Report: U.S. Uncovers Three Cheater Software Programs in Audi’s V-6 Diesels

U.S. emission investigators have found a trio of software programs that turns off the emission controls in Audi AG’s V-6 diesels, Bild am Sonntag reports.

Parent company Volkswagen AG initially denied the 85,000 affected engines had any “forbidden” devices to cheat on emission tests. But the company suspended sales of the engine in November.

Last September VW admitted it rigged 11 million 4-cylinder diesels worldwide to evade emission tests, including 475,000 vehicles sold in the U.S. The engines used secret software to turn on controls during tests but allow emissions to exceed limits by as much as 40 times under actual driving conditions.

The German newspaper, which did not reveal its source, says V-6 diesels sold in the U.S. were configured to switch off emission controls after running for 22 minutes, about two minutes following the end of the federal emission test sequence.

VW reached agreement in June to spend as much as $1.6 billion to repair or buy back the doctored 4-cylinder diesel vehicles, plus $4.7 billion to fund remediation programs, in the U.S. The company must reach a separate agreement for the V-6 engines.