Volkswagen "Clean Diesel" Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation
Volkswagen installed defeat devices—software algorithms in the engine control units (ECUs)—that could detect when the vehicle was undergoing laboratory emissions testing. During testing, the devices activated full emissions controls, reducing NOx emissions to compliant levels. Under normal driving conditions, these controls were deactivated or reduced, causing the vehicles to emit NOx gases at levels up to 40 times higher than legal limits. The primary pollutants involved were nitrogen oxides (NOx), including nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). These gases contribute to smog formation, respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and environmental degradation. The excess NOx emissions led to increased health risks, environmental pollution, and climate change impacts, with estimates of nearly 1 million tonnes of additional NOx released, resulting in thousands of premature deaths and ecological harm.
130
Pending actions
1,889
Total actions filed
Active
Status
12/08/2015
Established
Who qualifies
Plaintiffs qualified if they owned or leased affected Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, SEAT, or Skoda vehicles equipped with 2.0-liter or 3.0-liter TDI diesel engines with defeat devices used to cheat emissions tests. The vehicles had to be purchased or leased within the model years specified (generally 2009-2016). The primary injuries claimed were environmental harm and economic damages, such as vehicle devaluation and costs related to emissions mitigation.
Products involved
- Volkswagen Jetta
- Volkswagen Passat
- Volkswagen Golf
- Volkswagen Beetle
- Volkswagen Touareg
- Audi A3
- Audi A4
- Audi A6
- Audi A8
- Audi Q3
- Audi Q5
- Audi Q7
- Audi Q8
- Porsche Cayenne
- SEAT models
- Skoda models
Alleged injuries
- Environmental pollution
- Respiratory problems
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Premature death due to pollution
Bellwether trials
Bellwether trials are scheduled for 2026 but have not yet occurred or concluded. The litigation remains active, with ongoing trial preparations and no confirmed verdicts or settlements as of now.
Settlement landscape
A notable settlement involved a $48 million agreement related to the MDL, but comprehensive settlement figures for MDL-2672 are limited. The ongoing trial schedule suggests that most disputes are still in the litigation phase, with no final aggregate settlement amount publicly reported.
This page is generated from the official JPML pending-MDL report and public court records, refreshed monthly. It is provided for attorney reference and is not legal advice.
