The Audi lawsuit is part of a new push in the fight against air pollution from vehicles. This is a class-action suit that was brought against General Motors and its U.S. subsidiary, Pontiac. The suit claims that the companies knew about defective emissions from their cars for over 40 years but did not take the measures necessary to protect the public from the risk of such emissions. So far, the lawsuits have been successful, and it may be time to see what the government has been able to do in terms of pollution-reduction for cars.
Audi Lawsuit
There are two major steps that the Clean Diesel Recall Process has taken. The first step was the creation of a database that would store emissions history information for every model of vehicles that underwent the emissions recall. Currently, there are three separate databases: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration database; NHTSA’s voluntary recall program; and the Institute of Energy’s Blue Book. As more vehicles are added to the databases, the data will become even more useful. However, until each manufacturer creates its own database, it is the responsibility of vehicle owners to provide information on their own vehicles for the purpose of the Clean Diesel Recall. If the information on an affected car can’t be verified, then the owner should contact the manufacturer directly.
The second step in the process is to file suit.
The complaint starts by stating why the manufacturer should pay for the cost of cleaning up any possible harm to public health or the environment as a result of using dirty diesel engines. Owners are encouraged to include specific details about the engine. For example, if the car was purchased new and the owner didn’t use it for a year or more, then it is necessary to file suit. Similarly, if the engine has more than one fuel system, it is necessary to file suit.
Owners are also encouraged to provide specific details about the stop-start system that might have been installed on the vehicles.
These can include the date the manufacturer to install the system on the vehicle, the dates it could have been modified, and specific instructions on how to uninstall the stop-start system. This information is necessary to determine whether the manufacturer has a liability for negligence with regard to Clean Diesel lawsuit funding.
Thirdly, owners need to provide copies of repair orders and receipts for any exhaust system modifications.
In many cases, emission defeat devices need to be replaced and cleaned. This is necessary in order to ensure proper working condition of the diesel engines. In most cases, Audi diesel vehicles do not typically experience any unusual emissions while running, but there may be special circumstances with older models that cause unusual emissions with certain circumstances. Audi recommends owners contact their local dealers for more information.
If owners don’t have the required documents, they should contact the EPA. They recommend owners file suit if they have any suspicions of emissions issues with any of Audi vehicles manufactured from 2021 to present. The EPA works to test vehicles each year to determine whether or not they are at risk for emissions issues that could harm the environment.
When emissions issues are suspected, owners should submit a copy of the emission monitoring report for the Audi vehicles to the EPA.
Owners should also send the car’s maintenance log to the EPA for a 40 times check. If a problem is found, owners need to file suit in federal court. Depending on the nature of the emissions issue, the agency can either fix the problem, make the car safe again, or ban the vehicle from being sold. An EPA recall can cost thousands of dollars for repairs and modifications, but it could also cost owners several thousand dollars in legal fees.
Audi is one of many manufacturers that has faced the threat of an emissions lawsuit due to faulty start-stop systems. It is imperative that owners take immediate action if they have suspicions of problems with their car’s emissions. By taking action, owners can potentially avoid the cost and risks of a possible lawsuit against them. If an owner takes action when there is suspicion that their vehicle is emitting harmful emissions, they are taking a proactive step towards protecting themselves and the environment.