The Biggest Scandals and Cover Ups in the Automotive Industry

12. Volkswagen’s Dieselgate

In 2015, Volkswagen was the biggest car company in the world. But unfortunately, this position was severely shaken by the EPA’s legal action and alleged violation of the Clean Air Act. Apparently, Volkswagen was cheating on their emissions testing by installing special software in the diesel cars they sold on the North American market.

The software was on when they tested their cars for emissions, but it automatically shut off during normal use. Volkswagen marketed diesel cars as a cleaner fuel alternative, but in fact, they were polluting the environment more than regular gasoline-powered cars.

Soon, people called the scandal Dieselgate. It caused car dealers to put Stop Sale signs on all Volkswagen diesel products. There were also millions of angry buyers and a severe drop in sales. Currently, the Dieselgate situation is costing Volkswagen close to $15 billion in the U.S. market alone.

13. Ferrari 458 Fires

It is hard to imagine what could be the problem with one of the best sports cars of today but apparently, Ferrari issued recalls for all Ferrari 458s they made back in 2012. The cost of the recall was over $300 million. And it affected owners all over the world.

The reason was a series of unexplained fires that destroyed several cars. Engineers found that the reason was the glue they used to hold several components together. Due to the extreme heat the engine produced, the glue melted, causing devastating fires in a matter of minutes. It looks like they have solved the problem and the 458 still remains one of the best cars money can buy.

14. Firestone’s Exploding Tires

Despite the tragic scandal with Ford, the Firestone Company was under public scrutiny again in early 2000s when it recalled 6.5 million tires used by all manufacturers. The tires were known to explode for no reason, causing crashes, injuries and deaths.

The recall was terribly expensive and took over a year to complete. The U.S. Safety Commission estimated that Firestone’s tires caused over 200 deaths, and over 4,000 crashes and complaints.

These are the biggest scandals and cover-ups in the automotive industry. Some were accidental, some were intentional, and some weren’t even real, but they weigh heavily on the minds of car consumers everywhere. These car scandals show how important it is for car buyers to do their homework before heading to the dealership.