Volkswagen Emision Scandal - Over 11 Million Cars Around The World May Be Returned.

Get Everything you need to know about the diesel emissions scandal engulfing the VW Group brands Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and SEAT. See how the scandal started and get the breakdown of the alarming amount of cars that they have to recall.

The Volkswagen Group has announced plans to recall the 11 million vehicles affected by the diesel scandal - with over 1.1 million UK vehicle owners affected.

According to VW; "step by step, affected customers will be contacted, with details of a process to get their vehicles corrected in the near future. In the meantime, all vehicles are technically safe and roadworthy."

VW emissions crisis timeline: how it happened 

• • 18/09/2015: The US environmental standards agency EPA files a Notices of Violation of the Clean Air Act to the Volkswagen Group stating cars sold between 2009 and 2015 included software to specifically pass EPA’s emissions tests.

• • 20/09/2015: Then-CEO, Martin Winterkorn, issues a public apology admitting to “breaking the trust” of customers.

• • 22/09/2015: VW announces the engine in question is the type EA 189, found in 11 million vehicles worldwide and the company has set aside £4.7 billion to cover the costs of the scandal.

• • 23/09/2015: Martin Winterkorn resigns as the CEO of the Volkswagen Group. VW confirm new EU6-compliant diesel engines not affected by the defeat device software.

• • 24/09/2015: Germany’s Transport Minister, Alexander Dobrindt states the cheating software can be found in 1.6 and 2.0-litre diesels in Europe.

• • 25/09/2015: Matthias Muller appointed as the CEO of the Volkswagen Group. Dobrindt confirms 2.8 million diesel cars affected in Germany alone. VW confirms five million of its own cars affected.

• • 28/09/2015: Audi and Skoda admit 3.3 million of their diesel cars were built with the emissions cheat software. Winterkorn faces criminal prosecution in Germany for alleged fraud.

• • 29/09/2015: VW Group announces plans to rectify 11 million of the vehicles involved.

• • 30/09/2015: VW Group announces that 1,189,906 UK cars will be recalled

What is the VW emissions scandal?

The recall notice comes after the VW Group was caught by US authorities for violating vehicle emissions standards. Volkswagen was found to have installed a ‘defeat device’ software algorithm on its cars to manipulate exhaust emissions tests making its cars appear cleaner than they are.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found four-cylinder diesel engines made by the German car giant were built with a software device that detects when the vehicle is undergoing emissions tests and activates full emissions control measures to produce results far better than those achieved in real-world driving.

The net result is that cars pass strict US emissions limits under laboratory conditions, but when unplugged from the testing rigs, the EPA states that the diesel engines emit nitrogen oxides (NOx) up to 40 times the legal limit. The limits for N0x emissions in Europe are less stringent than the EPA’s standards and it remains unclear whether the cars found to be deliberately cheating US tests have broken the law in Europe, although VW admits that the same software is present.

• How to test cars for real-world mpg and emissions

VW Scandal: Which engine brand and car models were affected?

The engine in question is VW’s type EA 189, found in over 11 million diesel cars with 1.6 and 2.0-litre capacities across the Volkswagen Group’s product range but no longer fitted to new models in Europe. VW, SEAT, Audi and Skoda have confirmed they have sold cars with the engine featuring the rogue software and now all 1.1m models are set for a recall to have the code removed.

VW says five million of its cars around the world use the EA 189 engine, with known diesel models including the Mk6 Golf, Mk7 Passat and the first generation Tiguan equipped exclusively with the EA 189 engine. Further models that include the EA 189 engine in their line up are the Jetta and Beetle sold between 2008 and 2015.

Audi and Skoda have said 3.3 million of their cars with so-called EU5 compliant engines come with the ‘defeat device’ installed. Some 1.42 million Audis with the software are found in Western Europe, with 577,000 in Germany alone, and 13,000 in the US.

An Audi spokesman said the affected models include the A1, A3, A4, A5, A6, TT, Q3 and Q5. While Skoda also confirmed that 1.2 million of its cars are also affected by the diesel scandal.

The Volkswagen Group has set aside £4.7 billion to cover potential damages arising from the emissions scandal, but the Group could face fines up to £12 billion in the US alone. The 11-million vehicle planned recall is expected to cost the Group approximately £4.3 billion.

Since the emissions crisis started, the Group’s CEO, Martin Winterkorn has resigned and was replaced by the former Porsche chief executive, Matthias Muller. Winterkorn is now facing criminal prosecution in Germany for alleged fraud.

VW is still quiet over exactly which VIN numbers are affected, but the Group has said the following numbers of UK vehicles are set for a recall:

VW Group recall: numbers of UK cars affected

• • VW passenger cars - 508,276
• • Audi - 393,450
• • SEAT - 76,773
• • Skoda - 131,569
• • VW commercial vehicles - 79,838

Total VW Group cars set for UK recall: 1,189,906 

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