For the first time, Audi now has to recall old Euro 4 diesel engines. According to SPIEGEL information, the Federal Motor Transport Authority has ordered the recall because it suspects illegal defeat devices in the affected models. The Federal Ministry of Transport has invited the group to hearings.
Audi confirms the callback. The company said: "On 5 November, the KBA ordered a recall for Audi A4 and A6 models from the years 2004 to 2009, in which a V6 2.7l TDI engine is built in. According to first estimates, around 40,000 are in Germany Audi is in close coordination with the KBA for processing. "
So far, older diesels, which were first approved by 2010, were not affected by recalls of rigged exhaust systems. Now, the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) is convinced that so-called defeat devices are installed on models with 2.7 and 3.0 liters displacement.
The defeat means ensure that the exhaust gas purification for toxic nitrogen oxides at least partially shuts off when the vehicle is in real driving and no longer in the test laboratory. The result of the manipulation: The cars emit far more than the permitted at the then valid Euro 4 emission standard 500 micrograms per kilometer.
According to SPIEGEL information, around 120,000 vehicles are affected throughout Europe. They contain a so-called acoustic function. It was originally programmed for the engine software to reduce the characteristic nail noise of diesel cars. However, after the turn of the millennium, the development engineers probably added commands to precisely this function, with which the exhaust gas cleaning could be turned off.
Not the first incident at Audi
In professional circles, the manipulative work of Audi people is the mother of all defeat devices. The engine expert Georg Wachtmeister of the Technical University of Munich considers the actions of the group in an appraisal for the KBA, reported by the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation in October, to be illegal. "An application of component or motor protection is not given with the arguments put forward by Audi," writes Wachtmeister according to BR and concludes: "Thus, in cases of exceeding the limit, the acoustic function is classified as an unauthorized shutdown device."
For Audi, the recent case is particularly embarrassing. Already with younger models of the less polluting norms Euro 5 and Euro 6 the checkers had found it. The developers of the group in Neckarsulm have obviously designed the manipulated engines for the entire Volkswagen group, including the premium Porsche brand. Ex-Audi boss Rupert Stadler sat on order of the Munich public prosecutor for alleged fraud several months in custody. He now expects the process. The Audi Group, which has recently announced weak balance sheet figures and a austerity program, can not put the diesel affair to the record because of the standing in the house recalls.
The engineers now have to rebuild the exhaust system so that the manipulations are deactivated. The effort to comply with the prescribed limits in this case could be high. If they did not succeed, the vehicles could have to be bought back by the customers at the then new price. That would be a very expensive undertaking for Audi.
