Shocking news out of the German press and now in the US, confirming a second defeat device in Audi vehicles.

Back in September 2015, and again in November 2015, Volkswagen and Audi admitted using defeat device software to activate emissions controls when diesel cars were being smog tested, but deactivate such controls during normal, on-road driving. Volkswagen took the position that the diesel defeat device was an isolated incident, which it dubiously blamed on “rogue engineers.”

But all the while, Audi was hiding that it had used an additional and completely different defeat device on at least its 3.0-liter gasoline Q5, A6 and A8 models equipped with automatic transmissions. In those cars, Audi installed software which detected when the vehicle was in operation, but the steering wheel was not being turned for more than a 15 percent wheel angle. When that condition was detected (which occurs when a car is in an emissions test), the car is programmed to shift into each higher gear sooner, thus reducing engine RPM, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. But otherwise, i.e., during normal driving operation, the cars’ shift points are higher, resulting in more power and acceleration, but increased fuel consumption (lower MPG) and higher CO2 emissions.

If you own an Audi A6, A8, Q5 or Q7 equipped with the 3.0-liter engine and automatic transmission, or another model with the 3.0-liter engine and automatic transmission, Hagens Berman wants to hear from you.