Thousands of cars face RECALL over fresh ‘dieselgate’ scandal with 20 brands in the firing line
THOUSANDS of motors face being recalled over fresh Dieselgate allegations – with 20 different car brands in the firing line.
A wide-reaching government investigation into the scandal has uncovered some 47 different car models under 20 brands by 11 manufacturers as being more polluting than first thought.
In a report by The Times, a number of specific car models — which are currently being kept secret — are said to have so-called ‘defeat devices’ installed.
The diesel emissions scandal, or Dieselgate, became public knowledge in 2015 when the VW Group, one of the world’s biggest car companies, was forced to admit it had manipulated testing data using the devices.
The investigation centred on whether defeat devices had been used to conceal how environmentally harmful some of their diesel vehicles were, which affected around 11 million cars globally.
Since then, an environmental law group called ClientEarth has submitted a legal complaint to UK ministers to uncover just how many cars by other manufacturers might have similar devices in Britain.
In recent years, the likes of Audi, BMW and Ford have all had claims lodged against them.
New evidence now reveals there could be between two and six million cars with defeat devices on UK roads.
An inquiry by the Department for Transport, which began this year under the previous government and is currently in its first phase, initially focussed on VW, but ClientEarth has called for action on other manufacturers.
Specifically, the investigation is looking at possible defeat devices in diesel cars registered from September 2009 to the end of 2019.
While the investigation is looking at 47 different car models, research suggests there could be at least 200 in the UK with the devices.
The investigation could result in drivers in the UK receiving compensation, in a crucial ruling from the European Court of Justice last year, while any resulting recalls would be paid for by car makers.
In 2022, VW paid £193 million to over 90,000 UK drivers after the 2015 scandal.
Emily Kearsey, a lawyer at ClientEarth, said: “Excess emissions from vehicles are contributing to air pollution, which we know is the biggest threat to public health in the UK.
“This is an invisible killer that’s shortening people’s lives and reducing their quality of life. Consumers and the public have been let down by previous governments.”
What is a defeat device?
Defeat devices can be hardware, software or a design that disables or interferes with the emission controls of a car.
By design, these devices trick emission readings during testing, and can even detect when a car is in the process of being tested.
In this instance, the device will adjust the emissions output so that it matches regulatory limits.
The software that Volkswagen used, for example, could sense when the car was ongoing test scenarios by monitoring its speed, engine operation, air pressure, and steering wheel position.
In test conditions, the device would put the vehicle into a safety mode that reduced engine power and performance.
In a report from The Times, a DfT spokesman said: “Defeat devices are illegal, misleading for drivers and can have negative health impacts on the public.
“We routinely and robustly check vehicles against emission standards and have acted quickly to set up an investigation on this matter. We will work with industry to resolve any issues identified.”
Nick Molden of Emissions Analytics, a leading independent emissions testing company, revealed to The Times that his company had tested 700 diesel vehicles across 30 brands between 2011 and the beginning of the Dieselgate scandal, and found that every one of them had elevated pollution emissions.
He said: “Every manufacturer is potentially implicated.
“The twist is the diesel cars are better for their owners with the defeat devices working, and if you fix them it makes them worse.
“The devices typically allow better fuel consumption, driving power, convenience and reliability.
“If manufacturers are forced to remove the devices, they may need to compensate the owners.”
This comes as drivers have been warned to watch out for a little-known November driving rule that could cost them a £1,000 fine.
You might imagine that road laws remain the same all year round, but there are actually some specific provisions covering Autumn driving.
Elsewhere, Brits are being encouraged to buy electric cars as manufacturers slash prices with record discounts.
Carmakers are scrambling to up their zero-emission sales to comply with increasingly tightening Net Zero laws.