LOS ANGELES—California regulators on Tuesday rejected Volkswagen’s recall plan for some of the German automaker’s most popular diesel models that used software to intentionally deceive government emissions tests, including the Beetle, Jetta, Golf and Passat.
The rejection doesn’t rule out an eventual recall plan for owners of the 75,688 affected 2.0-liter diesel cars in California.
But it does prolong the limbo for drivers who bought the diesels under the false impression that they were getting a cleaner engine along with a more powerful car and better mileage and who have been waiting for a path forward since the scandal unfolded last September.
The action also leaves the possibility of a buyback for VW owners.
The California Air Resources Board said Volkswagen’s plan was unacceptable for a variety of reasons, including that it did not adequately identify the affected vehicles; did not include a sufficient method for obtaining the car owners’ names and addresses; and did not include adequate information on how the fix would affect future emissions results.
The state agency also issued a formal notice against the German automaker, alleging its deception and failure to propose a timely solution had violated the state’s clean air regulations and “fundamentally undercut” efforts to protect residents from harmful pollutants.
That finding will likely mean future fines for VW as the investigation continues.
“VW’s submissions are incomplete, substantially deficient and fall far short of meeting the legal requirements,” Annette Herbert, head of the agency’s emissions compliance, automotive regulations and science division wrote in a letter to VW executives.
