Numbers for the third quarter are in, and Volkswagen has lost $1.83 billion due to the recent defeat device scandal. With many people still playing the blame game, and no word yet on a fix for the defeat device problem, how is the VW recall going to affect consumers who bought their cars?
Why Will The Volkswagen Recall Be Difficult To Handle?
It is very hard to build a diesel engine that runs cleanly. Many automakers worldwide have tried to take advantage of the diesel engine’s fuel efficiency while cleaning up emissions, but these carmakers have found very little success. This is why the VW TDI engine was so revolutionary. It apparently succeeded in making a diesel engine that was both economically and environmentally friendly, but that was all a lie.
How Will Volkswagen Fix The Problem?
Automotive experts have come up with several theories as to how the German automaker could fix this problem. The first method is adding a urea-system to the car. This system would spray a catalyst into the car’s exhaust that would help break down problematic Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) molecules. However, systems like this are heavy, expensive, and would require vehicle owners to regularly refill an extra tank on their car.
The other option—which experts believe is the better solution—is to reprogram the TDI computer control units to run in the environmentally friendly mode that fooled EPA testers. This would be less expensive than the urea-system, but it could come at a high price for vehicle owners. The computer adjustment might rob TDI cars of their power as well as their fuel economy.
No matter the solution, TDI owners can expect the value of their cars to drop significantly. For more information, visit our VW recall page, and keep following our blog, Facebook, and Twitter pages for more updates as they develop.
Colson Hicks Eidson—Injury Attorneys