Consumer Group Files Diesel Emission Lawsuit Against VW

German consumer group myRight has filed a test lawsuit demanding that Volkswagen AG offer to buy back cheater diesel vehicles it sold in Germany at their original price.

VW is fixing 8.5 million of cars in Europe, including 1.5 million in Germany, that were rigged to trick emission tests. The company says repairs to the “EA 189” family of 4-cylinder diesels will leave the performance and fuel economy of the vehicles unchanged.

But VW has repeatedly rebuffed demands that it also should compensate affected customers for the negative effect of the scandal on the resale value of their vehicles. In the U.S., the company agreed last June to pay 475,000 affected owners at least $5,100 (€4,900)—even if they agree to sell their vehicles back to VW.

Reuters says the myRight complaint claims VW violated European Union standards by selling cars equipped with software banned as illegal by EU rules. The case aims to create precedent on behalf of other owners who could use the result as a pattern for their own lawsuits.

Europe does not allow U.S.-style class-action lawsuits, which can be used to process thousands of similar claims through a single court. Reuters says myRight has rallied more than 100,000 VW owners.