Volkswagen - What's got into you???

[HarmanKardon]

d-ray - just another story for you. Not so "nice" as the Schlecker story.

Adolf Merckle was a pharmaceutical industry tycoon. He was owner of the "ratiopharm" company. Forbes estimated his property about 12.8 billion dollars. But in 2008 stock speculative deals made him a poor man, only 600 million euros were left. He could not live with that shame and in 2009 he commited suicide on a railroad embankment.

[Tom Joad]

Originally Posted by HarmanKardon

d-ray - just another story for you. Not so "nice" as the Schlecker story.

Adolf Merckle was a pharmaceutical industry tycoon. He was owner of the "ratiopharm" company. Forbes estimated his property about 12.8 billion dollars. But in 2008 stock speculative deals made him a poor man, only 600 million euros were left. He could not live with that shame and in 2009 he commited suicide on a railroad embankment.

Jesus Christ!

$600 Million euros was close to a Billion in US dollars back in 2009.

So he was down to his last Billion.

Bummer!

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Tom Joad

Jesus Christ!

$600 Million euros was close to a Billion in US dollars back in 2009.

So he was down to his last Billion.

Bummer!

With beers now going for over 10€ at Oktoberfest this year, a billion simply doesn't go as far as it once did.

[HarmanKardon]

This suicide was so moving. So moving. In a negative sense.

finnbow, 10 euros for one litre Oktoberfest beer, miserablely poured up, as usual, is a "sonic barrier" which I would NEVER accept!

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by icenine

How would they do that?
Wouldn't emissions testing be a state matter?

Would new legislation be required?

Emissions and fuel consumption is a federal matter. In California, CARB has promulgated standards which are more stringent than the EPA standards. That's their right but, of course, it wouldn't be their right to impose lower standards and thereby find themselves out of compliance with the federal standards.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by BeamOn

These cars do pass smog! These cars sense when they are being tested and kicks in the pollution control features. They are defeated when on the road for increased performance and decreased mileage.

So fraud would be their biggest headache while the defeat mode is permanently disabled if this is possible at all. I can see a big market developing for a black market for engine control modules.

So VW may be forced to buy back the vehicles.

Yes, they do pass. According to something I read, the onboard computer senses the presence of the test rig and kicks in a low-e mode which includes the injection of a liquid (urea?) into the combustion chambers.

This brings up a question. If the cars had a concealed(?) tank containing the liquid, wouldn't it have to be replenished periodically? If so, wouldn't dealer service departments necessarily be involved in the fraud?

As to disabling the system, I don't know. Maybe permanently enabling it is the best option.

I agree, though, that a buy-back might be the right strategy. It would depend on the number of cars involved, however, and what additional fines and penalties are imposed.

It is a real mess!

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by icenine

How would they do that?
Wouldn't emissions testing be a state matter?

Would new legislation be required?

Ongoing testing of individual cars is a state matter but initial certification is federal. That means that, inherent in a state's testing regime, there is an assumption that the cars once met the federal standard. This is VW's problem. These TDs met the federal standard only by means of a subterfuge.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by HarmanKardon

By the way - don't worry! Volkswagen will overcome the crisis. The bill will be huge, I say: HUGE, but the company will overcome this situation. Absolutely no doubt about that. Hey - it's GERMANY!

But it will take some time until "Made in Germany" will be a spotless sign of quality again.

That's the real damage, Chris. Even though VW seems to have been alone in this, the scandal will tarnish all other German marques and probably products outside the auto industry.

[finnbow]

Here's an excellent read on the background of the culprit EA189 2L TDI engine. From my read, the software subterfuge may have occurred around Summer 2008 when they encountered problems with their engine meeting newly enacted and more stringent American NOX standards.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/te...sel-emissions/

[icenine]

Originally Posted by Boreas

Ongoing testing of individual cars is a state matter but initial certification is federal. That means that, inherent in a state's testing regime, there is an assumption that the cars once met the federal standard. This is VW's problem. These TDs met the federal standard only by means of a subterfuge.

What about states not testing at all?

What if they do not want to test cars?

If you are not getting tested what happens?