Suzuki Motor says must respond to emissions probe by mid-Feb

TOKYO: Japan’s Suzuki Motor is co-operating with the Dutch authorities over their findings its diesel vehicles had broken the country’s emissions rules, and it is required to respond to the investigation by mid-February, it said on Friday.

The Dutch road authority ruled on Thursday that Suzuki’s Vitara and Fiat Chrysler’s Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel models broke emissions rules and must be fixed or face a ban on sales across Europe.

In a statement, Suzuki said diesel versions of its Vitara and S-Cross vehicles used engines and emissions software supplied by Fiat Chrysler.

The Dutch authorities said the vehicles in question, which are no longer in production, showed emissions levels higher than allowed following a software update in 2017, Suzuki said.

Earlier this week, the German authorities said they were investigating Mitsubishi Motors for suspected use of illegal, emissions defeat devices installed in its diesel engines.

Regulators across the world have been clamping down on emissions devices used in diesel models since Volkswagen admitted in 2015 that it used illegal software to cheat U.S. emissions tests.