VW Investigated for EPA Emission Violations

The Clean Air Act requires vehicle manufacturers to certify that their products meet federal emission standards to control air pollution.  Volkswagen allegedly installed software known as a “defeat device” in the above-listed vehicles to make it appear as though they met emissions requirements when the vehicles were tested by government officials.  However, after the testing was complete (and under normal driving conditions), the vehicles emitted anywhere from nine (9) to forty (40) times more pollutants than allowed by federal emission standards.

“By making and selling vehicles with defeat devices and by selling vehicles with higher levels of air emissions than were certified to EPA, Volkswagen allegedly violated two important provisions of the Clean Air Act,” according to the EPA. The EPA issued a Notice of Violation of the Clean Air Act to Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, and Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. on September 18, 2015, and another notice of violation on November 2, 2015, to Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Porsche AG, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., and Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

EPA expects to order Volkswagen, Porsche, and Audi to issue recalls in the future to reduce the emissions impacts of these vehicles. The companies must develop remedial plans to rectify the emission violations and will notify vehicle owners after the remedies are approved by EPA. Owners will be notified of that recall once Volkswagen and Audi have developed a remedial plan and EPA has approved the plan.