VW EA 288: Volkswagen also cheated on newer diesel cars?

VW EA 288

VW under pressure: Information on fraud in newer diesel cars condensed

Press inform / VW EA288 diesel engine in a VW Golf GTD. VW also used illegal software with this engine?

• Site editor Sebastian Viehmann

VW boss Herbert Diess wants to make Germany’s largest car manufacturer an electrical giant. This still has an extremely delicate construction site from the exhaust gas scandal – which could be expensive for the group.

For links on this page, Site receives. A commission from the dealer, Z.B. For marked. More infosdas topic "Diesel gate" is actually complete for the Volkswagen group. The currently ongoing legal proceedings against the shot Audi boss Rupert Stadler no longer arouses a great interest in the media. After the exhaust gas scandal and the diesel driving bans, diesel cars fell in favor with buyers and in the future VW boss Herbert Diess only wants to sell electric cars anyway. Despite many ongoing procedures, VW only sees the exhaust gas scandal only in the rearview mirror.

A billion fine for VW

The Volkswagen Group had to pay for one billion euros in a fine in Germany in summer 2018, after significantly higher punishments in the USA. Most of the billion – 995.000.000 euros – there was a loss of the economic advantage, the "sanctioning part of the fine" was five million euros.

Private Fine notice against Volkswagen: Because of manipulated engines, the group in Germany had to pay a billion euros.

However, it took until 2020 until the first betrayed vehicle owners were officially compensated as a result of a model determination lawsuit. The sample procedure had ended with a comparison of the good 245.000 diesel owners benefited. They received between 1350 and 6257 euros in damages, but were able to keep their car. Many other car owners had already been compensated beforehand and were able to give their car back – but they had to enforce this in individual lawsuits.

VW compensated only a few diesel drivers

The decisive factor: VW closed the "official" Comparison only for vehicles that were equipped with a diesel engine of the EA189 generation. Officially, only this engine, despite some mandatory recalls, was, for example, for the VW T6 with newer TDI engines, as "Fraud diesel" famous. It dealt with vehicles of the brands VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda with the EA189 diesel engines (displacement: 1.2; 1.6; 2.0 liters), in which an illegal shutdown device was used. The latter must also have been found through a recall of the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) or a comparable approval authority in Europe, otherwise customers went away empty -handed.

Private In an internal "Application instructions" For VW diesel engines of the EA288 (here with SCR system), it is determined until when so-called "Driving curve" The software could be included. According to the documents, the engineers were instructed both before and after the changes that the function should not be used to optimize emissions for exhaust gas tests

SWR report already reported doubts in 2019

In the summer of 2019, the SWR then reported a suspected suspicion: the newer engine generation EA288, which has been built in millions worldwide since 2012, also had a so-called "Cycle detection", which was used to switch off the exhaust gas cleaning of the vehicle. That would mean that VW should actually compensate many more customers.

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The SWR referred to VW internal documents that suggested another emission fraud: "From the documents (…) that new software versions were installed in the engine control of the vehicles from mid-2016. Apparently the so -called ‘driving curves’ were deleted. Driving curves are a way for a vehicle to recognize whether it is on the test bench. The technical description of the engine states: "’From KW22/16 (for SOP, model maintenance): For new releases, the driving curves are removed from the software’", So the SWR. That would mean nothing else than that VW had tacit traces of an illegal shutdown device. Some of the VW internal documents are also available.At that time, site interviewed experts on the subject who did not want to draw a clear conclusion, whether it was a new exhaust gas fraud or not. The well-known exhaust gas and engine expert Professor Thomas Koch said about the relating software functions: "Misuse or absolutely appropriate use have both been possible". However, it is better, according to Koch that "Such driving curves will no longer be available in the future." The Real trip legislation RDE since 2017 has also led to the fact that "Not only under selected driving curves, but emissions can be measured in the entire real driving operation", so cook. With the new Euro 6D dieseln, such driving curves would therefore make no sense. But these engines are not yet very long at Volkswagen.

Private Internal documents from the VW Group provide information about driving cycle detection in diesel engines, which according to VW has not influenced the emissions-this is also noted in the documents

Lied VW boss Diess live on ZDF?

