Daimler Takes a Billion-dollar Hit for Diesel Violations

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

There’s a whiff of diesel in the air this morning, as all the news out of Europe seems to stem from compression-ignition trickery by German automakers. Hot on the heels of the indictment of Volkswagen boss Herbert Diess and his company’s chairman, Daimler finds itself on the hook for nearly $1 billion in fines in the same country.

The penalty comes by way of Germany prosecutors who claim some 684,000 Mercedes-Benz vehicles came equipped with rigged exhaust gas after-treatment systems.

A two-year probe into Daimler’s diesel engines resulted in a 870 million euro ($960 million) fine for “negligent violation” of clean air standards. The engines found in certain C- and E- Class vehicles apparently emit illegal amounts of nitrogen oxide — the key ingredient in smog.

Last month, Der Spiegel reported that Germany’s transport authority, KBA, ordered Daimler to recall 280,000 vehicles, with the automaker potentially facing fines of 5,000 euros per offending vehicle. Around the same time, strict emissions requirements in Europe forced Daimler to offer existing diesel owners a $3,350 subsidy to cover the cost of upgrading exhaust treatment systems in older models. Without it, many owners would find their personal vehicles banned from certain city centers.

“According to the public prosecutor’s findings, the negligent violation of supervisory duties caused at least in part that certain vehicles of Daimler AG had partly deviated from regulatory requirements since 2008,” Daimler said in a statement.

“After weighing all aspects, Daimler has refrained from taking a legal remedy in the public prosecutor’s administrative offense proceeding. It is in the Company’s best interest to end the administrative offense proceeding in a timely and comprehensive manner and thereby conclude this matter.”

[Image: Murilee Martin/TTAC]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Thejohnnycanuck Thejohnnycanuck on Sep 24, 2019

    Not only this but they couldn't even make the podium in Singapore. Boy, talk about a rough week.

  • Dal20402 Dal20402 on Sep 24, 2019

    Was there a single Euro 5 passenger car diesel that wasn't fraudulent? I have yet to be convinced one exists.

    • See 1 previous
    • ThomasSchiffer ThomasSchiffer on Sep 24, 2019

      @kurkosdr This news has been on the radio for the entire day. There was actually no mention of defeat devices. Rather, the issue is that the vehicles were given a certification of passable emissions when in reality they emitted more NOx than was permissible according to EU limits. I believe the figure for Europe is 40 mg of NOx per cubic meter (USA is 100 mg of NOx per cubic meter). ‘Laut Begründung der Staatsanwaltschaft wurde in der Abteilung für Fahrzeugzertifizierung die Aufsichtspflicht "fahrlässig" verletzt. Autos hätten eine Genehmigung für den Straßenverkehr erhalten, obwohl sie mehr Stickoxid ausstießen als nach EU-Norm zulässig.’ Daimler is paying the fine to keep the ‘social peace’. Source —> https://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/daimler-dieselskandal-101.html

  • Lorenzo Heh. The major powers, military or economic, set up these regulators for the smaller countries - the big guys do what they want, and always have. Are the Chinese that unaware?
  • Lorenzo The original 4-Runner, by its very name, promised something different in the future. What happened?
  • Lorenzo At my age, excitement is dangerous. one thing to note: the older models being displayed are more stylish than their current versions, and the old Subaru Forester looks more utilitarian than the current version. I thought the annual model change was dead.
  • Lorenzo Well, it was never an off-roader, much less a military vehicle, so let the people with too much money play make believe.
  • EBFlex The best gift would have been a huge bonfire of all the fak mustangs in inventory and shutting down the factory that makes them.Heck, nobody would even have to risk life and limb starting the fire, just park em close together and wait for the super environmentally friendly EV fire to commence.
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