Volkswagen is also saying that the 2.0-litre and 1.2-litre EA189 engines will only need a software update, and that all the changes are designed to cause no change to engine performance, consumption or emissions.
Volkswagen is putting the simplicity of the solution down to the fact that it is now able to create much more complex engine management systems and can more clearly digitally model the movement of air in and around the engine thanks to advances in engine design technology since the EA189 family was first designed.
The proposed fix has been forwarded to the German Federal Motor Transport Authority for approval, and Volkswagen is still hoping to kick off its recall in January. If the small fix is approved, it could be significantly cheaper to carry out than Volkswagen had been expecting.
However, it probably won't be sufficient in the US market where emissions standards are much stricter than in Europe. It's expected that Volkswagen will have to make major mechanical modifications to many of its diesel engines there. It's also no help in the emerging scandal involving Volkswagens' over-estimating the fuel consumption and emissions of many of its models.
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