US Owners Sue Mercedes Over Diesel Emissions Defeat Devices

A group of owners of Mercedes-Benz diesel cars have filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey claiming that the cars are fitted with a defeat device.

The class-action lawsuit filed by U.S. law firm Hagens Berman claims that the nitrogen oxide emissions produced by Mercedes BlueTEC diesel cars were in excess of permissible limits.

However, Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz has categorically denied the claim stating, "We consider this class action lawsuit to be unfounded. Our position remains unchanged: A component that inadmissibly reduces emissions is not used in Mercedes-Benz vehicles."

This is the second lawsuit filed by Hagens Berman against the German carmaker. The previous lawsuit had caused the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to request information from Mercedes about the nitrous oxide emissions bu the EPA did not open an official investigation into the matter at that time.