Report: General Motors is under fire for accusations of diesel-emissions test cheating

It seems the crackdown on cheating diesel emissions tests isn’t over and moves on to General Motors.

What’s going on?

Just when you thought the dust (soot?) was beginning to settle in the wake of Volkswagen’s TDI diesel-emissions cheating scandal, aka “dieselgate,” a class-action lawsuit was just filed against General Motors for similar accusations.

Like rubbing salt in the wound, this adds another layer of legal troubles for General Motors, following its largest recall for faulty ignition switches. So far, GM paid out roughly $2.5 billion in penalties and settlements.

What’s the suit about?

According to AutoBlog, the lawsuit alleges that more than 705,000 Duramax diesel-powered Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups from 2011 to 2016 model years produced two to five times more NOx pollutants than legally allowed. The lawsuit itself is seeking refunds or reimbursement for lost vehicle values and punitive damages.

GM spokesman, Dan Flores, declared the accusations as “baseless,” citing the trucks’ compliance with US Environmental Protection Agency emissions requirements. Flores also emphasized the trucks’ ability to meet California’s strict diesel standards.

It should also be noted that the Duramax trucks come equipped with urea-injection systems. Those system inject Diesel Exhaust Fluid into the catalytic converter to significantly reduce NOx emissions.

The never-ending story

General Motors is the fifth automaker to undergo scrutiny for its diesel passenger vehicles. They join Volkswagen, Daimler, Peugeot, Renault, and FCA. The latest lawsuit against GM is not much different.  Further detailed allegations point to the use of emissions test “defeat devices.” That forces the truck’s engine computer to run at a different state than in real-world conditions under testing, thus falsifying results.

More as it develops…

– By: Chris Chin

Source: AutoBlog

 

Chris Chin

Chris Chin is the Editor-In-Chief of egmCarTech and is a regular contributor to Automobile Magazine.

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