What's the news?
In what Volkswagen must surely hope is some sort of a turning point in the whole, sorry diesel-gate saga, the first 2.0-litre TDI diesel engines are being brought back into German dealers this week to have fresh software, which will cure them of their illegal emissions of Nitrogen Oxides, installed. The first Volkswagens to be recalled will be Amarok pickups with the twin-turbo 2.0-litre TDI engine. Single-turbo 2.0-litres, 1.6 and 1.2-litre engines will follow on in a process that is expected to take a full year to complete.
For the 2.0-litre engines and the 1.2s, it's a matter of installing new software to re-set the emissions control systems to bring levels down to their regulated numbers, without any 'cheat-mode' enhancements. Volkswagen claims that, in accordance with instructions from the KBA, the German federal authority which oversees vehicle emissions and performance, that fix will have no effect on acceleration, fuel consumption or refinement. Only once the KBA has checked and confirmed the proposed measures are the customers affected being contacted and informed about the recall. In a second letter the vehicle owners will be requested to arrange an appointment with a Volkswagen dealer.
The fix, which takes less than 45-minutes to complete, will bring the Amarok into line with EU5 emissions regulations. Next in line for recalls will be Passats and other cars with the 2.0-litre TDI. The 1.6-litre diesels will require a hardware component as well as software - a baffle in the air intake system, but the process is still expected to take less than one hour.
Today, German Minister of Transport, Alexander Dobrindt, and Chairman of the Board of Management Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand, Dr Herbert Diess, met in Berlin and in the workshop of a Volkswagen dealership found out more about the practical implementation of the software update for the 2.0 TDI engine.
"The start of the recall is taking us a great step forwards", said Dr Diess. "Our customers are getting a good technical solution for their car and can also rely on quick implementation of the modification."
Volkswagen confirmed that the recall process will gradually roll out across other European countries as the company agrees processes with those governments and authorities.