Audi extends their recall over the continuing emissions scandal

In the continually evolving emissions scandal, Audi are being accused of breaking emissions laws in their own country for more vehicles.

New evidence has surfaced to suggest prolonged emissions cheating involving additional models, and the German authorities have instructed Audi to extend their recalls.

The German Transport Ministry expect The Volkswagen Group to recall their Audi A7 and A8 vehicles manufactured between 2009 and 2013. Around 24,000 vehicles are thought to be affected by this new recall; a good half of which were sold in Germany.

The updated recall

The Audi recall is set to begin next month in July where affected vehicles may undergo a 30 minute software update to ‘fix’ the cars. However, if they’re anything like the ones being carried out now here in the U.K., it may take a lot more than a software tweak to ‘fix’ the emissions problem.

Audi owners deserve more than a potentially underwhelming fix, especially when it is not clear what the fix involves – nor the full extent of its effects, which some reports say can be bad. Owners should be compensated for the scandal and Audi are aware of the growing legal action being brought against them on behalf of wronged consumers.

Certain “irregularities” were found whereby test results found that the A7 and A8 models were reportedly spewing out double the amount of Nitrous Oxide than allowed in emissions legislation. This will no doubt be a huge blow to VW’s efforts to deny liability and “regain consumer trust”. It seems that, the more we find out, the more awkward Volkswagen look in defending themselves…

Recall after recall…

The Volkswagen Group has already paid out around $25 billion in the U.S for all sorts of settlements, compensation packages, retribution schemes, and fines. It seems the company with the deep pockets will need to dig a little deeper as Europe continues to take legal action too.

Only last month, Chairman of The Volkswagen Group, Hans Dieter Poetsch, said that other law firms hadn’t yet found any evidence that the board members knew about the so-called “defeat devices”, nor that they were involved in any illicit conduct. This comes from the company that also refuses to reveal the findings from reviewing masses of evidence into their conduct in relation to emissions cheating technology; AKA the elusive Jones Day report.

As a result of the VW emissions scandal, German authorities are probing into other car makers for similar emissions irregularities. Daimler, owner of the luxury car brand Mercedes-Benz, had their offices stormed by German police and prosecutors in the search of incriminating evidence.

Irregularities came to light

In light of the “irregularities”, Munich prosecutors involved in the Audi probe called for the extended recall, and are continuing their investigations into Audi’s growing involvement in emissions cheating.

Back in March, Audi’s legal offices at their headquarters were also raided by prosecutors. Audi Executive Rupert Stadler spoke about the probe, calling the emissions scandal “the worst disruption” in the motor industry. Over 100 police officers took part in the raid that spanned over main sites in Ingolstadt and 8 other locations in Germany. Neither Stadler’s home nor his office was searched in March.

Volkswagen seem keen to draw a line under the scandal and move on from the entire thing. CEO Matthias Mueller says that the company are “back on track” but acknowledged that legal firms like us will continue to fight them for legal redress.