The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated that Volkswagen’s 3-litre TDI V6 diesel engines are equipped with their scandalous apparatus – the ‘defeat-device’, which reduces the effectiveness of emissions control systems under conditions a vehicle may reasonably be expected to experience. The defeat device is capable of producing misleading results during laboratory emissions testing.
Following the Volkswagen’s admission that its 2.0-liter TDI engine was equipped with a device designed to manipulate U.S. emissions tests, the EPA has opened an investigation into Volkswagen Group’s 3.0-liter TDI V6 engines, drawing VW’s top-tier Porsche and Audi into the scandal. The 2014 VW Touareg, 2015 Porsche Cayenne and 2016 Audi A6 Quattro, A7 Quattro, A8, A8L and Q5 crossover are powered by 3-litre TDI V6 diesel engines and contain the illegal defeat devices, as stated by EPA.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen denied the use of cheat software in its 3.0-liter TDI engines. “Volkswagen AG wishes to emphasize that no software has been installed in the 3-liter V6 diesel power units to alter emissions characteristics in a forbidden manner,” the automaker said in a statement released in response to the EPA’s allegations.
EPA issued a new Notice of Violation to Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche. The 3.0-liter TDI V6 engine will not be certified for use in 2016 model year VW Group vehicles until VW can prove it meets US emissions standards. As of now, Volkswagen is currently implementing a fix for all 2.0L TDI cars affected throughout Volkswagen’s portfolio and is estimated to take a few years time before all cars get adjusted.