DüsseldorfThe letter from Wolfsburg is clear and unambiguous. “In internal reviews, we found that vehicles were sold in a certain period of time, where the condition may not have been in line with the series production status at the time of marketing,” it states Volkswagen-Brief to the Passat holder. Therefore, give it now a callback, “Unfortunately your vehicle is also affected by this measure”.
And that’s not all: “We want to buy back your vehicle to exclude any possible damage.”
In plain language that means nothing else than that VW for years sold cars without valid registration papers. This affects not only German customers, but buyers throughout Europe.
There is also the problem in the sales region North America, Customers in the United States, for example, were also supplied with vehicles from the VW plant in Mexico without a valid license. This issue was first reported by the trade journal “Auto, Motor und Sport” last week.
Current club events
Volkswagen is about pre-production vehicles. Before the actual launch of a new model each manufacturer prepares for internal purposes a few thousand copies in advance. The car companies need such cars at trade fairs or for test drives. The cars can, but do not have to differ from the later production cars.
Although the number of pre-production models without valid street legal approval sold does not reach the dimension of the diesel scandal, in which the VW group manipulated around eleven million vehicles worldwide and thus ultimately sold without valid street legal registration.
Nevertheless, the practice once again shatters the credibility of the group. Volkswagen again sold products with a false promise. This is also a problem for CEO Herbert Diess, who had promised a new start in the company – without any manipulation.
Risks for motorists
Volkswagen confirms that over the years pre-series models without valid approval have been sold. From the period from 2006 to 2018 about 6700 vehicles are affected, of which about 4,000 in Germany, Basically, such a sale is also allowed defended a company spokesman practice of recent years.
“However, it was missed to document what is not standard on the affected vehicles,” said a VW spokesman. Volkswagen has meanwhile changed its internal processes. Now it is clearly stated to what extent the advantages differ from the later series production vehicles.
The recall justified Volkswagen with unresolved security issues. Since it can no longer be definitively clarified what has been done on the individual cars, the recall is the safe alternative. The total of about 6,700 affected vehicles differ significantly from each other. Sometimes a small software update is enough, sometimes the navigation system has to be replaced, but sometimes a car can not be used anymore and ends up in the junk press.
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Although Volkswagen promises to compensate its customers appropriately, but many lose their trust, VW assures that the recall is “a precautionary, proactive approach”. Volkswagen also has no knowledge of accidents and personal injury associated with pre-production models.
The whole recall was “annoying” for Volkswagen, but can not compare with the diesel scandal. The company also works closely with the regulatory authorities on the recall.
At the responsible Federal Ministry of Transport, however, Volkswagen threatens trouble. A spokeswoman confirmed on Sunday that the ministry is investigating a fine against Volkswagen – because the licensing requirements have not been met. A few thousand euros could be due for each car involved.
Especially annoyed is Volkswagen’s own trading organization. “Now we have to make up for the damage to the customers caused by Wolfsburg,” said a dealer from southern Germany. To sell cars de facto without valid registration papers – “such a thing has never happened before”.
Legal consequences
Even with the competitors, the approach of Volkswagen makes for incomprehension. On the German market pre-production vehicles were “definitely never sold”, said on Sunday Volvo-Speaker. at Daimler It was said that pre-production models would never be sold. “It’s a huge mistake to do that,” said one industry representative. Also at Opel if there is no such thing, said a spokesman. “Actually, such cars are not eligible,” added Stefan Bratzel, Professor at the Center of Automotive Management (CAM) in Bergisch Gladbach near Cologne.
Germany’s top consumer advocate Klaus Müller has reacted with sharp criticism to the recall of thousands of VW cars because of faulty documents, For those affected that was “a tough nut under the Christmas tree,” said the head of the Federation of German Consumer Federation (VZBV) the Handelsblatt.
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“The fact that these are VW models from the years of construction from 2006 to 2018 shows, on the one hand, that Volkswagen did not understand anything even three years after the announcement of the diesel scandal,” says Müller. “That apparently now also safety risks were taken into account by VW in an improper way test vehicles on the market, topped the previous practice with regard to the environment and health of the people again to another and previously unimaginable failure of the Executive Committee. “
VW must now “finally rethink, the policy must be successful,” demanded Müller. “And we consumer advocates will resolutely enforce the rights of those affected,” added the head of the VZBV.
Legal experts are preparing for further legal consequences for Volkswagen. In cases where the cars do not meet the agreed characteristics, “warranty claims come into consideration,” said Daniel Wuhrmann, product liability expert from Berlin. In addition, damages are also conceivable – “because of the costs incurred by the buyers because of the defective vehicles and will arise”.