The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sent a notice of violation to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) advising them that certain vehicles with 3.0-liter diesel engines house software meant to trick emissions test, allowing the vehicles to spew an illegal amount of pollutants into the air.
The EPA alleges that about 100,000 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 vehicles fit with the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engines have at least eight separate pieces of software meant to hide nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions from tests. The software kicks in under certain operating conditions, which allows the vehicle to figure out when it is being tested for emissions.
Meetings have already taken place on the matter, but so far, FCA has not offered a suitable explanation on why this software was not disclosed to the EPA during the certification process. The EPA is asking Fiat Chrysler to prove why this software is not a defeat device which is intentionally hiding emissions output from testing.
In an official response, Fiat Chrysler says that it is “disappointed that the EPA has chosen to issue a notice of violation with respect to the emissions control technology employed in the company’s 2014-16 model year light duty 3.0-liter diesel engines.” The brand says it “believes that its emission control systems meet the applicable requirements.”
FCA says that is has already proposed a number of actions to address the EPA’s concerns, but so far that is not enough to please the regulatory agency. “FCA US looks forward to the opportunity to meet with the EPA’s enforcement division and representatives of the new administration to demonstrate that FCA US’s emissions control strategies are properly justified and thus are not “defeat devices” under applicable regulations and to resolve this matter expeditiously.”
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This is only a notice of violation, so all 2016 FCA vehicles fit with EcoDiesels are still for sale. Since the news broke, FCA stock prices have fallen by by 16 percent.
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