Mercedes-Benz Diesels Accused of Cheating Emissions Tests
Ruh roh. After last year’s epic Volkswagen disaster the last words any automaker with diesel models wants to hear are “defeat devices,” but those are exactly what Mercedes BlueTec diesel cars are accused of using to fool tests.
According to Driving.ca the allegation was made in a lawsuit filed last week in New Jersey by a Mercedes owner.
A spokesman for Mercedes’ parent company dismissed the claim as “baseless” and promised that the complaint would be investigated and that they will defend themselves against this lawsuit.
After 2015’s “Dieselgate” fiasco, the reputation of diesel vehicles suffered a pretty heavy blow, and should it turn out that another manufacturer has done the exact same thing, it may be the nail in the coffin for diesel sales in North America.
Environmental protocols are being heavily enforced with automakers, as they should be if we want to see some progress in the fight against climate change. However, the same zeal that is keeping automakers under close watch, can also negatively impact employees. Just last month, shares in Renault fell drastically thanks to suspicion of emissions investigations. Luckily the investigation turned up empty and the company mostly recovered, which probably saved people from losing jobs.
The complaint says that Mercedes diesel models are designed to turn off pollution controls in temperatures under 10ºC. Things don’t look so good for the German automaker as an independent testing agency’s results would seem to corroborate the complainant’s claims that the Mercedes C220 emits more nitrous oxide in real-world tests than measured in lab results.
The suit is seeking a recall for the affected models or to replace them for free in addition to unspecified damages. The law firm is proposing a nationwide class action that includes all U.S.-based residents and entities that bought or leased an affected vehicle as of this month. Among the supposedly affected models are the Mercedes ML320 and ML350 SUVs, its E- and S-Class sedans, and GLE-Class crossovers.