Full Fix for Vehicles in VW Emissions Scandal May Not Be Possible

A full fix of Volkswagen diesel vehicles affected by the VW emissions scandal may not be a realistic possibility, and a regulator in California said recently that this fact may force the state to allow partially-repaired vehicles to continue traveling on state roads. The implications of this news could affect consumers in Texas and nationwide.

“We will have to decide what the best approach is to dealing with these vehicles, and one of the options potentially would be to accept something less than a full fix,” said Todd Sax, chief of the California Air Resources Board enforcement division, during a March 9 hearing.

The VW vehicles in question were manufactured with “defeat devices” that allowed them to pass laboratory emissions tests despite exceeding federal emissions standards by up to 40 times when actually driven on the road. The total number of vehicles affected nationwide is estimated to be about 482,000.

Sax said he does not believe there is a solution currently available that would bring the cars into compliance with either emissions standards or the EPA’s on-board diagnostic requirements, but he also emphasized the fact that discussions with Volkswagen are ongoing and that no final decision had been reached.

State Senator Jim Beall said after the hearing that allowing affected cars to continue operating without a full fix raised problems in terms of the environmental and consumer health impact, and added that he was concerned about Volkswagen buying cars back from California consumers and re-selling them into markets with less strict emissions standards. Texas is one such market, which should create concern among potential buyers of used vehicles in Texas.

Beall also questioned whether consumers who bought vehicles that have dropped in value due to the VW scandal should have to wait any longer for financial compensation.

“The moral dilemma will hang over this as long as we don’t have a solution,” Beall said.

If you currently own or at one time owned an affected Volkswagen model, please call the personal injury attorneys of Hossley & Embry at (866) 522-9265 or send us an email at newcase@hossleyembry.com. One of our primary areas of focus is offering legal representation to victims of defective products. We provide free consultations and have the resources available (including charter aircraft) to travel throughout Texas and the United States on short notice to investigate your potential claim.

Consumers can find a full list of affected Volkswagen models here.

References

Carroll, R. (2016, March 8). California may allow partially repaired VW diesels to remain on road. Reuters. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-volkswagen-repairs-idUSKCN0WB05H