Fiat Chrysler Automobiles accused of using emissions cheat devices…
The Environmental Protection Agency has accused FCA of using emissions cheat devices in its 3.0-litre turbo-diesels since 2014.
THE EPA IS BACK on the war path and this time FCA is in its sights with the Agency claiming FCA installed emissions cheat devices in its 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engines, which were used in both Dodge RAM and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
“EPA issued a notice of violation to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. and FCA US LLC (collectively FCA) for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act for installing and failing to disclose engine management software in certain light-duty diesel vehicles sold in the United States. The undisclosed software results in increased emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx),” the statement read.
“The FCA software affects the way the NOx control system operates, resulting in higher NOx emission levels from these vehicles than from vehicles with properly operating emission controls,” the EPA statement continued.
“The Clean Air Act requires vehicle manufacturers to demonstrate to EPA through a certification process that their products meet applicable federal emission standards to control air pollution. As part of the certification process, automakers are required to disclose and explain any software, known as auxiliary emission control devices, that can alter how a vehicle emits air pollution. FCA did not disclose the existence of auxiliary emission control devices to EPA in its applications for certificates of conformity for model year 2014, 2015 and 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Ram 1500’s, despite being aware that such a disclosure was mandatory. By failing to disclose this software and then selling vehicles that contained it, FCA violated important provisions of the Clean Air Act,” the EPA said.
In response to the EPA’s allegations, FCA issued a statement to the media saying: “FCA US is disappointed that the EPA has chosen to issue a notice of violation with respect to the emissions control technology employed in the company’s 2014-16 model year light-duty 3.0-litre diesel engines.
“FCA US looks forward to the opportunity to meet with the EPA’s enforcement division and representatives of the new administration to demonstrate that FCA US’s emissions control strategies are properly justified and thus are not ‘defeat devices; under applicable regulations and to resolve this matter expeditiously.
“FCA US has spent months providing voluminous information in response to requests from EPA and other governmental authorities and has sought to explain its emissions control technology to EPA representatives. FCA US has proposed a number of actions to address EPA’s concerns, including developing extensive software changes to our emissions control strategies that could be implemented in these vehicles immediately to further improve emissions performance.”
I reckon the good news after all these diesel scandals will be that diesel (and GDI) engines may finally become clean(er) in the near future. It’s not as if this can’t be done. It’s just a little more expensive but better air quality in our cities are worth it.
FWIW, the EPA announcement doesn’t come as a surprise. Back in September the German KBA released a notice that the emission controls of the Jeep Renegade/Fiat 500x are disabled after 22min. The standard European test cycle lasts 20min …
vw criminal cheats!!
VW (and FCA) cheated illegally and they were terribly stupid in the execution.
All the others are cheating legally because most of their diesel emission filters are only active within a certain thermal window arguing that this is to prevent engine damage.
So the lesson is – if you cheat – do it right.