VW emissions cheating scandal potentially spreads to include certain gasoline-powered Audis
According to news reports, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) discovered that certain 3.0-liter gasoline powered, automatic transmission Audi vehicles, manufactured by Volkswagen, contain a device that appears to lower the vehicles’ carbon dioxide emissions under test conditions.
The alleged defeat device can detect when the car’s steering wheel is dormant, suggesting the car is in lab-testing mode, lowering the emissions output. According to PC Magazine, “if the wheel is turned in any direction more than 15 degrees, indicating normal driving mode, the gadget turns off and the car goes back to elevated emissions output.” The Wall Street Journal reports that the software was “designed to mask emissions implicated in global warming, instead of smog as in the Volkswagen emissions-cheating scandal that erupted last year.” The software was apparently discovered after four months of testing by the CARB.
The affected vehicles are believed to be from 2010-2016 and include:
- Audi A4
- Audi A5
- Audi A6
- Audi A7
- Audi A8
- Audi Q5
The EPA and CARB have not yet commented on the potential cheating device. However, a CARB spokesperson stated, “CARB takes seriously any violation of the certification process, especially those resulting in excess emissions.”
Motley Rice is reviewing potential claims involving the Audis listed above and holds a leadership role in the In re Volkswagen "Clean Diesel" Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation. Joe Rice, Motley Rice co-founder was one of the lead negotiators for the settlement reached for 2.0-liter vehicles. Learn more.
If you own one of the potentially impacted Audis, you may call Motley Rice attorney Jodi Westbrook Flowers at 1-800-768-4026 or email her for more information about filing a claim.