Audi has been ordered to recall around 1,27,000 vehicles due to an illicit emission-control software in the new Euro 6 diesel engine by Germany's KBA motor transport authority. According to the Four Rings, the models had been included in a voluntary recall of 850,000 diesel vehicles with V6 and V8 TDI engines announced in July.
The recall has affected various models including the A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8 sedans and Q5 and Q7 SUVs. The KBA has found that the affected cars' engine management systems turn off emissions-reducing measures in real-world traffic but work as usual while testing. Audi said it has been examining its diesel cars for potential irregularities for months in close cooperation with the KBA.
The recall is a part of the systematic and detailed assessment issued by KBA regarding the V6 TDI engines, according to Audi. The Ingolstadt-based carmaker said that the engine control software for the vehicles in question will be completely revised, tested and submitted to the KBA for approval. If not acted accordingly, KBA threatens to withdraw the approval for Audi’s flagship A8.
In November last year, Audi had announced a recall of 5,000 cars in Europe for a software fix after discovering they emitted too much nitrogen oxide. Audi’s parent company Volkswagen Group concealed the same high NOx emissions from U.S. regulators in its infamous 2015 dieselgate. The German giant was found to have illegally manipulated engine software so that vehicles would meet NOx emissions standards in laboratory testing but not in real-world conditions, where they could emit up to 40 times the permitted levels.
Several Audi models were affected as well and the carmaker was accused of using the same cheating devices years ago but escaped at that time by claiming not to have installed them in its vehicles at all. However, Audi and Volkswagen never commented on the matter. Last month, Audi also ended the task force it had set up to investigate the number of vehicles that had manipulated the software.
