Nearly There: Feds Green-light Emission Fix for More Audi Diesels

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

The Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board have approved emissions repairs for another 24,000 Audi vehicles equipped with the 3.0-liter diesel V6.

Back in May, a U.S. District Judge ruled that if Volkswagen Group failed to obtain government approval for fixes on its emissions-cheating diesels, it would be forced to offer owners buy-backs. Keen not to spend even more money as a result of dieselgate, the company went to work on a solution — resulting in an initial 38,000 Audi and Porsche vehicles spared from the wrecking yard.

The new approval covers 2014-2016 Audi A6 Quattro, A7 Quattro, A8, A8L and Q5 diesel models. The vehicles are to have their defeat device software removed and various hardware components replaced to ensure emissions compliance. VW says it has now has a remedy for about 75 percent of its tainted 3.0-liters, and hopes to have a solution for the remaining 20,000 soon.

According to Reuters, the automaker faced up to $4.04 billion in costs without the repairs. In addition to a settlement of $1.22 billion, Volkswagen also agreed to pay owners of fixed cars between $8,500 and $17,000. However, it no longer has to worry about repurchasing every single model sold in the U.S. that skirted regulatory testing.

Of course, the company is still in pretty deep. Before Judge Charles Breyer’s May ruling on the 3.0-liter motors, he previously green-lit a settlement (worth up to $14.7 billion) requiring VW to buy back 475,000 polluting vehicles with 2.0-liter diesel engines. The automaker received fix approvals for those cars in July.

[Image: Volkswagen Group]

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • Dr_outback Dr_outback on Dec 20, 2017

    As a VW/Audi/Porsche Service Advisor, I am looking forward to the last of these modifications that I need to be involved in. Here’s a thought, if a person truly cares about the environment, stop driving any type of car, quit using toilet paper and start a home garden for your primary food needs. Anything less amounts to sanctimony. Full disclosure: I drive a ‘12 JKU, ‘06 Civic, ride a ‘02 SV650S and I (sometimes) use toilet paper (because I shower afterward).

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