Volkswagen under investigation over illegal software that masks pollution

[wai]

Richo. Is talking about the diesel gate. On sky tonight.

I do hope he is talking to someone who actually knows what they are talking about.

Chances are it will be misinformation based on misinformation until it eventually becomes what is believed to be the truth.

[Amalgam]

Audi Australia Misleads Australian Media about Dieselgate

Dieselgate: Audi clarifies “inactive� claim – Car Reviews, News & Advice - CarPoint Australia

“Defeat device” is inactive… unless it's being activated

[I]Audi Australia has admitted the cheat software it described as “inactive” in local examples of the EA189 1.6- and 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engines is only inactive when it's not being activated.

In other words, the ‘defeat device’ software works in Australian Audis just as it does everywhere else, activating when it senses the engine is being lab tested and artificially adjusting its settings to drive down the output of health-affecting Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) to legal levels.

.............

Today, Burgdorf and Audi Australia managing director Andrew Doyle clarified the “inactive” comments when questioned during a ‘dieselgate’ update teleconference with media.

“That was the information that we understood at the time and I guess the impact is that software is inactive unless the vehicle is being emissions tested,” Burgdorf said today. “So the customer won’t notice any impact on their vehicle on a daily basis.”

Pressed on the matter, Doyle said: “As Anna stated that was the information we had at the time … without trying to split hairs or be cute about it the software has no active effect.

“The software is live there and would therefore be active if it was put in a test environment. But in normal driving conditions it has no active effect would be the best possible way to describe it.”

...................

Doyle refused to speculate on the long-term impact Dieselgate might have on the brand and its popularity in Australia.

“Looking after our customers is our first and final priority right now,” he said.[I]




I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the PR fiasco.

This is not the way to win back consumer trust.

[Eaglehawk]

I'm puzzled that during the Passat B8 launch, it was mentioned that "Unaffected Volkswagen models include the 2015-2016 model year Golf 7 TDI".

So, why is the website reporting my MY13 Golf TDI 110 as being unaffected too? My previous research seems to imply that the Golf MK7 TDI engine started using the EA288 engine from 2012 onwards (from memory), but that statement above worries me...

[bluey]

Go auto has an article about John Mellors take in the background story in mid-2000s - US market, large CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) penalties, Merc/Bosch Bluetec system, pressure on engineers to "fix it"


Can't find a link to separate article yet. Download newsletter and go to page 24.
http://goautomedia.cdn.on.net/goauto...toNews_798.pdf

Top management like 3 wise monkeys.

[bluey]

I'm puzzled that during the Passat B8 launch, it was mentioned that "Unaffected Volkswagen models include the 2015-2016 model year Golf 7 TDI".

So, why is the website reporting my MY13 Golf TDI 110 as being unaffected too? My previous research seems to imply that the Golf MK7 TDI engine started using the EA288 engine from 2012 onwards (from memory), but that statement above worries me...

I have found it hard to discover the history of EA189. US documentation in self study programs suggests EA288 isn't released until MY15. I read Golf in Germany might have had EA288 as early as 2012.

Mahle aftermarket catalog is an easy source of VW engine codes, but that does not link to EA model designation.

Michael Horn's testimony suggested that EA288 is affected in USA - but might only need removal of cheat code.

If yours is an EA288 and otherwise passes our dated emissions standards, then maybe VW figured it is compliant as the US model and "cheat code" in itself is not illegal in Australia.

[dero]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the PR fiasco.

This is not the way to win back consumer trust.

Good grief... politicians give us better non-committal BS than that.

[greymad]

Strength through joy

[arcadelt]

Strength through joy

^

[The_Hawk]

Our Mk5 TDI consistently achieves better than the official figures in hills & city driving. In fact I think something is wrong if it's above. I put it down to driving style & I keep up with the traffic flow.

My BMW X3 (3.0D) has official combined fuel figures of 6.0l/100km. Lol... I reckon average you could get about 7.5, and over the 50,000km I've driven I've averaged 8.2l/100km.

The whole fuel economy figures process is broken.

Our 103TDI Multivan (which is unaffected by this issue) claims 8.2 Average, 10.4 Urban and 6.9L/100km combined.

I have tracked nearly every tank of fuel put through our van since new (I may have missed one or two). Our all time average is 9.6L/100km and the best is 7.8L/100km. To be fair alot of our trips can be to and from school/shops and the worst has been almost 13L/100km. But even with lots of small trips we tend to get out on the road for longer drives a bit too.

Here is the graph (thanks to Fuelly), I can pick that the last 12 months is a little worse as we haven't been out and about as much as we used to, but interestingly it seems to trend up. Even so, normal people, normal driving and we don't seem to get near the quoted figures.




(On a side note, I will add that consumption at 100km/h is much much better than at 110km/h... These things get best economy at about 90... and that's just not happening).

[PerthMTB]

VW release the first details of what vehicles will be like after the fix,...



And reassure owners that they'll still have plenty of horsepower!