imperative that the German testing agency who approved the fix, but also their national counterparts, urgently re-examine the solutions to repair the affected cars and that they publish these results. Consumers need to be 100% certain that their car will be in conformity with emission thresholds after the recall.

“Volkswagen justifies compensation payments to US consumers with the argument that their cars cannot be as easily fixed as in Europe. This excuse now seems to be built on sand. VW must compensate European consumers. This is the only possible way forward for VW to make up for this ongoing consumer detriment.

“National public authorities must finally take action and put pressure on VW to correct their misbehaviour.”

ENDS

Click here for more information about the test.

(Updated on 8 July 2016)

 

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