Nissan has denied falsifying emission tests for diesel Qashqai models built in its UK plant and exported to South Korea.
According to the BBC, South Korea’s government said earlier it plans to fine the automaker KRW330m (GBP195,000; IS$279,920) for manipulating emissions tests, plans a recall (reportedly of 814 units) and intends to sue the head of Nissan’s South Korean operations.
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It is the first time Nissan has been officially accused of cheating. It denies the accusation but confirmed the Qashqai models allegedly fitted with so-called emissions defeat devices were built at its Sunderland plant.
The BBC noted Nissan had been tested by the European Union for emissions standards and it concluded Nissan vehicles used no illegal devices. The company said the South Korean authorities’ findings differed from those of the EU.
The BBC said South Korean’s environment ministry probed 20 diesel car models in the wake of the Volkswagen emissions scandal. Only the Nissan Qashqai failed the test.
Hong Dong-kon, a director at the ministry, said the SUV’s emission reduction device stopped operating when the engine’s temperature reached 35C, about 30 minutes after the engine began to work.
“Usually, some cars turn off the emission reduction device when the temperature reaches 50 degrees C, to prevent the engine from overheating. The Qashqai was the only vehicle that turned it off at 35 degrees,” Hong said.
When the emission reduction device stopped working, the Nissan vehicle’s level of emissions was about the same or slightly higher than that of VW diesel cars which have been caught cheating on emissions tests.
“All auto experts expressed the opinion that it was clearly a manipulation of the emissions reduction device,” Hong added.
In a statement cited by the BBC, Nissan said: “Nissan does not manipulate data related to our vehicles. The Nissan Qashqai has been correctly homologated under Korean regulations. Nissan has not and does not employ illegal defeat or cheat devices in any of the cars that we make.
“Furthermore, following stringent testing and using similar standards to the Korean tests, EU authorities have concluded that Nissan vehicles they tested used no illegal defeat device.
“Although the conclusions reached by the Korean authorities are inconsistent with those of other regulators, Nissan will carefully assess and consider appropriate next steps.
“Nissan is committed to upholding the law and meeting or exceeding regulations in every market where we operate. We are continuing to work with the Korean authorities.”
