LONDON -- Jaguar Land Rover is facing the recall of tens of thousands of vehicles in Europe because of high carbon dioxide emissions. It's the latest blow to the U.K. automaker, which is struggling after diesel sales slumped in Europe and sales slowed in its key Chinese market.
The recall involves Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles with 2.0-liter diesel engines that emit more CO2 than was officially recorded.
Jaguar XE, XF, E-Pace and F-Pace diesel models are affected, as well as the Land Rover Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque, Range Rover Velar, and Range Rover Sport.
The recall covers diesel engines built from 2014 to 2018, prior to the changeover to the WLTP emissions regulations in Europe in September last year, according to the European Union's Safety Gate Rapex rapid alert system for potentially dangerous non-food products.
Safety Gate said vehicles may emit "excessive levels of CO2 and may not conform with the certified condition."
The U.K. vehicle standards agency, the DVSA, said 44,000 models were affected in Britain and the number could rise. Some gasoline models could also be involved, it said.
Excessive CO2 means the cars use more fuel in test conditions than stated by JLR.
CO2 levels are important to calculate fuel consumption figures to allow buyers to compare the fuel efficiency of different vehicles. CO2 emissions numbers are also used to set tax levels for vehicles, meaning JLR could be run into trouble from governments over lost income.
"JLR has clearly been minimizing the declared CO2 and under estimating emissions. I would call that cheating. I except they will claim it was an error," said Greg Archer, UK director for the European environmental pressure group, Transport & Environment.
Working on fix
The excessive CO2 was discovered by the British Vehicle Certification Agency, which reported it to JLR. The automaker is now working with the UK vehicle standards agency to agree on a fix.
An agency spokesman said the DVSA is discussing with JLR engineers a fix and the timing of a recall. "We know it involves 44,000 models in the UK, but that number could change," the spokesman said.
The exact nature of the fix is not known.
Jaguar Land Rover said the vehicles affected are being rectified to "ensure the correct CO2 performance is dependably achieved."
"The modifications will be made free of charge and every effort will be made to minimize inconvenience to the customer," the automaker said in a statement.
Owners are already voicing concerns that the fix will be a software change that could make the cars less powerful.
"I'm worried about that. My car is in the dealers now. The easy way to reduce the emissions would be to restrict the car's performance," a Range Rover Evoque owner wrote on an Internet forum dedicated to the model.
Owners might experience minor changes to the "overall vehicle experience," JLR told UK consumer magazine Which?
Volkswagen Group faced the problem of convincing owners to bring their cars in for a recall when the fix could make worse the car's drivability. VW was forced to recall about 11 million vehicles worldwide when U.S. authorities found that the engine management software had been manipulated to cheat official tests on NOx emissions
VW were also found to be understating CO2 emissions on seven models.
More than 20,000 German buyers of VW diesels with the software filed lawsuits seeking compensation, saying the resale value of their cars had fallen.
In the UK vehicle owners are not forced to bring their cars in for recall, but any business selling a secondhand car must ensure all recalls have been carried out before the sale, the DVSA said.
JLR is suffering a financial crisis caused mainly by its collapsing sales in China. JLR sales in the country were down 48 percent in February, according to company data. JLR was also slow to reduce its reliance on diesel vehicles in Europe, where buyers are deserting the powertrain.
The automaker posted a $4 billion loss in the third quarter of the financial year ending March 2019 after writing off certain investments, leading to fears it is running out of cash.
The automaker is carrying out a cost savings program that will involve the loss of 4,500 jobs.
