THE GERMAN FEDERAL Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt or KBA) has given Volkswagen the go-ahead to fix its vehicles with the 1.6-litre EA 189 TDI engine.
This means that the 2.6-million 1.6 TDI diesel engines across Europe will be retrofitted with new equipment and revised software to allow the engines to meet current pollution emissions standards.
Like the 2.0-litre diesel engines that were also affected by the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal, the modification involves a software update. However, the 1.6-litre engine also requires an additional flow conditioner to be fixed directly upstream of the air mass meter. The flow conditioner is a straight, non-baffled pipe that allows a straight flow of air for a more accurate measurement of air mass passing through to the intake. Volkswagen says that the current flow pipe in that location baffles the air, making measurements inaccurate.
Volkswagen also says that both the fitting of the flow conditioner and the software update will take less than an hour and that these fixes will make the 1.6-litre EA 189 engine compliant with emissions requirements.
The KBA has said that these fixes cause
no detrimental changes to fuel consumption levels, performance data or noise emissions
Owners of such vehicles will be notified over the coming weeks and they can then book their car in for the modifications at an authorised workshop at a time of their choosing. Customers will incur no costs and as part of the recall process, all customers are being offered replacement transport free of charge.
Volkswagen has told owners of affected vehicles that the cars are technically safe and roadworthy and can continue to be used on the road without any restrictions.
If you want to check if your vehicle is included in the EA189 campaign, Volkswagen Ireland has a website where you can input your registration number to find out if your car is affected or not. Find the website here: http://campaigncheck.ie
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