VW Emissions Scandal & The VW California

[marshian70]

Came across this in the Guardian this morning...

Which cars are potentially affected?
Cars with the EA189, 2.0 litre TDI engine, which appeared in a number of Volkswagen Group cars. You should be able to find out if this is the engine in your car by looking at your V5C document or in your service book, which usually has a data sticker. Failing this, if you can get through to the VW customer care centre they should be able to confirm your engine type.

So will be looking at my V5C later.

 

[Bluestone]

Limp Mode

Yep absolutely, I did read though that the limp mode in question was a real dumbing down of power, so if this was the case even worse when the VW with 150 BHP was only outputting 50 BHP!!

 

[andrew149]

I think it is wrong for us to speculate until we have the real facts for the EU market, they are saying the EU will be making its own investigations and these will be totally separate from what has happened in the US meaning they might find cover ups in other engines that are not available in the USA

 

[Bluestone]

Agree with above, just to add as this is my understanding...

This was a 'fiddle' which meant the emissions ONLY during testing passed the requirements in the US, from what I understand the emissions pass value is four times lower (or thereabouts) than the EU.

So the software in the road car which people may or may not have will not have the 'fiddle' software either installed or active - the majority of vehicle manufactures do in house testing for emissions and MPG figures.

After all if it was still active then there wouldn't be problem as the road cars would also pass the emissions tests!! This is about cars being sold in the US which, despite being marketed as such, do not have the low emissions claimed and will not pass the emissions test. As Andrew149 quite rightly says, we don't know if they will pass the EU one's or not, they may well do. I think the reporting of some 11M cars can be slightly skewed whereby this is the same model/engine as the cars effected in the US - it doesn't mean that these cars will fail the EU emissions standard - and being honest I hope they don't fail the EU standards so it's confined to the US Still bad of course, but better than all the cars for the last 6 years

 

[robo]

Came across this in the Guardian this morning...

Which cars are potentially affected?
Cars with the EA189, 2.0 litre TDI engine, which appeared in a number of Volkswagen Group cars. You should be able to find out if this is the engine in your car by looking at your V5C document or in your service book, which usually has a data sticker. Failing this, if you can get through to the VW customer care centre they should be able to confirm your engine type.

So will be looking at my V5C later.

Just checked my V5C. It makes no mention of EA189 or other simple code to see if you have one. So probably not an easy Way to see if you have one. Should learn more after this afternoonsite VW directors announcement.
Rob

 

[Freeley]

I'm really not bothered about it UNLESS it affects resale values at all which I can't see happening.
I certainly won't be trying to contact vw about it and getting involved in any mass hysteria

Sent from my Galaxy S6

 

[Swissian]

Even cyclists are not green. Most frames and parts are imported from Taiwan and China and made in factories with emissions.

Not to mention all the methane emissions from riding bent over all the time

 

[MattBW]

Yup solar panels are very popular and considered green but the process to make one is very dirty.

 

[notlob]

Aren't the emissions measured when the vehicle has its MOT? If it's been passing the MOT then how does the news from the States change the situation in this country?

 

[motacyclist]

Not to mention all the methane emissions from riding bent over all the time

It gives them extra thrust

 

[sandalfarm]

if the nuclear power station is ever built by the Chinese the secret software hidden in it wont be found either until they hold the country to ransom and then this vw stuff will seem like nothing

 

[Bluestone]

Aren't the emissions measured when the vehicle has its MOT? If it's been passing the MOT then how does the news from the States change the situation in this country?

Excellent point, I thought cars in the US also had a similar test to our MOT - don't know the answer to this. I think (be good to know for sure) that the MOT doesn't currently include NOx measurement for emissions to pass, I thought they were going to be introduced in the MOT by 2018.

There of course is the question of being under the limit in order to be sold - the limit for Euro 5 (which are the engines effected) is 180 mg/km the limit in the us I believe is only 40 - but this is the lab test that manufacturers have to perform in order to sell the vehicle in the first place.

I guess if they did measure for NOx in the US test (if there is one) then this would have come to light around 2012 (if it was the same three years before the first test in the US as here in the UK) - it was 2009 that the Euro 5 engines in question were introduced.

