Audi-Dieselskandal 3.0l-Motoren – Rogert & Ulbrich klärt auf

Life as a car manufacturer can be stressful at times, but also expensive if you have been in the past in your premium models has installed engines with unauthorized shutdown devices.

This experience makes Audi more frequently during this time.

The Federal Motor Transport Authority found at least 4, in some cases even 5 different switch-off devices in the majority of the vehicles affected, two of which it deemed inadmissible. They ensure that the vehicles recognize the test bench and comply with the legally prescribed limits.

In real driving conditions on the road, however, the limit values are exceeded many times over. We have the documents sent to Audi by the Federal Motor Transport Authority and they describe the illegal software strategies of the affected vehicles in detail, including the so-called "heating strategy".

In the last weeks and months we have been able to successes against the Ingolstadt-based car company.

Jurisprudence agrees

The district court in Bochum accepted the claim of the driver of a Audi A5 Sportback with emissions class EURO 6. Audi now has to pay almost € 28,500 for the car purchased in 2017. The plaintiff has driven almost 75,000 kilometers since the purchase (judgment of August 6, 2021, ref. I-4 O 485/20).

Audi also has a bad hand in Leipzig. Here the company was forced to withdraw a Audi A8 with a 3.0l engine and EURO6 standard against payment of almost € 40,000. Here, the plaintiff drove a good 77,000 kilometers within the 5 years since purchase in 2016 (judgment of August 4, 2021, ref. 09 O 2734/20).

The Darmstadt Regional Court has taken the same approach. Audi AG must A7 Sportback with a 3.0l engine with an alleged EURO6 emissions class for around € 14,600. That may not sound like much, but it is a reasonable sum considering that the car has already been driven over 200,000 kilometers and these vehicles are currently very difficult to sell (judgment of August 2, 2021, case number 27 O 379/20)

The Heilbronn Regional Court concludes this series. Audi AG was ordered to pay a fee of € 100 million for a vehicle purchased in 2017. Audi Q5 for € 51,525. The car cost the proud sum of a good € 65,450 at the time. The plaintiff drove it about 35,000 kilometers within the 4 years (judgment of July 23, 2021, ref. My 11 O 223/20).

But you can also be on the winning side with an older vehicle. The district court in Ingolstadt accepted the claim of the driver of a Audi A6 Avant (EURO5) with bi-turbo engine and 313 hp. The plaintiff can look forward to a refund of almost € 27,300. However, the regional court did not calculate the compensation for use correctly - according to the prevailing case law, it should actually be almost € 41,000. The Munich Higher Regional Court will have to make improvements here (judgment of July 27, 2021, case number 81 O 2640/20).

conviction for immoral intentional damage

In all cases, Audi AG was ordered to take back the car and repay the purchase price less compensation for the kilometers driven due to immoral, intentional damage.

The immorality arises from the fact that Audi deliberately programmed the engine control software in such a way that it creates the impression that the vehicles have lower nitrogen emissions than is actually the case in normal driving. Audi AG is one of the largest vehicle manufacturers in Germany, so the manipulations carried out are likely to undermine the public's trust in compliance with the legal framework of the approval process. In addition, Audi not only ignored legal requirements regarding compliance with exhaust emissions values, but also created a system for systematically concealing its actions from the supervisory authorities and its customers by using illegal switch-off devices.

You can find out whether your vehicle is also affected by a recall and whether you can claim compensation here.