D he Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche has been wearing a mantra for almost three years. Shortly after the announcement of the VW diesel scandal Zetsche had said his company does not manipulate and do not cheat. Since Monday evening, such statements are in a completely different light. Daimler Must call back three-quarters of a million diesel cars in Europe, of which almost a quarter of a million in Germany. The company is fortunate, however, that the Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer does not seem to be complaining about his intention to demand from Daimler a fine of up to 5,000 euros per vehicle. That would have been really expensive for the Stuttgart group. The order of the recall by the Ministry of Transport is also already a resounding slap in the face for Daimler, although the recall does not have the extent as in the case of Volkswagen.
It is also a blow for Zetsche personally. He has to ask himself, like many VW managers, if he really knows what’s going on in his company. It does not help him that the group wants to clarify open legal issues in an opposition proceedings. Although Daimler has the right to object. Whether it improves his reputation, but may be doubted.
The case of Daimler as well as that of the Audi CEO Rupert Stadler show that the diesel debacle of the German auto industry simply wants to take no end. This is not only a challenge for the CEOs. Even the employees of Daimler fear for the reputation of their employer and make this fear air. In Ingolstadt there is also unrest, in Wolfsburg anyway. This is not surprising, because in the end it’s not about the Stadlers or Zetsches, it’s about thousands of jobs and the existences that depend on it.
It is all the more important that the executive levels obey what they themselves promised in full-bodied form, which BDI President Dieter Kempf reminds them of: They have to admit mistakes, they have to apologize for that and, where necessary, the responsibility take. Why is it still almost three years after the outbreak of the VW diesel scandal still such speeches? Because obviously the feeling prevails that the message has still not arrived.