Volkswagen rejected the new default allegation very clearly at the time. In ZDF, VW boss Herbert Diess said: “You always need testing recognition per se, because of course you have to make sure that ABS does not regulate, for example, that the car is correctly on the test bench.“The crucial question is whether this test bench detection is used in order to achieve different emission values in the driving operation. "And that is certainly not the case," the manager assured. " The engine has no shutdown device .“This also pointed out that the engine in question had been checked by the Federal Motor Transport Authority and also by external institutes.

New York public prosecutor US advertising for diesel engines from Audi

Only US engines should be affected

At the request of Site, VW emphasizes that the German fine of the EA288 engines only refers to models in the USA: "The Volkswagen with EA288 motor displaced in the USA and Canada are technically different from those displaced in Europe. Due to the exhaust gas legislation, which is completely different in the United States compared to Europe.No EA288 engine in Europe has received an official recall due to an inadmissible shutdown device. [From] KBA [was] no engine as extensive in its own, independent examinations as the EA288. The result was always the same, there is no inadmissible shutdown device at the EA288. The KBA published the corresponding results in detail in its investigation reports", so the group towards site.

Private VW diesel engines of type EA189 and EA288 also contained illegal shutdown devices, as the decision of the Braunschweig public prosecutor’s decision against VW from 2018

That is really in the VW fine notice

But apparently Volkswagen – and thus also CEO Herbert Diess – did not say the whole truth. Site is now the decision of the Braunschweig public prosecutor’s office from 2018. And that shows something completely different: Both the engine EA189 and the EA288 had an illegal shutdown device. And while the public prosecutor’s press release mentions that the fine itself only refers to the EA288 engines in the USA in addition to the EA189 engines, there are information in the 37-page notification that suggests that The fraud certainly extended to other countries:

• The decision mentions a total number of 10.7 million "affected vehicles ". This is how the notification mentions vehicles, "The one with the diesel engine EA189 or. whose successor development in the USA EA288 (Gen 3) were equipped in various European countries and in the United States from the relevant authorities and were applied". This can actually only be about vehicles for the United States and the European market, because in EU countries type permits can only be issued for vehicle types that are sold in the EU. The decision also describes the marketing measures with which the manipulated engines have been marketed in various countries and the "Sometimes also contained statements about the pollutant emissions and the concrete environmental friendliness of the vehicles".
• In addition, vehicles are listed with "Process -related software" – So the fraud software – was equipped. In Germany alone, 2.8 million vehicles were affected.

Private Extract from the fine of the Braunschweig public prosecutor’s office against Volkswagen

Which vehicles are in detail contains a system for notification. At the request of Site, the Braunschweig public prosecutor’s office announces that this list is "For legal reasons" not published because it is "A major component of the file and investigative files on the fine procedure or parts of them do not fundamentally not be subject to sending to media according to the regulations of the criminal proceedings."When asked about the contradiction between the statement of Volkswagen and the details in the decision on the bandwidth of the models concerned, the Braunschweig chief prosecutor Klaus draws on the one hand to the press release, which is also shared by VW, in which the fine in the EA288-Motor is only on the Vehicles in the US. At the same time, pull that in the decision "The one standing there" applies. And he adds: "However, it is not the task of the public prosecutor’s office to interpret VW’s interpretation and to explain contradictions based on it."

Several recalls for EA288 diesels in Germany

VW sticks with it: "No EA288 engine has received a regulatory recall for an unacceptable defeat device. Also, and especially, not because of an impermissible thermal window. (…) The fine and the administrative offenses it punishes do not therefore apply to EA288 engines in Europe."This statement is doubtful in view of the details of the notice. In addition: To the famous "thermal window", So it’s not at all a temperature-controlled shutdown of the exhaust gas cleaning system, it’s about the fact that the test bench detection as an illegal defeat device was obviously installed in significantly more engines than Volkswagen officially admits. Because the "disputed software" is not the thermal window, but the application of "driving curves", to manipulate the emission control depending on a test bench situation: The vehicle behaves differently during the test than in normal traffic. Such a function would be illegal, regardless of whether they are now "active" is switched or not.In addition, there were already recalls from EA288 vehicles:

