A Million Defective Ford Diesels Sold in UK, Court Hears
UK authorities have revealed that approximately one million Ford diesel cars were sold with defective emissions controls, a significant issue raised by a court case involving 1.6 million diesel vehicle owners against five car manufacturers.
The vehicles in question were produced between 2016 and 2018 after Ford engineers discovered problems with the components designed to curb toxic exhaust emissions. Notably, these issues became apparent when certain components were "poisoned" by sulfur in fuel during driving, rendering them less effective.
In a high-profile court case, lawyers for the claimants argued that Ford had deliberately calibrated its engines to pass certification tests rather than genuinely reduce real-world driving emissions. The company's former calibration manager, Marcus Davies, claimed that the issues with the emissions control systems were "generic" and not unique to specific vehicles.
However, Davies downplayed the scale of the problem, stating that it was not every vehicle that would be affected. In contrast, lawyers for the claimants maintained that Ford had deliberately created these defects to achieve better performance on emissions tests.
The court heard that new software was implemented in production lines from 2018 to address some of the issues, but a wider recall was never issued. As one lawyer pointed out, even with the updated software, the cars would not have been "compliant" with emissions standards under real-world driving conditions.
This case highlights ongoing concerns about the treatment of diesel emissions and the actions taken by car manufacturers in response to regulatory requirements. With thousands of deaths and cases of asthma linked to poor air quality caused by these vehicles, this trial is likely to have significant implications for those affected.
UK authorities have revealed that approximately one million Ford diesel cars were sold with defective emissions controls, a significant issue raised by a court case involving 1.6 million diesel vehicle owners against five car manufacturers.
The vehicles in question were produced between 2016 and 2018 after Ford engineers discovered problems with the components designed to curb toxic exhaust emissions. Notably, these issues became apparent when certain components were "poisoned" by sulfur in fuel during driving, rendering them less effective.
In a high-profile court case, lawyers for the claimants argued that Ford had deliberately calibrated its engines to pass certification tests rather than genuinely reduce real-world driving emissions. The company's former calibration manager, Marcus Davies, claimed that the issues with the emissions control systems were "generic" and not unique to specific vehicles.
However, Davies downplayed the scale of the problem, stating that it was not every vehicle that would be affected. In contrast, lawyers for the claimants maintained that Ford had deliberately created these defects to achieve better performance on emissions tests.
The court heard that new software was implemented in production lines from 2018 to address some of the issues, but a wider recall was never issued. As one lawyer pointed out, even with the updated software, the cars would not have been "compliant" with emissions standards under real-world driving conditions.
This case highlights ongoing concerns about the treatment of diesel emissions and the actions taken by car manufacturers in response to regulatory requirements. With thousands of deaths and cases of asthma linked to poor air quality caused by these vehicles, this trial is likely to have significant implications for those affected.