About three years ago, a law firm in the UK accused Nissan and Renault of installing defeat devices in around 100,000 petrol-powered Nissan Qashqais and approximately 1.3 million Renault diesel vehicles. The law firm showed data from an independent test proving that the carmakers cheated on emissions tests.
A senior partner from the firm said they reached out to the carmakers asking both parties to explain the alarming results. Defeat devices hide real emissions as they can sense when a vehicle is about to be tested. When this happens, they manipulate emission levels, reducing them to within the legal limits so the vehicle will pass the regulatory test.
However, the low emission level is only temporary. Once the vehicle is out of the lab and being driven in real-world road conditions, it releases excessive amounts of nitrogen oxide or NOx, a dangerous gas that can shorten human life.
The law firm also claimed that Nissan and Renault diesel vehicles – with 1.5 and 2.6 engines – release more toxic emissions than other diesel vehicles in the world. They emit more NOx than Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz.
Before the lawsuit, UK government authorities already approached Nissan and requested the carmaker to recall and fix all the affected vehicles. Nissan ignored the request.
Aside from the Nissan Qashqais, other affected vehicles include Nissan’s diesel-powered X-Trail, Juke, and Noted; along with the Scenic, Mégane, Captur, Espace, and the Clio from Renault.
Legal authorities believe that Nissan and Renault have followed the same path that Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz took in terms of cheating on emissions. This is similar to the 2015 Dieselgate diesel emissions scandal that initially involved only the Volkswagen Group.
A spokesman from Nissan denied the accusations and stressed that their vehicles all followed emissions regulations and respected regulatory limits.
Renault, on the other hand, released a statement saying that their diesel vehicles are manufactured in accordance with emissions laws and regulations.
The London-based law firm revealed that affected drivers are expected to receive compensation amounting to up to £5,000 each.
Dieselgate and NOx emissions
In 2015, the Volkswagen Group received a Notice of Violation indicating that they violated emissions laws by equipping their diesel vehicles with illegal defeat devices. Thousands of Audi and Volkswagen vehicles were affected, and VW had to recall each one of them.
Authorities also ordered Volkswagen to pay fines and compensation. At present, the carmaker has spent billions on payoffs.
VW lied to their customers and mis-sold high-polluting vehicles as high-performance, emissions-compliant cars. As such, VW chose to gain profit rather than ensure the safety of their clients.
Several months later, Mercedes-Benz was implicated in the diesel emissions scandal. BMW, Vauxhall, and Renault are among the countless other carmakers involved in the scam. Nissan is one of the new additions to the list as allegations of defeat device use first came out only last June 2020.
More carmakers are added to the list year after year.
More car owners are exposed to the dangers of nitrogen oxide emissions.
NOx emissions contain two of the most dangerous gases: nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitric oxide (NO). They are responsible for the formation of air pollution contributors, specifically acid rain and smog. Nitrogen oxide also reacts with other elements to produce a pollutant known as ground-level ozone, which kills vegetation.
For a person regularly exposed to NOx, the problems will keep hounding them. Episodes of anxiety and depression are frequent. Cognitive abilities may be affected as well, and dementia can set in.
The more dangerous impacts of nitrogen oxide exposure, however, include the following health conditions:
- COPD
- Pulmonary oedema (when the lungs are filled with fluid)
- Asthma
- Laryngospasm
- Certain cancers
- Asphyxiation
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Early death
These are life-altering impacts that can be avoided – if exposure to NOx emissions is avoided. Carmakers should take responsibility for their illegal actions. This is why law firms are urging affected drivers to start legal action against their carmakers. A diesel claim is the best option to bring them to court.
What is my diesel claim all about?
Your diesel claim pertains to legal action against your carmaker for subjecting you to the dangers of driving around in a diesel vehicle with a defeat device. The claim is necessary and will help pay for the following:
- Your vehicle’s compromised performance
- Your vehicle’s engine had to be corrected to comply with emissions standards
- Your unusually expensive payment for the vehicle
- Your (and the public’s) exposure to NOx emissions
However, not all diesel vehicles were equipped with defeat devices. So, the first that you should do is verify if you are qualified to receive compensation. All you need to do is visit Emissions.co.uk and gather all the information you need about making a claim.
Don’t forget to work with an emissions expert so you can make the right decisions and take the right path in your emissions claim case.