BMW Denies Claims of Diesel Shutoff Device

BMW AG denies a claim by a German environmental group that some of the company’s 3 Series diesel cars were rigged to evade emission limits.

DUH (Deutsche Umwelthilfe) points to its tests of a 2.0-liter diesel-powered BMW 3 Series wagon, which it claims indicate “very clear signs” of illegal emission control software.

On the road, DUH’s test car emitted nearly three times the 80 milligrams per kilometer allowed by Euro 6 standards. When the car’s speed was increased by 10%, NOx emissions climbed to seven times the limit. Yet the same vehicle remained “significantly” below the 80-milligram limit at the same speeds when tested on a laboratory dynamometer.

DUH says the gap strongly indicates the presence of cheater software that disables NOx filters when it senses the car isn’t undergoing lab tests. The group, which announced its findings on Monday, notes that vehicles are expected to have fully functional emission controls under all normal operating conditions. DUH is calling on Germany’s transport ministry and KBA vehicle watchdog agency to review the data and issue a recall if the tests are confirmed.

BMW insists its vehicles comply with all legal requirements and are “active both on the test bed and in practice.”