Porsche ordered to recall 60,000 diesel cars over emissions: is your vehicle affected?

Porsche is being forced to recall almost 60,000 diesel-powered cars from its SUV line-up over concerns that the cars may be equipped with emissions cheating devices.

Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) ordered the Volkswagen-owned company to recall around 53,000 Macans and 6,750 Cayennes, after discovering “inadmissible defeat devices” on the engines of the SUVs, Auto Express reports.

The German government body believes the devices could potentially be used to lower the amount of nitrogen oxide (NOx) gases emitted during emissions tests, before being turned off following the testing process, the magazine says.

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Responding to the recall request, Porsche said that the company “accepts full responsibility towards its customers”.

However, the car giant said that it does not manufacturer its own diesel engine but instead uses motors developed by Audi, another Volkswagen Group brand, the Daily Express reports.

Which cars are being recalled?

The recall will be exclusive to Porsche Macan models fitted with the 3.0-litre V6 engines, and to the larger Cayennes variants equipped with 4.2-litre V8 motors, The Sun reports. Only models powered by diesel fuel are affected.

Neither model is currently on sale, after being dropped earlier this year owing to to a lack of demand, says Autocar. Porsche’s most recent diesel SUV, the new Cayenne, won’t be available until next year.

Although the recall applies only to diesel Macans and Cayennes, Porsche told Autocar that it would continue to “carry out inspections of its vehicles internally” and would make any changes necessary.

How does the recall work?

Porsche dealerships will contact owners of the affected cars and carry out the necessary fix through a software update, says Auto Express.

Owners will be asked to bring their cars to their nearest Porsche dealership for a “short workshop visit”, which will be free.

Anyone who is unsure about whether their car is eligible for the fix can enter their vehicle’s identification number (VIN) on Porsche’s recall website.

To find a vehicle’s VIN, check above the dashboard on the driver’s side for a 17-character code consisting of letters and numbers.