BREAKING: U.S. Sues Volkswagen for Emissions Cheating

This story has been updated.

DETROIT, MI – The Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency are suing Volkswagen for installing emissions-cheating software in 600,000 diesel engine vehicles sold in the United States.

The civil complaint, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Detroit, accuses Volkswagen of violating the Clean Air Act by selling vehicles that were designed differently than those described in applications for certification to the EPA and the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

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“With today’s filing, we take an important step to protect public health by seeking to hold Volkswagen accountable for any unlawful air pollution, setting us on a path to resolution,”Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for enforcement and compliance assurance at EPA, said in a statement “So far, recall discussions with the company have not produced an acceptable way forward. These discussions will continue in parallel with the federal court action.”

The software then turns off during normal driving conditions to boost performance. As a result, the vehicles emitted greenhouse gases up to 40 times higher than federal environmental standards allowed, the government said.

In densely populated California, the emissions cheating software was responsible for “thousands of tons” of excess nitrogen oxide pollutants, California Air Resources Board chair Mary D. Nichols said in a statement. CARB is “fully coordinating its investigation with the federal EPA and DOJ to address the environmental harm VW has caused,” Nichols said.

Related

• EPA: Volkswagen Intentionally Violated Emissions Rules
• Huge Volkswagen Scandal Just Got Even Bigger
• Suit Targets VW Over Cars Designed to Cheat Smog Tests
• Volkswagen Cheated on Larger Engines, Too
• EPA: VW Emissions Cheat Scandal Deepens

Volkswagen first admitted in September that the “defeat device” software was installed in diesel cars sold in the U.S. since 2009. The automaker could still face criminal charges.

“Car manufacturers that fail to properly certify their cars and that defeat emission control systems breach the public trust, endanger public health and disadvantage competitors,” Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, said in a statement. “The United States will pursue all appropriate remedies against Volkswagen to redress the violations of our nation’s clean air laws alleged in the complaint.”

Affected 2.0 liter diesel models and model years include:

• Jetta (2009-2015)
• Jetta Sportwagen (2009-2014)
• Beetle (2013-2015)
• Beetle Convertible (2013-2015)
• Audi A3 (2010-2015)
• Golf (2010-2015)
• Golf Sportwagen (2015)
• Passat (2012-2015)

Affected 3.0 liter diesel models and model years include:

• Volkswagen Touareg (2009-2016)
• Porsche Cayenne (2013-2016)
• Audi A6 Quattro (2014-2016)
• Audi A7 Quattro (2014-2016)
• Audi A8 (2014 – 2016)
• Audi A8L (2014-2016)
• Audi Q5 (2014-2016)
• Audi Q7 (2009-2015)

Read the complaint below.

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