Following the ‘dieselgate’ scandal in which Volkswagen and other big car manufacturers were discovered to be using illegal defeat devices in order to lower emissions levels their diesel cars were producing during testing and make them appear more environmentally friendly than they actually were, Mercedes-Benz has become the latest company to be found at fault.
In June 2018, as well as using defeat devices, the KBA, the German road vehicle authority found that Mercedes parent company Daimler had used illegal software to change diesel emission in its vehicles and ordered them to recall affected cars. If you had a Mercedes diesel vehicle between 2009 and 2018 you could make a Mercedes emissions claim and receive compensation.
Why should you make a Claim?
Mercedes misled their customers who had bought their diesel vehicles believing they would be getting a car that is better for the environment with lower CO2 emissions. However, Mercedes owners often found that their fuel economy and overall vehicle performance was quite poor in comparison to what was promised. This was particularly the case when drivers applied the ‘fix’ that was offered by Mercedes, around 25% of people who had the fix experienced reliability issues since it was done.
A wider issue is the fact that increased levels of nitrogen dioxide emissions are damaging to the planet and to the health of adults and children. Mercedes should be held accountable for their actions, misleading their customers, and putting their profits above the health of the environment, especially at a time when climate change is a serious problem that most countries are trying to fight against.
How much Compensation could you Receive?
There is not a definite figure for the amount of compensation you could get by bringing a claim against Mercedes at this stage. Compensation can be specific to the age and model of car you are claiming for and to confirm that, you would need to provide the relevant paperwork or evidence. However, with that in mind it is likely that you have experienced financial loss in purchasing an affected vehicle, so it is expected that the average claim would be in the thousands of pounds at least.
How does the Affected Mercedes Emissions System Work?
It has been determined that Daimler (who own the Mercedes-Benz brand) used multiple techniques to reduce emissions levels when their cars were in test conditions. These techniques to cheat emissions testing included:
· An initial reduction of NOx completed by the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system.
· A diesel oxidation catalyst reduces the level of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC) released from the exhaust and helps with keeping the particulate clean.
· In some older cars, an NOx storage catalyst is used to perform the last removal of NOx from the exhaust before it leaves the tailpipe.
Do you need to have bought your car through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services UK Limited (MBFSUK) to have a valid diesel claim?
No, you don’t have to have purchased your car through MBFSUK to have a pursuable claim. You might be asked for information about your finance provider as people who did buy their car through MBFSUK may have additional claims against them.
Can you Sell your Car before the Claim Concludes?
Yes, you can still be eligible for a Mercedes emissions claim, even if you intend to sell your car when proceedings have been issued. It would be helpful to your claim if you could get the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and copies of any documents you have such as the finance agreement or invoice as well as the identity of the buyer of your car and the price that it was sold for.