"Using a defeat device in cars to evade clean air standards is illegal and a threat to public health," said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. In other words, there is a law that says it is illegal to cheat. So, it does not look like there is a loophole that you could drive a truck through, let alone a VW Jetts . VW has admitted its guilt which is good because there is a half a million pieces of evidence driving around.

The real fun is to see how deep the government can crawl into VWs business to determine who is guilty. I bet an agreement to pay a really big fine will keep that from happening.

Doubt it. Mr former VW CEO will not enter the US for the rest of his life, there may be an arrest warrant waiting for him if he does.

The attorney general wants to see more Executives tagged in cases of corporate crimes like this - a memo to prosecutors was just issued last week.

It is also bad for him in Germany. Not only do his pensioners have 20% less value, that is also a culture of following rules. Even when downtown is empty because all the stores are closed on Sundays, the few people walking in the city are standing in front of an empty intersection waiting for the light to change. They follow rules, they expect corporations to follow rules and they pity people who do not. The population there is just sick about what that bad example does to their children. There is no way the CEO will get off without penalty - even if it is a simple defrauding shareholder charge , he could still get 20-years. The prosecutors have already launched their investigation.

 

As per the joy of owning a VW Clean Diesel in California... No more good performance or fuel economy...

 

On of Mexico's largest employers has less bright future...
Sad to see how many jobs will be lost as they cut back research, growth investments, even layoffs if they have to cut production rates.

 

Those are the two references in the letter the EPA sent VW. You can read the original source or take it for granted the government is infallible.

The only exception I can find is for diesel trucks of LVW(3,751 - 5750 lbs) Other diesels are not exempt.

 

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/...20150922?mod=related&channelName=businessNews

"We definitely feel betrayed," said sales manager Chris Murphy, calling the scandal "a hit for the brand."

The world's biggest carmaker by sales told the Environmental Protection Agency that it used special software to lower emissions during vehicle inspections by U.S. regulators. [

"I'd be pissed if I were a consumer. A lot of people may have bought it for the eco-friendly elements," Murphy said.

 

Also, cheating is clearly illegal:

From 42 USC:

(a)Enumerated prohibitionsThe following acts and the causing thereof are prohibited—

(B)
for any person to manufacture or sell, or offer to sell, or install, any part or component intended for use with, or as part of, any motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine, where a principal effect of the part or component is to bypass, defeat, or render inoperative any device or element of design installed on or in a motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine in compliance with regulations under this subchapter, and where the person knows or should know that such part or component is being offered for sale or installed for such use or put to such use

 

Also, cheating is clearly illegal:

Why is there a third party chips you can install?

 

I guess because they don't bypass, defeat or render inoperative any device ... installed on a motor in compliance with regulations...

 

I do feel sorry for the VW diesel owners. They will be forced to have their cars reprogrammed into less fuel efficient, lower performing and less valuable cars. They won't be happy and I am sure a large class-action lawsuit will ensue. VW may offer to buy back the cars but I doubt it will be fair. There are only losers in this drama.

 

The owners will still have nice efficient cars that are very clean and will still have good resale value after the crazy blows over. Selling a rebadge kit that changes the VW TDI name might be a good way to make a few bucks. The people who are really screwed are the stockholders, workers and anyone in the supply chain that sells product to VW.

 

NSA, what do you mean by a "rebadge" kit??

 

NSA, what do you mean by a "rebadge" kit??

Remove the TDI name plate from the car.

 

I guess because they don't bypass, defeat or render inoperative any device ... installed on a motor in compliance with regulations...

Actually that's what the majority of the good systems do. They allow the user to shut down emissions related components and retune their engines.

Around here the #1 thing guys look for is the systems that let them shut off the DEF and EGR on diesels and change the injection timing to improve their efficiency and power.

I know over the road drivers, guys with regular diesel pickups and even farmers now that have their stuff chipped to shut that crap off and improve their fuel usage.

One farming family I used to drive truck for for sugar beet harvest has a number of their trucks and combines chipped out.
Thier findings have been that during harvest the chipped trucks burn about 30 - 40 gallons of fuel a day compared to the unchipped plus highest combine he did a few years ago was using about 100 gallons less fuel a day running side by side with his unchipped ones.

If you are like them and running 30+ pieces of machinery for a month or more straight knocking 30 - 40 gallons a day off of 15 trucks and ~100 a day off of 15 large combines and tractors that adds up to a huge fuel savings in a year.

 

Using systems to shut down emissions on road vehicles would be illegal. Legal systems sold for road use do not do this.

 

It is odd, modifying ECM systems was what originally started the ban on automotive here, and it grew from there. Fact is it is illegal for vehicles that are on road. AAC still does not allow work arounds for illegal activity on this site.

 

It is also bad for him in Germany. Not only do his pensioners have 20% less value, that is also a culture of following rules.

That's what makes this whole story so much more newsworthy, it's man-bites-dog rare. If the scandal had come out of China, it would be ho hum. If we can't trust German engineering, what can we trust? It's like finding out priests are pedophiles. Oh, wait...

 

...AAC still does not allow work arounds for illegal activity on this site.

Is that going to change?

 

...It's like finding out priests are pedophiles. Oh, wait...

That's one hell of a nasty broad brush!

FYI -- I'm atheist. No dog in the fight.

 

The only thing that doesn't change is people testing the rules. It can be depressing really.

 

People who repeatedly violate the rules disrespect the forum and its members. They drag down the entire group.