A second CARB action against FCA, now part of the Stellantis merger.
Late yesterday the California Air Resources Board reached a settlement agreement with FCA US of Auburn Hills, Mich. for $5,601,090 for violations of CARB’s air quality regulations.
The FCA vehicles involved include MY 2012 through 2018 Ram 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles, equipped with 5.7-liter gasoline engines. This engine configuration was found to not comply with certification emission standards when it was tested by CARB. More than 30,000 vehicles were part of the emissions violation.
FCA cooperated with CARB to resolve all allegations of violating Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Devices regulations. FCA’s settlement includes a $2.8 million civil penalty that will go to CARB’s Air Pollution Control Fund, which provides funding for projects and research to improve California’s air quality. The remaining $2.8 million will fund a Supplemental Environment Project called Cleaner Air for Kids, which has Zero Emission School Bus Funding. This bring more electric school buses to schools in the South Coast Air Basin, CARB said in a release.
“This case is a perfect example of why CARB’s compliance testing is so important in protecting the state’s air quality and public health. CARB staff work every day to identify violations and hold companies accountable for meeting our strict emissions standards,” said CARB Executive Officer Dr. Steven Cliff. “I want to commend CARB staff for their diligence in identifying the violations.”
This is the second enforcement action against FCA – now part of the Stellantis mega merger, during the past four years. In January 2019, CARB entered a joint settlement with FCA for allegations that the company violated environmental and consumer protection laws by using “defeat device software” to circumvent emissions testing on more than 100,000 vehicles nationwide. California received more than $78 million of the $500 million settlement. (autoinformed.com on: FCA Emissions Fraud: Accountability or Accountancy?)*
AutoInformed on
AutoInformed on VW Dieselgate
*That 2019 settlement resolved allegations that Fiat Chrysler installed software in diesel vehicles that would cause nitrogen oxide emissions from vehicles to be within legal limits during emission testing, but to exceed legal limits during ordinary operation.
These were detected in a joint effort by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and CARB using enhanced screening and testing procedures originally developed during testing of Volkswagen light-duty diesel vehicles. Shortly after revelations of excess emissions by Volkswagen in September, 2015 all manufacturers of light-duty diesel vehicles were told that these new testing methods would be employed to identify defeat devices.
Following the Volkswagen emission cheating scandal, CARB and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) performed enhanced screening on diesel vehicles sold by all manufacturers. Using the new testing procedures, the agencies alleged that diesel 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500s contained defeat devices. In addition to misleading regulators and violating environmental laws, Fiat Chrysler’s use of the defeat device software and marketing of the vehicles violated California consumer protection laws. The vehicles were marketed to consumers as environmentally friendly, meeting or exceeding California’s emissions rules, and providing best in class fuel economy and driving range.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
CARB settles with FCA for $5.6M on Air Quality Violations
A second CARB action against FCA, now part of the Stellantis merger.
Late yesterday the California Air Resources Board reached a settlement agreement with FCA US of Auburn Hills, Mich. for $5,601,090 for violations of CARB’s air quality regulations.
The FCA vehicles involved include MY 2012 through 2018 Ram 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles, equipped with 5.7-liter gasoline engines. This engine configuration was found to not comply with certification emission standards when it was tested by CARB. More than 30,000 vehicles were part of the emissions violation.
FCA cooperated with CARB to resolve all allegations of violating Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Devices regulations. FCA’s settlement includes a $2.8 million civil penalty that will go to CARB’s Air Pollution Control Fund, which provides funding for projects and research to improve California’s air quality. The remaining $2.8 million will fund a Supplemental Environment Project called Cleaner Air for Kids, which has Zero Emission School Bus Funding. This bring more electric school buses to schools in the South Coast Air Basin, CARB said in a release.
“This case is a perfect example of why CARB’s compliance testing is so important in protecting the state’s air quality and public health. CARB staff work every day to identify violations and hold companies accountable for meeting our strict emissions standards,” said CARB Executive Officer Dr. Steven Cliff. “I want to commend CARB staff for their diligence in identifying the violations.”
This is the second enforcement action against FCA – now part of the Stellantis mega merger, during the past four years. In January 2019, CARB entered a joint settlement with FCA for allegations that the company violated environmental and consumer protection laws by using “defeat device software” to circumvent emissions testing on more than 100,000 vehicles nationwide. California received more than $78 million of the $500 million settlement. (autoinformed.com on: FCA Emissions Fraud: Accountability or Accountancy?)*
AutoInformed on
AutoInformed on VW Dieselgate
*That 2019 settlement resolved allegations that Fiat Chrysler installed software in diesel vehicles that would cause nitrogen oxide emissions from vehicles to be within legal limits during emission testing, but to exceed legal limits during ordinary operation.
These were detected in a joint effort by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and CARB using enhanced screening and testing procedures originally developed during testing of Volkswagen light-duty diesel vehicles. Shortly after revelations of excess emissions by Volkswagen in September, 2015 all manufacturers of light-duty diesel vehicles were told that these new testing methods would be employed to identify defeat devices.
Following the Volkswagen emission cheating scandal, CARB and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) performed enhanced screening on diesel vehicles sold by all manufacturers. Using the new testing procedures, the agencies alleged that diesel 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500s contained defeat devices. In addition to misleading regulators and violating environmental laws, Fiat Chrysler’s use of the defeat device software and marketing of the vehicles violated California consumer protection laws. The vehicles were marketed to consumers as environmentally friendly, meeting or exceeding California’s emissions rules, and providing best in class fuel economy and driving range.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.