 

[Huey]

Drax the largest power station in Europe will soon all be Biomass - they also all have SCR and other NO2 and CO2 abatement systems - can't remember the deadline but all will be converted soon.

Or not.

 

[Huey]

It gives them extra thrust

Not so welcome on a tandem

 

[SHedman2401]

I have been trawling the Internet as I understand it is only certain engines which MAY have the software. I have only seen cars mentioned not commercial vehicles. I have a 2litre vehicle. How do I find out which EA my engine is?

Is it possible that any vehicles that fail to comply would be unable to drive in London's low emissions zone. I know I am stuffed from 2020 anyway but could it affect the present? It is my only vehicle.
Zebedee

My research shows that the T5 California does have a version of the EA189. That is not to say that it definitely has a problem. We need to wait for official confirmation but be prepared...

 

[WelshGas]

Sorry, but who really cares.
I bought my California because it was the only Manufactured Campervan, rather than a conversion.
Emissions did not enter into the decision making process at all.

In fact thinking about it, I am probably "Greener" because of the California as I drive and stay in the vehicle rather than drive and stay in a hotel with all the environmental costs that involves.

 

[Zebedee]

Although emissions did not enter into my purchase equation I do care, a lot, if I suddenly have a vehicle I can't drive round my local area (London) especially as the low emissions area is set to be extended by BoJo without a £12 charge everytime I take it off the drive. It is my only vehicle.

 

[estresao]

Let's see whether our Calis got one of those engines and, if so, what's the impact. My concerns are not only the sale price but also the taxes impact and, in the event a VW intervention to fix the issue, the results and annyoance of the fix

 

[robo]

My research shows that the T5 California does have a version of the EA189. That is not to say that it definitely has a problem. We need to wait for official confirmation but be prepared...

Latest News from VW that "light trucks" are affected.

 

[WelshGas]

Even if the California is implicated, because of VW and DVLA wanted to alter the Emmissions profile, then there would be a massive legal challenge against VW but also DVLA and the Agencies that oversee the testing etc: for their failure.

No. I would believe all the present vehicles would be unchanged but new vehicles would be expected to be compliant.
So even if the California turns out Not to be EU5 compliant I do not believe anything will change it will continue to be classed as EU5 .

In the USA they are getting rid of the stealth testing software, BUT nowhere have I seen any suggestion that the engines will be detuned to make them totally compliant in normal use.

 

[Bluestone]

Or not.

Haha yes I heard this on the radio today and thought oh know, but this is actually referring to another project which is a collaboration between a few companies to store CO2. The power stations are still being upgraded to biomass

 

[sidepod]

S

 

[rod_vw]

I think people should relax.
This is a software issue.

I have two software maps I run in my 2L engine. One standard one development.

To swap from one software to another I simply plug my hand held computer into the diagnostic port, press a couple of buttons and hey presto, five mins later the software is completely reloaded into the ECU.

EASY.

Exactly it's a software issue.

And do we know if when a vehicle has been to a dealers for any service etc. it has not had new software loaded into the ECU to hide / remove this emissions 'fix'? I know that my Feb 2011 140ps T5 had a dealer re-code of the ECU within its first twelve months on performance grounds.

 

[Bobbybus]

It is scandalous that such a respected vehicle manufacturer has cheated on its emissions. But lets just remember that WE are not to blame; we should not feel stigmatised by their actions.
The California is a great vehicle and I will continue to enjoy its attributes regardless of the behaviour of its manufacturer.
VW are facing a tough time ahead as they will loose a lot of respect and trust. That is their problem. But I think any drop in sales as a result will be temporary. It won't take long before they rise to the top again. After all, they are the number one in terms of world sales. They are still doing something right to get to that position.

 

[estresao]

My concerns, if mine were included in that stuff, is not about the software..... I know deploy a new software takes seconds. My concernings are related to the impact a different measures could have. For example, if levels are higher than the claimed by VW officially:

- Could my official (on papers) number rise, hence taxes?
- Could VW fix my Cali to stick to the claimed numbers? If so, how? reducing my Cali's power? Modifiying the engine to reduce numbers without impact in power?

- Will we have problems to drive pur Calis in some cities in a near future? London? Paris?

- etc etc