The company designed software which was installed in its vehicles to deceive regulators and consumers that its vehicles complied with environmental standards.
Orlando, FL (PRWEB) September 24, 2015
Attorneys at Morgan & Morgan have filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of owners of Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” vehicles over allegations that the automaker deliberately cheated official emissions testing through the use of software in an apparent attempt to increase vehicle sales.
The lawsuit, filed on September 22, 2015 in US District Court, Middle District of Florida in Jacksonville, FL, claims that Volkswagen Group of America knowingly marketed vehicles equipped with software that controls emissions during testing, but not during everyday use. According to the lawsuit complaint, Volkswagen used this alleged fraud to position itself as the market leader in U.S. automotive diesel sales, touting the advantages of its clean diesel line of vehicles compared to gasoline engine vehicles.
"The lawsuit we filed today seeks damages for over 500,000 consumers who were cheated by Volkswagen,” says Morgan & Morgan attorney John Yanchunis. “The company designed software which was installed in its vehicles to deceive regulators and consumers that its vehicles complied with environmental standards. The software was designed by programming engine management software in some diesel cars to turn on emission controls only when being tested."
VW Group of America has admitted that, for more than seven years, it used software on diesel vehicles sold in the United States to cheat federal emission tests, according to the New York Times. The software detects when a federally mandated emissions test is being conducted and switches to an operating mode that enables the vehicle to appear to pass appropriate clean air emissions standards. But the software also allows vehicles to emit pollutants at rates that are 30 to 40 times higher than acceptable standards when they are taken out of the testing lab and onto the road.
The vehicle models affected are:
- 2009-2015 VW Jetta, Beetle and Golf
- 2014-2015 Passat
- 2009-2015 Audi A3
While Volkswagen will likely be fined heavily by U.S. regulators for violating emissions standards, Morgan & Morgan believes that it is equally important for consumers impacted by this potential fraud to be compensated. Morgan & Morgan has extensive experience in the area of motor vehicle class actions, having brought claims against General Motors over its ignition switch defects and Takata Corporation for defective airbags installed in millions of vehicles.
Consumers who purchased one of the Volkswagen vehicles listed above are encouraged to contact Morgan & Morgan to discuss their legal options.
*ALBRITTON v. VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA INC. D/B/A VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC., AND VOLKSWAGEN AG, case number 3:15-CV-1138-J-32-JRK, in the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida
**http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/22/business/it-took-epa-pressure-to-get-vw-to-admit-fault.html?_r=0