VW: Still no word as to the "technical solution"

Volkswagen is to recall about 8.5 million vehicles in Europe (EU28 markets), including some 2.4 million vehicles in Germany, according to KBA - the Federal Motor Transport Authority.

Volkswagen executives say they “welcome the swift decision” by the KBA to implement the timetable and plan of measures submitted last week by issuing a recall. This decision gives customers clarity with regard to the continued unrestricted use of the vehicles, they say at the same time they do not disclose the precise technical nature of 'the problem' or its precise technical 'solution'.

Outside the EU28, each individual country will clarify in detail which emissions classes of the EA 189 (Euro 5) engine are in fact affected.

Volkswagen executives say they "welcomes the swift decision" by the KBA to implement the timetable and plan of measures submitted last week by issuing a recall. This decision gives customers clarity with regard to the continued unrestricted use of the vehicles.

Volkswagen will contact customers and inform them direct. In addition, every Volkswagen customer, for example, can visit the German website www.volkswagen.de/info set up on October 2, 2015 and enter the chassis number of their vehicle to find out immediately if they are affected.

Similar customer websites are active in the other EU countries and for the Audi, SEAT and ŠKODA brands.

Volkswagen says that work on the technical solutions detailed in the plan of measures is currently proceeding at "full speed".

But there remains no explanation as to the nature of the ‘error’ that engineers are working so swiftly to correct, why it is needed, which components are involved and why, and who gave the authority for work on the ‘defeat device’ to begin – and why.

VW says that remedial action on the vehicles begins in January 2016 – at no cost to customers.

Technical solutions can involve "software as well as hardware" measures, it adds.

These are currently being developed for each affected series and each affected model year. All measures will first be presented to the responsible authorities.

Volkswagen will subsequently inform owners of these vehicles over the next weeks and months.

Volkswagen also claims that "customers now have clarity" with regard to the continued unrestricted use of the vehicles.

All of the vehicles affected remain technically safe and roadworthy, it says. Of course, some vehicles may have been involved in accidents and may therefore not be ‘as manufctured’.

The “current successor generation of EA 288 diesel engines” (in use since 2012) is not affected, the company says.