Mercedes recalling thousands of vehicles in Portugal

Paul Rees 18 June 2018

Mercedes owners in Portugal are to receive notification of a recall so mechanics can update pollution control software.

The operation is for Vito vans and two Class C models with thousands of vehicles due to be booked into to service workshops.

The upgrade covers the Vito 1.6l Diesel (OM 622) and 2.2l Diesel (OM 651) models, as well as the Class C and GLC models equipped with four-cylinder diesel engine.

After a meeting with Dieter Zetsche, executive chairman of the Mercedes-Benz group, the German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer announced on June 11th, 2018, that Daimler will be required to collect a total of 774,000 vehicles across Europe to update the dodgy software.

The operation in Portugal, which should be carried out "as soon as possible," according to the company which confirms the adjustment will be done free of charge and should take about one hour.

The German magazine Der Spiegel reported earlier this month that the German authorities have threatened to impose a fine of €3.75 billion on Daimler over data manipulation on vehicle emissions for its various brands’ diesel engines.

Daimler has indicated that it will appeal against Germany's vehicle inspectorate, Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) and it's decision to classify the software as illegal.

Comments

-2 #5 Harry Teller 2018-06-20 18:11

Is this not a brilliant opportunity for Portuguese Financas to track down tax avoiders who have treated themselves to a recent Mercedes but, through some scam, not declared its purchase? Demand from Mercedes (and all the other manufacturers) the list of owners who have recently bought a 'cheat' vehicle. Or is this just too intrusive and presumptuous - the sort of thing more developed countries that have had real Revolutions would be doing?

0 #4 livaboard 2018-06-19 22:19

Quoting Chip:

Because 5 years ago we were being told that modern diesel was far less polluting than petrol, .

The culture of cheaper [than petrol] diesel in Europe goes way, way back. It was re-justified by the pollution claims a few years ago; of course it depends on which pollutants you decide to measure, but it was always a doubtful claim.

My point is that it's kept cheaper than petrol due to unexplained tax policy. If governments want to discourage diesel use, all they need to do is equalize the taxes of fuels.

+1 #3 Harry Teller 2018-06-19 18:13

We must remind ourselves that the original technical analysis that identified the cheat software was done in the US. As were the original prosecutions. This story is of the Germans finally themselves coming clean after US fines and another 50 odd countries seeking compensation from them. Yet the EU has had for years its own vehicle emissions Inspectorate - when will we hear why they were muzzled ? The Italians and French still flatly refuse to have any EU wide analysis of their vehicles; even prohibiting local Inspectorates in EU member states where their vehicles are assembled and sold. So much for EU solidarity !

+2 #2 Chip 2018-06-19 11:42

Quoting livaboard:

Now that we know how dangerous the pollutants of diesel engines are, why is diesel fuel still kept so much cheaper than petrol?

Because 5 years ago we were being told that modern diesel was far less polluting than petrol, so millions of people across Europe bought diesel cars. Why should they be penalised now? Penalise the advisers.

0 #1 livaboard 2018-06-19 09:04

Now that we know how dangerous the pollutants of diesel engines are, why is diesel fuel still kept so much cheaper than petrol?

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