FCA US LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Stellantis N.V., issued today the following statement
FCA US LLC (FCA US) has agreed to a settlement that resolves a U.S. Department of Justice criminal investigation involving approximately 101,482 vehicles from model-years 2014 to 2016 equipped with second-generation EcoDiesel V-6 engines. The agreement, which is subject to U.S. federal court approval, includes a guilty plea, a fine of $96.1 million, and the forfeiture of $203.6 million in gains derived from the conduct. Consumer claims related to the subject vehicles have already been resolved, and no additional recalls are required. As described in Stellantis N.V.’s 2021 financial disclosures, approximately €266 million ($301 million) was previously accrued related to this matter, which is sufficient to cover the forfeiture and penalty imposed by the plea agreement.
The vehicles that reported incorrectly were diesel Jeep Grand Cherokees and Ram 1500 trucks.
On January 10, 2019, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), together with the United States Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency, announced a joint settlement valued at more than $500 million with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. and related companies (Fiat Chrysler). The settlement resolves allegations that the company violated environmental and consumer protection laws by using “defeat device software” to circumvent emissions testing. California received $78.4 million as part of the settlement. Fiat Chrysler is accused of installing the defeat device software in 100,000 vehicles nationwide and 13,325 vehicles in California. The affected vehicles are 2014-2016 diesel Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Ram 1500s
FCA Violations
FCA installed a number of what are called auxiliary emission control devices (AECDs) in its model year 2014-2016 3.0 liter diesel Jeep Grand Cherokees and Ram 1500 pickup trucks.
AECDs alter how a vehicle’s emissions control equipment functions, and are allowed under very limited circumstances. However, the presence of these devices in a vehicle must be disclosed to CARB when a vehicle model is certified.
FCA did not make known the presence of AECDs in the affected vehicles, and the devices do not function when the vehicle is being tested for certification.
FCA’s actions have created substantial excess, illegal, and on-going emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and harm that have impacted, and continue to impact, public health and the environment in California.
Vehicles are certified to specific environmental standards for air pollutants. NOx is an important contributor to development of ozone, and ozone is a serious public health and environmental problem, especially in California. NOx emissions contribute to the formation of ozone, and can worsen symptoms of asthma and cardio-pulmonary disease.