Eight months after Oliver Schmidt — a former executive with Volkswagen’s regulatory compliance office — was arrested for his part in the company’s “Dieselgate” scandal, he has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and fraud charges. [More]
defeat device
Former Audi Exec Charged In Connection With VW’s ‘Dieselgate’
By 7.7.17
Seven months after federal authorities charged six Volkswagen executives for their part in the company’s “dieselgate” scandal, they are turning their sights toward leaders at VW’s luxury sibling Audi, accusing a former executive of giving orders that led to the diesel engine cheating scandal. [More]
If VW Executive Comes To The U.S., The Authorities Will Be Waiting
By 6.26.17
Back in January, federal authorities filed criminal charges against six Volkswagen executives for their part in the company’s “dieselgate” scandal. Just last week, international arrest warrants were issued for some of those individuals who live in Germany, prompting lawyers for one engineer to warn him not to leave the country. [More]
Justice Dept. May Go After Fiat Chrysler For Skirting Emissions Standards
By 5.18.17
Now that both the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) have accused Fiat Chrysler of using “defeat device” software to skirt emission standards in more than 100,000 vehicles, the Department of Justice is expected to file a lawsuit against carmaker. [More]
VW To Pay $1.25B To Buy Back, Fix Cars With Emissions-Cheating ‘Defeat Devices’
By 2.1.17
And just like that, Volkswagen’s years-long “Dieselgate” scandal is nearing a conclusion as the carmaker has finally reached an agreement with federal regulators to fix and compensate owners of 78,000 3-liter diesel engine vehicles equipped with so-called defeat devices. [More]
Fiat Chrysler Accused Of Using Potential “Defeat Devices” In More Than 100,000 Trucks, SUVs
By 1.12.17
A day announcing criminal charges and a $4.3 billion settlement in the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” scandal, the Environmental Protection Agency is accusing another carmaker, Fiat Chrysler, of using “defeat device” software to skirt emission standards in more than 100,000 vehicles. [More]
Dodge Ram Owners Accuse Chrysler Of Cheating On Emissions
By 11.14.16
Owners of Dodge Ram trucks are now claiming that Fiat Chrysler installed so-called “defeat device” technology — though different from what was found in Volkswagen’s ongoing “Dieselgate” scandal — that was allegedly designed to do a bad job of restricting emissions. [More]
Harley-Davidson To Pay $15M To Resolve Creation Of “Super Tuners” That Violate Emission Standards
By 8.18.16
Turns out that the use of so-called “defeat devices” to cheat federal emissions standards isn’t just relegated to four-wheeled vehicles made by Volkswagen. Harley-Davidson today agreed to settle charges it violated the Clean Air Act by paying $15 million, as well as buying back and destroying nearly 340,000 “super tuners” that emit higher amounts of certain air pollutants than what the company certified to EPA. [More]
Volkswagen May Compensate Dealers Over Diesel Emissions Scandal
By 7.18.16
Last month, Volkswagen agreed to compensate owners of more than 500,000 vehicles equipped with “defeat devices” used to skirt emission standards. Now, the carmaker is reportedly promising to also make it up to dealers affected by the scandal through an unspecified restitution plan. [More]
Chevy Cruze Owners Sue Carmaker Over Alleged Use Of Emissions “Defeat Device”
By 6.22.16
A week after General Motors was hit with a potential class action lawsuit related to the carmakers admission that it had incorrectly calculated the fuel economy on several SUV models, the company’s Chevrolet division is facing a second lawsuit alleging it tricked consumers into paying more for diesel-engine Chevy Cruze Turbo sedans equipped with emissions-cheating software. [More]
Volkswagen Gets More Time To Sort Out Buy-Back/Fix Plan For Cheating Diesels
By 6.16.16
In April, Volkswagen and federal regulators came to a proposed settlement agreement that would see the embattled carmaker offer to buy back hundreds of thousands of vehicles equipped with emissions-cheating “defeat devices.” However, that plan was still far from final, and didn’t explain how VW would actually fix these cars. The court had given the company and the government until June 21 to reach a final agreement, but now that deadline has been extended — just the latest extension for the carmaker that admitted to using emissions-cheating software in more than 11 million vehicles worldwide. [More]
VW’s Emissions-Cheating Scandal Could Cost Carmaker More Than $18B
By 4.28.16
It doesn’t pay to cheat. That’s the moral of Volkswagen’s ongoing emissions-cheating scandal after the carmaker announced Thursday that its tab for fixing vehicles, compensating owners, and paying fines to federal regulators in the U.S. could exceed the $18 billion previously earmarked to address the scandal. [More]
VW Allegedly Deleted Info Related To “Defeat Devices” In Violation Of Federal Order
By 3.14.16
Volkswagen employees allegedly deleted data related to the company’s use of so-called “defeat devices” for three days after federal regulators ordered the company to preserve the information for a future investigation, a former worker claims in a lawsuit against the company. [More]
Report: Volkswagen Chief Executive Knew Of Diesel “Defeat Device” Investigation In 2014
By 2.15.16
At least some high-ranking executives at Volkswagen knew a year in advance about a probe into the carmaker’s diesel vehicles that eventually uncovered “defeat devices” that skirted federal emission standards, new internal documents reveal. [More]
VW Buyback Plan Seems More Likely As Company Struggles To Find Fix For Emission-Cheating Vehicles
By 1.29.16
Since Volkswagen admitted last year to using “defeat devices” in certain cars to cheat on emissions tests, some owners and consumer advocates have pushed for the carmaker to buy back affected vehicles from customers. VW had resisted this idea, but without any other resolution in the offing, a mass buyback offer is beginning to look possible.
[More]
VW Expands “Goodwill Package” To Include 3-Liter Vehicles That Evade Emissions Standards
By 1.12.16
Back in November, Volkswagen announced a “goodwill package” of cash and credit intended to placate some owners of supposed “clean diesel” cars that were rigged to cheat emissions tests. Now the company is expanding this offer to include owners of 3-liter diesel cars from VW, Audi, and Porsche. [More]
Volkswagen CEO: We Are Not Crooks
By 1.11.16
While Volkswagen is currently the target of numerous civil lawsuits — including one filed last week by the federal government — there is still the possibility VW could face criminal charges. But the company’s CEO contends that no real crime was actually committed. [More]
VW Reportedly Considering Buying Back More Than 50,000 Emissions-Cheating Cars In The U.S.
By 1.8.16
Volkswagen may buy back tens of thousands of vehicles in the United States if the company can’t find an easy way to remove “defeat devices” that allow the cars to evade emissions standards. [More]
