Don’t worry–your Volkswagen diesel car is safe. But VW has been caught in an environmental switcheroo that could cost them $18 billion.
You know when you have to go through emissions testing to register your car each year? Well, VW installed a device in their most popular model cars that can detect when the car is undergoing emissions testing…and emissions controls are turned on then, and only then. During regular driving, emission controls are turned off.
Yes…that’s illegal.
According to an article on WRAL.com:
The EPA called on VW to fix the cars’ emissions systems, but said car owners do not need to take any immediate action. The violations do not present a safety hazard and the cars remain legal to drive and sell while Volkswagen comes up with a plan to recall and repair them, the EPA said.
This process could take up to a year.
Why would they do this? Hard to say, exactly, but experts suggest that diesel Volkswagens probably perform better with the emissions controls turned off.
So, if you have one of the affected cars, you don’t have to take any action until you are notified of the recall. Again, this problem will not affect your safety as a driver or passenger in the car. It affects the air we breathe.
Affected cars include diesel versions of: