Diesel VW Touareg SUVs Recalled for Illegal Emission Devices

Germany’s motor transport authority, KBA, has ordered a worldwide recall of late-model Volkswagen Touareg SUVs after finding two illegal emission control devices in their diesel engines.

The recall covers 57,600 vehicles, all powered by 3.0-liter V-6 diesels, that were certified to meet Euro 6 emission standards. About half the affected vehicles are in Germany.

KBA says the SUVs are equipped with software that enables them to pass emission tests in the lab but then emit too much nitrogen oxides in real-world driving conditions. In engines also fitted with an “AdBlue” urea-injection system to control NOx, KBA discovered certain conditions in which the system’s operation was illegally restricted.

The Touareg recall follows two earlier campaigns involving the same NOx issue. In July, Germany’s transport ministry announced a European recall of 22,000 Porsche Cayenne SUVs after discovering a defeat device that enables their V-6 diesels to evade emission regulations.

Last week VW said it had stopped selling its T6 Multivan small vans because their real-world emissions were significantly greater than allowed. The sixth-generation van, a descendant of the iconic Combi mini-bus, is offered with an array of advanced-design 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder powerplants.