Mercedes to recall thousands of ‘diesel cheat’ cars
MERCEDES is poised to recall tens of thousands of cars in the UK that have been fitted with ‘defeat devices’ designed to cheat diesel emissions tests. On Monday the German government ordered parent company Daimler to recall 238,000 vehicles in Germany after they were found to have been fitted with illegal software that masks diesel emissions.
It said 774,000 diesel vehicles around Europe contained the devices, including the diesel versions of the Mercedes C-Class, Vito van and GLC models.
Daimler has denied any wrongdoing but has already committed to refitting the software in cars sold in Germany.
Last night Mercedes confirmed it would issue a recall in the UK as it emerged that officials in the UK are pressing the German car giant to take similar action in Britain.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) said it had given Daimler until June 22 to respond. Ian Bartlett, head of its Vehicle Safety Branch and Market Surveillance Unit, said: ‘We are aware of the issue of “defeat devices” in some Mercedes models and we are in communication with Mercedes-Benz UK about the matter. Mercedes have not yet notified us of an official recall so we are pressing them on this point and have given them until June 22 to respond.’
It is not known how many cars are affected, but the UK is one of Daimler’s biggest export markets. Given that 238,000 cars have been recalled in Germany, it suggests that tens of thousands of cars in the UK will be affected.
Government officials and the DVSA have been criticised for taking a much softer approach against car manufacturers than its counterparts in Europe and the US.
German transport minister Andreas Scheuer on Monday ordered the ‘immediate recall’ of Daimler models in Germany because they contained ‘illegal shutdown devices’. Mr Scheuer also threatened to fine Daimler £3.3billion, with the ministry able to impose fines of nearly £4,400 per car.
The UK has said it will introduce similar penalties for car makers caught using defeat devices.
The latest development comes almost three years after the VW scandal in which it admitted including the software in 11million VW, Skoda, Audi and Seat cars sold around the world.
It has paid billions of pounds in fines and compensation to drivers in the US, but has not paid a penny in the UK as it insists it did not break the law in Britain and drivers have not lost out.
Instead it has recalled around 1.2million cars to have the devices removed. It is now facing a class action law suit from more than 50,000 drivers in the UK who claim the value of their car has fallen.
‘Fitted with illegal software’