BMW taken to court over 100,000 diesel cheats
Various investigations by Car Claim, a foundation for victims of the diesel scandal , and research by consumer and environmental organisations in Germany, France and the UK show that these diesels contain illegal software, the Consumers' Association and the Car Claim Foundation said in a statement .
If you have a car with cheat software, you won't notice it while driving, "but you have bought an illegal car," says spokesperson Joyce Donat of the Consumers' Association.
Emissions 5 to 10 times too highThe software allegedly made nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions appear much lower than was actually the case. Research by the German RDW (Netherlands Vehicle Authority) shows that the limit for NOx emissions under normal driving conditions is usually 5 to 10 times higher than the legally permitted limit.
In total, approximately 100,000 diesel cars from the BMW and Mini brands (owned by the German BMW) were sold in the Netherlands between January 1, 2009 and September 1, 2019.
The Consumers' Association and the Car Claim Foundation want BMW to recall these cars and modify them so they actually comply with legal emissions standards. The cars' performance should remain the same, however. For example, they shouldn't consume significantly more fuel.
Shameless"It's shameless how BMW has misled both the inspection authorities and consumers. The company must take responsibility for this," says Sandra Molenaar, director of the Consumers' Association. "We want BMW to compensate the consumers they misled."
The issue is similar to what happened at Volkswagen, which also includes Audi, Seat, and Skoda. A major scandal involving cheating diesel engines came to light there in 2015. Due to illegal software, NOx emissions from those cars were lower in tests than on the road.
Ultimately, in September, the Car Claim Foundation, the Diesel Emissions Justice Foundation and the Volkswagen Group Diesel Efficiency Foundation reached an agreement with Volkswagen, which means that buyers of cheating diesels will receive between 300 and 2,500 euros back .
Other manufacturers tooAfter the discovery of cheating software at Volkswagen, similar practices were later exposed atother manufacturers . This included Citroën, Mercedes, Opel, Peugeot, and Renault. The Consumers' Association is also campaigning to compensate buyers of these cars.
We hope that the recent settlement with Volkswagen will lead to an agreement with other manufacturers, said Consumers' Association spokesperson Joyce Donat.
She declined to say how much compensation Car Claim and the Consumers' Association are seeking from BMW. She said that depends on the model involved, how long consumers have owned the car, and whether it was a new or used car.
Donat is keen to add that BMWs are generally more expensive cars than Volkswagens, so the price tag is also higher.
It took some time, however, before a settlement was reached with Volkswagen. Car Claim's proceedings against that company began in 2017.
Donat says he assumes that the issue will now be resolved more quickly.
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