CARB and EPA Shoot Down VW’s 3-Liter TDI Fix

With penalties and solutions for the cheating scandal involving the 2-liter TDI engines all but polished off, VW, CARB, and the EPA have turned their attention to the 3-liter TDI engines. It looks like VW is already running into issues with its larger powerplant as the CARB and EPA have both rejected the initial proposal to repair the affected 3-liter diesel engine.

Like the 2-liter TDI, the 3-liter diesel used a “defeat device” that activated emission-control equipment when it sensed the vehicle was undergoing emissions testing. In everyday driving, however, this system deactivated the emission-control devices, resulting in improved fuel economy and performance.

Once the EPA discovered these devices, it forced the VW Auto Group, which also includes Porsche and Audi, to cease all sales of vehicles equipped with these engines.

To get these vehicles back on the market, VW must develop repairs that make them emissions compliant. To date, the 3-liter engine sat on the sidelines as VW focused on getting the 2-liter engine settlement approved.

With the nearly $15 billion plan to make good on its cheating ways in motion for the 2-liter TDI, VW has submitted its first repair proposal for the 3-liter engine to the EPA and CARB. According to a USA Today report, both agencies found this proposal “incomplete, substantially deficient and fall far short of meeting the legal requirements to return those vehicles to the claimed certified configuration.”

So, it’s back to the drawing board for VW. USA Today does report that VW is calling the rejection “a procedural step” and that it’ll continue working with CARB and the EPA to develop an acceptable fix.

While it may be a while before you can get a great deal on a VW crossover with the 3-liter TDI engine, there are some decent deals on other VW crossovers. For example, the VW Touareg V6 Sport is available on a 36-month lease for $499 per month with $2,999 due at signing. There are also great discounts available on this people hauler as there are big manufacturer-to-dealer incentives and up to $1,500 in finance bonus cash.