VW Predicts Diesel Fixes Won’t Hurt Performance

Volkswagen AG expects the relatively simple fixes it proposes for its 1.6- and 2.0-liter diesels will bring the engines into compliance with German emission standards without hurting power, fuel efficiency or performance.

The engines are among 11 million the company admits it fitted with illegal software that enabled the diesels to trick emission tests.

VW told Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority that both engine sizes will receive software updates. The 1.6-liter engine also will be fitted with an air intake tube that contains a mesh designed to stabilize air flow and improve the accuracy of the engine’s air mass sensor.

VW says current computerized air-flow modeling tools—which weren’t available when the engines were developed—enabled engineers to find relatively simple fixes for the engines. Both diesels are part of the company’s “E 189” family. VW estimates it sold 8.5 million rigged engines in Europe and 482,000 in the U.S.

Repairs to both engine types can be updated by dealers in less than an hour, according to the company. VW says it now believes it also can fix 1.2-liter diesels in the E 189 family with a software update alone. Earlier the company indicated that significant mechanical changes would be needed.

If the proposed fixes are effective, they appear likely to dramatically reduce the expected cost of repairing the affected engines. Such a solution also could reduce the size of regulatory fines and perhaps mute lawsuits on behalf of owners that claim consumer fraud and/or lost economic value.