VW Emissions ‘Fix’ – can it REALLY be so simple, or are we still being SCAMMED?

Volkswagen last week revealed the ‘fix’ for its rigged emissions in the UK and Europe, comprising a simple software update and a bit of mesh. Can it really be so simple?

Just a few days ago, Volkswagen revealed its fix for the more than 8 million cars in the UK and Europe whose engines are fitted with a ‘defeat device‘ to deliver different emissions when testing to those in the real world.

We did ask, when the ‘fix’ was revealed, why, if it is so simple, VW ever risked fitting a defeat device, scamming the regulations and bringing the whole VW Group almost to its knees, instead of doing things the right way. And we still can’t work it out, although there are a few possibilities.

It is possible that VW has a pool of geniuses they keep on stand-by for an emergency, and in the space of a few weeks they’ve managed to cobble together a fix for the EA 189 engine emissions that had defeated Volkswagen for the best part of a decade. And done it with a bit of string and mesh – and a few lines of code – costing about 12p. But it seems unlikely.

It’s also possible that the fix simply doesn’t work, or at least wouldn’t work if EU regulations were up to scratch. What it could do is give the right results in European lab tests – thanks to the new bit of 12p mesh and a tweak of software – but unacceptable emissions levels in the real world. A sort of ‘legal’ defeat device.

A third possibility is that VW has had this bit of mesh in the cupboard for some time, but introducing it to cars already on the road in Europe with a recall would have exposed VW’s huge defeat device scam as, potentially, would fitting it to new cars.

The truth probably lies somewhere between the three (well, perhaps not the standby geniuses), but whatever the truth is, it’s clear VW are still taking regulators in the UK and Europe for a ride. Too harsh? Then why isn’t the European fix being used in the USA?

Why isn’t VW using the same fix in the USA?

In the US, it’s expected VW will end up buying back many of the near 500,000 cars affected because it will cost too much to re-engineer them to comply with regulations, if indeed it’s even possible. It’s also expected that cars that can be rectified will take up to 10 hours to put right (it’s about half an hour in Europe for the bit of mesh) with cars probably needing (some, or all) new software, injectors, manifolds and catalytic converter.

Which means the ‘fix’ for the UK and Europe just isn’t capable of delivering a fix the EPA will buy. So why are we in Europe being fobbed off with a bit of mesh to pass the weak EU regulations, instead of a proper fix?

Before VW starts ‘fixing’ cars in Europe, we really do need answers.

VW Group EA 189 Emissions ‘Fix’ video