Volkswagen’s little “defeat device” issue that cropped up is already huge news, with talks about recalls, sales stops, massive fines and the lot. To say that Volkswagen is under the radar or in hot water is really downplaying the situation: with all of the recalls and issues that have gone on in the last couple of years, every manufacturer’s worry is the word, “recall”, because it reduces customer faith and security and costs them money by the truckload. But with news that Volkswagen admitted to placing the “device” (really a software algorithm that would detect testing) into the cars themselves, it makes things worse. Unlike the recent recalls, where flaws were determined after the cars were sold, this was something that diesel VWs had in the computer before they left the factory. This was done on purpose. And you’d better believe that the blowback from such an egregious act will have consequences.
And, boy, it has: for starters, Volkswagen’s stock took a 20% fall almost overnight. For those of you who aren’t following the stock market, consider that a roughly $16 billion loss due to bad news alone. Volkswagen issued a “stop sale” order on all 2015 diesel vehicles on the lots, and the EPA yanked the certificate of conformity for the 2016 models immediately, so those aren’t eligible for sale either. But that isn’t even the biggest blow that Volkswagen is going to take. The potential $18 billion fine is still looming like the sickly green clouds that turn into tornadoes in the background, Volkswagen’s position as one of the world’s most stable, honest and sustainable automobile manufacturers has been undermined, the company’s credit rating is in serious jeopardy, and the Department of Justice, who recently announced a plan to go after white-collar criminals instead of the corporations, now has a target that they could go after. And as if that isn’t enough, the German government is launching an investigation.
But the question: why would VW actually go to the trouble of installing such software in the first place? Nobody seems to be sure. An educated guess would presume that there was an issue between the non-urea-treated 2.0L diesel’s emissions versus power output. If the non-urea engine had been running within legal limits, the engine wouldn’t make squat for power, and while these engines aren’t powerhouses, if complying with the EPA regulations was taking a huge hit out of the engine’s performance capabilities, then the reason for tweaking the computer becomes clear. But why, then, bother selling a diesel in the United States? Because Volkswagen used “clean diesel” engines to sell cars and within the last decade, became one of the company’s strongest footholds. If you wanted an environmentally friendly car that got great mileage, a TDI Volkswagen was a solid path and, with few others in the same market, earned Volkswagen a share of the market that was looking for a solid, economical car.
This is only just the beginning of the problems, too. While we won’t be slavishly detailing everything involved, the consequences of Volkswagen’s actions are going to have long-lasting effects in the automotive world and could have the potential for ripple effects to hit the aftermarket, tuners, and we’d imagine diesel fans, regardless of make.
“We were only following orders…” Heard that before.
Ad now the precipitous drop in VW resale values is more like a total plummet from orbit…
and the rock crawlers rejoiced!
True!
If these diesel engines end up as pullouts on the market, I know a 30-year-old compact truck that will get one!
Wolfsburg-supplied LS repower kits for all!
Dude, a 5.3 alloy block LS in a Golf GTI would be an insane and fun donut machine!
Or screaming Jimmy repower kits. Although they’re filthy 2 stroke air pollution machines, at least they’re ear-splittingly loud, too!
I would want VW to buy it back at pre scandal price. If the government forces the update and your nice new car turns into a turd.
Story I saw on TV last night said it effects 5 different models and goes back to 09, so 6 years worth of cars, damn there’s gunna be ALOTTA people out of work, sucks to be a VW salesman right now
On a side note, damn Skippy I’m gunna be in the market for a turbo diesel engine now
Shoot, it just makes me want to buy a VW! Screw the feds, screw their arbitrary emissions standards, and screw them telling me what I can and can’t drive! Kuddos to VW, sorry they got caught.
I totally agree!!!
I wished they\’d give the EPA the finger, and keep on keepin on. All the regulations that have sprung up for diesels in the last 6-8 years have ruined our beloved oil burners. I don\’t care what anyone else says, the diesel trucks produced since 07 are nightmares. And don\’t forget how the EPA screwed the aftermarket companies.
It was just announced that VW put aside $7.2 Billion to deal with the EPA.
I am guessing this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as this is concerned. I am guessing that there are other manufacturer’s out there doing the same thing,and there are some software engineers sweating bullets right now!!!
So, VW have rigged their cars to ‘know’ when they are being tested so the engine management system re-calibrates itself to produce less emissions and less power output. Once the test is over, it ‘knows’ that too and puts back the power AND the emissions.
VW diesels perform, in terms of emissions, pretty much the same as all the other car manufacturers. So… either VW can’t make cars as clean as the others – OR – they are all at it. My bet is on the latter.
The VW’s were road tested alongside a BMW X5 , and the BMW passed so everyone isn’t doing it.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-19/volkswagen-emissions-cheating-found-by-curious-clean-air-group
The incentive here is the dumb testing system that is used. Instead of measuring the cares actual output, the OBD2 is used to scan for mandated devices withing mandated parameters. So it makes sense from an engineering point of view to have an emissions tune in addition to an economy tune and performance tune, switching as necessary. Probably won’t be a good enough reason for the regulatory bodies.
ah oh
Is Sergio Marchionne is serious about merging with someone to improve economies of scale, NOW is the time. IF they can get past all the liability.
2013 passat tdi. from what i have found, my car is not part of the deal. quiet and quick and comfortable. 80mph cruise and 46mpg of diesel #2 with 36mpg in town. left lane up Floyd hill on i70 in the Rockies. vw buys the oil change every 10k. built in a non-union shop in Chattanooga, TN. does not stink like my dodge diesel. usable torque to get past OTR trucks no matter where. engine and dsg transmission act as one, as if made for each other-suspect they were.
you should know EPA changed regulations prior to the latest BS liberal brewhaha about “cheating” on stinky tail pipes. changes appeared about two years ago as to what constitutes a defeat device. imagine that. now this. what crap.
EPA should stick to what it knows best how to do…like blowing mine shaft seals and polluting the hell out of rivers in Colorado. what a bunch of collage educated assholes. should not be allowed to make any rules or change any regulations unless they had 20 or 30 years of real world experience to show and tell them what would actually work in the real world.
THERE IS A LOT MORE TO THIS THAN THE SLIMES ARE TELLING US.