The new version of Diesel-Gate

The Diesel-Gate scandal continues - this time, manipulation in the field of exhaust gas standards in Germany alone may affect up to 200,000 vehicles of the Fiat and IVECO brands. Three months after the raid on the Fiat Chrysler (FCA) headquarters and official information from law enforcement agencies, the first customers are turning to legal instruments. At the beginning of November, the German prosecutor's office has already recorded 300 lawsuits, and more are regularly coming.

The biggest players on the fire of accusations

The actions of the prosecutor's office are aimed at fraud in the use of the so-called disconnecting devices during the flue gas cleaning process. In July this year, law enforcement simultaneously entered the headquarters of FCA Germany in Frankfurt am Main, Iveco in Ulm and several other entities related to the concern in Italy and Switzerland. Nine suspects were charged, including 3 people employed by Fiat Chrysler and 6 related to sister concern CNH Industrial (owner of IVECO).

Law enforcement authorities called on users of potentially manipulated vehicles to report and submit purchase agreements and technical documentation. Investigators focused on 1.3 Multijet, 1.3 16V Multijet, 1.6 Multijet, 2.0 Multijet, 2.2 Multijet II, 2.3 Multijet and 3.0 Multijet engines from 2014-2019. Both concerns confirmed their willingness to fully cooperate in clarifying the facts.

Alfa Romeo, Jeep, but also many motorhomes

In addition to Fiat and Iveco, the brands Alfa Romeo and Jeep are also mentioned. Prosecutors do not disclose specific models, but the above-mentioned engines meeting the EURO5 and EURO6 standards have been used in a number of cars from small passenger cars to vans and campers. As in the case of other manufacturers, the irregularities concern the use of technologies that manipulate diagnostic readings, especially those aimed at lowering the real values of CO2. Pursuant to EU law, such vehicles cannot be registered and should not be entered into traffic.

According to the data of the prosecutor's office, incoming reports in a few cases cannot be linked to the current investigation. For example, in the case of buyers of second-hand motorhomes, it is difficult to prove that the seller was aware of the alleged inaccuracies. Moreover, such transactions would not directly enrich FCA.

Several lawsuits also concern diesel engines manufactured in the USA, used, for example, in the Lancia Voyager or Jeep Wrangler models, and in the case of which it has not been possible to prove the use of the above-described mechanisms for manipulating the readings of diagnostic equipment.

We will try to follow the developments and inform our readers on the pages of the portal. However, what are the potential implications of the whole situation for our western neighbors for us - clients in Poland?