Dieselgate Disaster Returns to Haunt Mercedes Through Public Report
Report from German non-profit Deutsche Umwelthilfe claims eight unknown defeat devices were found on a Euro 6 2016 Mercedes E350D.
During the mid-New ’10s, Volkswagen found itself under the gun for using software to get around emissions testing on their diesels. This wound up known as Dieselgate, which, in turn, saw VW leave diesel behind for good. Yet, it wasn’t the only German manufacturer to fiddle with the tests. Mercedes, too, got called out for doing the same thing at around the same time. However, the company opted to voluntarily recall its diesels to avoid the same fate that befell VW.
Alas, the ghosts of Dieselgate linger on into the New ’20s. According to Motor1, a new German report discovered eight previously unknown defeat devices under the hood of a 2016 Mercedes E350D meant to comply with Euro 6 standards.
First reported by German environmental non-profit Deutsche Umwelthilfe, U.S. law firm Milberg tapped auto software expert Felix Domke to look into the matter. The vehicle subjected to Domke’s search was a 2016 Mercedes E350D with an OM642 3.0-liter V6. The search turned up a total of eight defeat devices. Six were connected to the built-in SCR cat, two attached to the EGR system.
When all eight are in play during testing, nitrogen oxide levels fell to Euro 6 standards. Deutsche Umwelthilfe reports that when the devices are off, the OM642’s nitrogen oxide levels were 500% above the legal limit. The non-profit demands affected models with the V6 – including the E-, GLC-, GL-, and G-Classes – all be recalled for repairs, or decommissioned.
However, a Mercedes representative told Autocar the devices “are not to be assessed as illegal defeat devices in the interaction and overall context of the highly complex emission control system.” The statement is backed by several German agencies and courts. In fact, the Federal Motor Transport Authority not only knew of the devices, but declared them not illegal. Additionally, the German Federal Court of Justice says such devices and their existence alone is not enough to merit damage claims against parent company Daimler AG.
Over in the United States, Reuters reported in August 2020 that Mercedes paid a total settlement of $2.8 billion in 2020 to various federal and state agencies. Much like Volkswagen, Mercedes is changing its focus from diesel to electric.
Photos: Mercedes-Benz
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