VW emissions deceit fix ‘causes breakdowns’

MPS and campaigners urge Government to intervene as ministers accused of abandoning motorists

VOLKSWAGEN drivers have been forced to get their cars repaired up to nine times, depriving them of their vehicles for months, amid allegations that a “fix” offered in response to the emissions scandal is causing breakdowns. Two years after the German car maker was found to have cheated tests on a global scale, lawyers and campaign groups representing tens of thousands of British drivers claim they have been abandoned by the Government.

The Daily Telegraph has learnt that a growing number of drivers whose vehicles were booked in for repairs have experienced failures affecting engines, exhausts, power and fuel economy.

VW drivers said that they had been forced to wait up to four months for further remedial work to be completed, while others claim they have been charged between £590 and £1,200 to replace broken components. Volkswagen UK has received more than 17,000 complaints from drivers who have faced difficulties following the modification, The Telegraph understands.

Last night MPS and campaigners urged the Government to intervene, as drivers accused ministers of “riding roughshod” over their concerns.

They include Louise Ellman and Lilian Greenwood, the current and former chairmen of the Commons transport committee, who said they had been frustrated by ministers’ response. The scandal emerged in 2015 when the US Environmental Protection Agency revealed that the Volkswagen Group had intentionally installed “defeat devices” in more than 11 million VW, Skoda, Audi and Seat vehicles.

The exposure of the devices, which enabled cars to perform better in emissions tests, has led to Volkswagen paying $25billion (£19billion) in fines and compensation in the US, group lawsuits in several countries, and the imprisonment of several executives.

But in Britain the Government has faced criticism over the lack of regulatory action taken, with more than 60,000 drivers taking their own legal proceedings in what is thought to be the largest group litigation case in UK history. Volkswagen UK insists it has not breached EU laws and has refused to offer compensation in the UK, instead initiating a voluntary, free of charge recall for the 1.2million UK vehicles affected.

But 84,000 British drivers have come forward so far alleging that their vehicles have experienced a wave of technical problems following the fix.

Last night a spokesman for the Volkswagen denied that the “technical measure” was responsible for the problems faced by drivers, adding that there was no “systematic problem”. The company rejects claims that drivers have suffered any financial loss and that the fix was tested and approved by the relevant authorities. It adds that the “vast majority of customers are satisfied” and that it is committed to investigating and resolving concerns when they are raised.

The Department for Transport said: “We continue to take the unacceptable actions of Volkswagen extremely seriously and have recently announced tough new regulations to ensure that those who cheat will be held to proper account in this country, legally and financially, for their actions. We continue to push VW to take action to compensate UK consumers.”