Posted on 10/19/2015 3:37:56 AM PDT by Timber Rattler
Even as Volkswagen embarks on the task of fixing the emissions systems it disabled on almost 500,000 of its diesel vehicles in the United States, the automaker faces another hurdle: persuading owners to make the repair at all.
That’s because the software that allowed Volkswagen to fool federal emissions tests also lowered the car’s performance and fuel economy while the device was turned on. So for owners, the prospect of having a car’s emissions cleaned up, only to have the car perform worse — whatever the pollution — is not sitting well.
“If we take a 10 percent hit in our gas mileage, I can live with that, but I won’t be happy,” said Patrick Downs, who lives in Port Angeles, Wash., and owns a 2013 Jetta TDI.
“If it is 25 percent or more and the performance is degraded to the point where the car has a lot less torque and pickup, that is going to make me very unhappy,” he added. “That is going to make me consider not getting the fix.”
(snip)
The E.P.A. cannot force owners to repair their vehicles, said Julia Ortiz, a spokeswoman for the agency.
Automakers also cannot require owners to carry out the emissions recall, just as they cannot force owners to take vehicles in to complete a safety recall.
(snip)
That loophole means the air pollution consequences of Volkswagen’s action — at least on a small scale — are irreparable if enough owners refuse to have their vehicles fixed.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Having been subject as a contractor to various federal requirements regarding first article compliance with electrical emissions, shock and vibration analysis, destructive testing, etc..... I can assure everyone that Volkswagen is not the only auto maker engaged in such methods of achieving passing results. They may be the only ones chosen to pursue for the tactic at this time.
I suspect Big Brother will have the smog check test stations check for the software patch, no patch, no pass. Not all States have checks and those that do ususally aren’t required until cars are 5 years old. A reprieve for some owners.
What relevance is anything from the tabloid times?
What’s the true story about NOx emissions?
I don’t believe any “health” information from the EPA, and I don’t follow air pollution information (unless I can see it, in which case it’s probably bad).
No return to the dealer for these cars is bad for Volkswagen’s business health, very bad.
The feral ussa gov is tracking down capitalism and shooting it like a dog in the back. Meanwhile the rest of the world burns whatever and laughs.
NOx is bad for cities with stagnant air, not so bad on the road in Wyoming.
Using less fossil fuel to do the same amount of work never matters to militant greenies. Some of the winter gas blends mandated here will knock our daily drivers down 5 or more MPG.
Nonetheless, I'm sure (said well drawn out and as sarcastically as possible) that the reduced levels of emissions make up for such waste… just like I'm sure that ethanol production hasn't impacted the environment where corn is king.
Mr. niteowl77
Couldn’t agree more. Outrageous government over-reach.
Of course I won’t take mine in for ‘fix.’ Nor will I ever buy another TDI unless they can come up with a way to keep it at its current level of performance.
I have a TDI and purchased discount annual service from the dealership for the next 2 years. Now I am watching and evaluating this recall and the inclination to ask for refund of this service contract. There are independent garages that can do this and if the TDI Diesel cars become unattractive in mileage in future editions, the inclination to trade up will be gone for me (a reason for dealer servicing).
So who are the real losers of this VW ‘tech fix’? Probably the dealerships!
Congrats to the German engineers who were able to make a technical end run around the hideous beast know as the EPA for as long as they did
Prost!!!
You VILL fix ze Karrh, und you WILL enchoy it!
W to owners: bring in your car so we can de-tune it so we can jump through the FedGov’s silly hoops.
Intelligent owners: Thanks, but no thanks.
Yeah. I live in KY and drive 160 miles a day on my commute. We have no emission test here. It’s one of many reasons I moved here from Seattle. I’d take one of these from a state that tests - if it hasn’t had the “fix”.
How many people would load the V workaround in their non-Volkswagons if the could? Someone should take a poll. :)
“No return to the dealer for these cars is bad for Volkswagen’s business health, very bad.
The feral ussa gov is tracking down capitalism and shooting it like a dog in the back. Meanwhile the rest of the world burns whatever and laughs.”
So True!
Did anyone look at the diagram of the exhaust? Six seperate sensors and two converters ....I better run out and check the exhaust on my 1971 International Harvester 1210 pickup truck...the moronic rules set up by the EPA has led to such elaborate complex and costly systems that you use more fossil fuel for the plastics and wiring in the manufacture of vehicles in order to use less fossil fuel while at the same time creating a tin box with multiple air bags to protect you instead of a full frame and thick metal....the fact that my truck (daily driver) that runs fantastic is greener than anything made simply by being made so well that it can run for a lifetime of driving if you simply maintain it. K.I.S.S. keep it simple stupid...think of what I said the next time you look at the Christmas tree display on your dash when a sensor somewhere goes bad...
Do you want them to die, especially the children?
I wonder if they also have an estimate of how many people their river spill in Colorado will kill?
The big winners in this, as always, are the lawyers who will enrich themselves on class action suits and the politicians at the EPA who will use this to enhance their funding levels so they can hire more $120K/year porn surfers and hallway poopers.
EPA delenda est.
So let me get this straight.....the enviro wackos want VW’s to turn on this little device and GET LESS FUEL ECONOMY?????? And this is good for the environment HOW?????
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