Is Opel also using cheating software in its Zafira cars?

The VRT news has found out, based on its own research, that Opel dealers are quietly adjusting Zafira software to lower the nitrogen oxide emissions. French Renault was also caught in the eye of the storm last week.

Better performance but higher emissions

After Volkswagen group’s dieselgate, it seems Opel has also cheated with its software. According to the VRT, Opel dealers have silently altered the software in Zafira models that emit too much nitrogen oxide. However, the reason for that software upgrade was kept a secret to the car owners.

The car models are Zafira Tourer 2014 with a 1.6 diesel engine, with 2 of those tested by the VRT. Both exceeded the European NOx 5 and 9 times respectively. After the update, both had a significantly lower output. Apparently, Opel installed software to boost the cars’ engine performance, but that also increased the cars’ nitrogen oxide emissions. After the VW scandal, the GM subsidiary apparently decided to “update” the software, in all silence.

Opel denies allegations

Opel “categorically denies the VRT news allegation that its Open dealers are altering the software to lower the cars’ emissions” and emphasizes it has not called back any cars. Opel Belgium’s spokesperson said the update is in relation to the cars’ engine management and is designed to make sure the engine does not go lose power unnecessarily. 

The company also points out that car emission tests are a “very complicated matter” and that it does not have enough information to correctly judge the VRT test. “GM developed software does not contain anything to detect whether a car is undergoing an emission test cycle”, it clearly stated.

Renault in the eye of the storm 

Only last week, Renault was caught in the eye of the storm after French investigators searched the company’s main office. The independent technical commission launched after the VW scandal had noticed Renault and many foreign brands violated the CO2 and NOx regulations. No cheating software was found, the investigators emphasized.

French car manufacturer Renault immediately promised to present a “technical plan” in the upcoming weeks to limit the gap between the cars’ actual performance and that in homologation tests. Commercial director Thierry Koskas clearly stated that “Renault had not cheated” and that its cars “respected the emission norms in the homologation tests”.

French Minister of Environment, Ségolène Royal, announced today that Renault will call back 15,000 cars to calibrate the engine so that their filter functions correctly at all possible temperatures.