Environment ministry of South Korea Thursday ordered Volkswagen Korea to recall 125,522 diesel vehicles on determining actual emissions of nitrogen oxides.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is allowing Volkswagen (VLKAY) to submit a revised version of its software to correct emissions irregularities on 3.0-liter diesel engines used in Audi luxury vehicles.
The Environment Ministry said it had chose to conduct an investigation upon hearing Volkswagen in September when the company admitted that it had fitted at least 11 million cars around the world with the cheating software.
The authority detected that vehicles with the 3-liter, V-6 diesel engines are equipped with illegal emission software which discharges more pollutants on the highway than permissible limits.
CEO “Rupert Stadler must push on with it (the investigation), completely and without regard to individuals”, Peter Mosch, head of Audi’s works council and a member of the Audi supervisory board’s influential steering committee, said in an emailed statement on Thursday.
The fine was announced as a punishment on the basis of Volkswagen cheating emissions tests. Known as a “defeat device”, it works by making diesel-powered Volkswagen cars seem like they’re emitting nitrogen oxide in a less harmful level.
The ministry said it had not yet determined whether VW vehicles with the newer “EA288” engine – mainly Euro 6 models – had manipulated emissions, and could announce results after it completes testing the diesel models of 16 automakers by April.
Subject to the recall order are the Tiguan and Beetle of Volkswagen and the Q5, Q3 and A4 of Audi, according to company officials. The recall covers 15 models, including the Tiguan, which was the top-selling imported auto in South Korea previous year.
Hans-Gerd Bode, a Volkswagen spokesman, declined to identify the employees who were suspended but confirmed that they included three top managers with responsibility for engine development. “You have to reach a point where everything is on the table and no more bad news is coming – then you can start repairing the damage”.
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Volkswagen is yet to provide the final technical solution for the 1.2-litre diesel engine, which it expects to provide to the Federal Motor Transport Authority at the end of the month and is expected to comprise a software update.
