VW denies Dieselgate 'fixes' damage engines

Volkswagen has denied the software update it's made to more than 1.23 million diesel cars may actually damage the vehicles’ engines.

The accusation, made by the European Commission, were reported by German magazine, Spiegel, who says by effectively "turning-on" the firm's engines anti-pollution measures, the new software updates could inflict "greater stress" on engine components.

The Commission says its fears are based on findings from research carried out at the Vela emissions laboratory in northern Italy.

Neither experts from Vela nor the Commission itself has yet published their findings, nor explained how the updates may cause harm or premature wear.

Issuing a response to the European Commission's findings, a Volkswagen spokesman said: "The software update will have no adverse influences on [fuel] consumption or the durability of the engine and its components".

To protect consumers, the EU is now asking Volkswagen to guarantee all 1.23 million technical fixes.

"We need VW to guarantee, in a legally binding way and without any time limit, that the repairs will work and do not have any negative impact", a Commission official told newswire Reuters.

In response, Volkswagen claims that an advanced guarantee declaration is "not necessary".

In Germany alone some 5.6 million vehicles have been cleared for repair, with 1.2-litre and 2.0-litre diesels affected in VW Group brands Audi, Skoda, Seat, Volkswagen and VW Commercials.

Around 11 million cars are now implicated globally, reports Automotive News.

The fixes on the 1.2-litre and 2.0-litre engines require only a software update. The 3 million plus 1.6-litre diesels, meanwhile, require a software update and a mesh to be installed near the air filter to pass the emission tests it cheated.