AMSTERDAM – Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Jeep Grand Cherokee and Suzuki’s Vitara diesel models both break emissions rules and must be fixed or face a ban on sales across Europe, the Dutch road authority ruled on Thursday.
The Grand Cherokee and Vitara had used “prohibited emissions strategies” that led them to emit higher levels of harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) on the road than under testing conditions, the RDW regulator said.
Jeep had developed a software fix and had been ordered to recall the model across Europe, the authority said.
Suzuki had yet to find a credible solution for the Vitara, the regulator said.
“Suzuki must come with adequate improvement measures or the RDW will begin the process of revoking its European type approval,” the RDW said in a statement, adding it had also started the process of revoking approval for the Jeep Grand Cherokee as a “precautionary measure.”
Regulators across the world have been testing diesel models since Volkswagen Group admitted in 2015 that it used illegal software to cheat U.S. emissions tests.
Dutch State Secretary for Infrastructure, Stientje van Veldhoven, said in a letter to parliament she would inform prosecutors of the RDW’s findings.
Fiat Chrysler and Suzuki could not immediately be reached for comment
Under the EU’s type approval system an automaker can obtain certification for a vehicle type in one EU country and market the car in all EU markets.
Individual EU countries can order a Europewide recall of vehicles that were certified for sale in their jurisdiction.
In the wake of VW Group’s diesel emissions-cheating scandal the system was criticized by politicians and environmental campaigners for allowing automakers to “shop around” for lenient testing agencies.
Automotive News Europe contributed to this report