Germany's KBA automotive watchdog reportedly has announced a recall of top SUVs with three litre diesel engines after detecting two illicit emissions control devices in the models.
The KBA told Reuters the recall of the Touareg with the latest Euro 6 compliant diesel engine was ordered on 8 December and affects 57,600 vehicles of which 25,800 are in Germany.
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"Two inadmissible switch off devices were found upon examination of the VW Touareg three-litre diesel Euro 6 by the Federal Motor Vehicle Authority," it said, according to the news agency.
Reuters noted the move followed a recall by German authorities in July of 22,000 Porsche Cayenne SUVs in Europe, a sister model which shares the same modular platform and engine developed by Audi.
KBA told the news agency an emissions-lowering "warming up strategy" activated on the Touareg model when the vehicle was examined in static roller bed tests carried out under the new European driving cycle (NEFZ) did not, for the most part, go into operation in road testing.
KBA also said, on Touareg models fitted with costlier selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems, it detected a strategy that, under certain conditions, illegally restricts the use of AdBlue, a urea based liquid needed to help filter nitrogen oxides from diesel emissions.
VW had adjusted Touareg production and developed new engine software to help fix the affected vehicles, KBA told Reuters.