• For example at the VW Bulli T6 With a 2.0-liter TDI engine of the Euro 6 pollutant standard. 185 were affected worldwide.383 vehicles from the construction years 2014 to 2017 – including models that were produced after the exhaust gas scandal became known. Reason for the recall according to the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA): One "Conformity deviation leads to the exceeding of the Euro 6 limit for nitrogen oxides."
• Site is also a recall letter for the transporter VW Crafter From July 2021 before. The software update ensure that "The vehicle safely maintains the emission limit values", However, depending on the individual driving profile "Change the AdBlue consumption". Means: After the recall, more AdBlue is injected, which means that the original setting may not have been compliant with the rules. The addition AdBlue chemically reduces the nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas and makes it harmless, which in principle makes modern diesel engines very clean. A reduction in the injection rate was used for fraud diesels to reduce the maintenance effort.

Cattle man If the diesel addition of Adblue is increasing, there are several warnings in the cockpit. If Adblue is completely consumed, the vehicle must no longer be started

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Manipulated AdBlue dosage

Site also has a complaint, which deals with a manipulated Audi, and in the VW itself that in 2015 after the exhaust gas scandal and one became known and one "general uncertainty" Regarding the legality of those who later landed in court "Acoustic function" In the vehicles with EA288 engines with SCR catalysts, the acoustic function and driving curve detection were removed from November 2015 and was no longer used with the model year change in all EA288 cars. According to VW, the Audi, which the lawsuit is concerned, was only on 12 this driving curve recognition.03.2021 removed. But why should you do that if you don’t know exactly that the function is an illegal switch -off device?

Several judges do not believe VW arguments

While VW "in a large scale" According to the model declaratory action, only EA189 owners compensated, owners of EA288 vehicles also sued in court. You want to return your vehicle. And there were already numerous judgments in 2020 – for example at the district courts of Duisburg, Darmstadt, Offenburg, Heilbronn, Munich, Cologne and Munster – which assumed an illegal defeat device on the EA288 and proved the suing vehicle owners right.VW, on the other hand, drives a campaign that is supposed to keep the owners of relevant vehicles from complaints, and this campaign apparently costs a lot. Who on Google after "EA288" addiction, the first goal receives a VW information page with the title "Why EA288 complain does not be worthwhile".

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However, as the Braunschweig public prosecutor’s decision shows, the plaintiffs of the EA288 engines probably have the better arguments on their side. It is logical that VW defends itself against new complaints. Because for the group it would be very expensive for 2.8 million cars affected in Germany alone, even if these vehicle owners would have to be compensated similarly to the model declaratory action.

How did the emissions scandal come about??

The main department was responsible for the engines at Volkswagen "Test center aggregate" (EAS) with five sub -departments, one of them the department "Admission/vehicle test" (EAS).

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As can be seen from the Braunschweig public prosecutor’s decision, the responsibility of the department for all engines built across the group, EA189 and its successor development EA288 (Gen3) in the USA. The background of how exhaust gas regulations were circumvented with these engines are currently the subject of a process in which ex-Audi boss Rupert Stadler is on the dock. In the USA, investigators had already uncovered the key points of the fraud in 2017:

• One of VW "Shaking logic" The function mentioned manipulated the exhaust gas recirculation in the diesel engine EA189 EU5 according to two operating modes (so -called. Shift logi, also internally "Acoustic function" mentioned): In the case of exhaust gas recirculation mode 1, there is a relatively high exhaust gas recirculation rate, while the exhaust gas recirculation rate in the exhaust gas recirculation mode 0 is lower. Under the real driving conditions in road traffic, the vehicle is operated in exhaust gas return mode 0. The exhaust gas return mode 1, on the other hand, is used solely in the test bench method.
• In the case of vehicles with a SCR catalyst (chemical exhaust gas aftertreatment with the addition AdBlue, which makes nitrogen oxides harmless), too little urea was injected in road traffic (AdBlue), the frequency of the catalyst regeneration was manipulated for vehicles with NOx-saving catalysts.

It would have been the duty of the VW department EASZ – and technically possible at the time – to ensure through appropriate monitoring that the switching logic "already not installed or in the origin of all affected vehicles. subsequently removed from the affected vehicles", so the public prosecutor. As is well known, this has not happened.

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