Millions of BMW drivers may have ‘Dieselgate’ cars – check if you can claim

BMW is one of dozens of car companies who were implicated in the diesel emissions scandal.

If you’re a diesel BMW driver, you could claim up to £10,000 in compensation – read on to find out how you can check if you’re eligible.

Back in 2015, the car industry was rocked by what’s now known as the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal, when it emerged that dozens of manufacturers had installed illegal software into their diesel vehicles.

These so-called ‘defeat devices’ were programmed into the engines of these cars in order to mislead anyone testing their emissions of nitrogen oxide.

In lab conditions, the engines emitted safe and compliant levels of this highly dangerous air pollutant.

But following a series of road-based tests, the ICCT (International Council on Clean Transportation) discovered these vehicles emit far greater levels of NOx outside of the lab, and well above regulations.

The shock discovery of this deceit first began with Volkswagen, but it swifty implicated a number of other major car brands, including BMW.

The furore sent shockwaves across the industry which are still being felt today, with guilty manufacturers forced to pay out billions in compensation to its customers.

If you owned or leased a BMW diesel vehicle that was made between 2009 and July 2016, it’s far from impossible that its engine has a built-in defeat device.

Just remember: the burden of claiming compensation lies with the buyer, not the manufacturer.

So if you think you’re eligible for compensation, it’s vital that you take those first steps yourself.

The process for checking eligibility is simple: head to the Diesel Claim website and enter your car’s registration number. The claim is operated on a no-win-no-fee policy.

Not this is just about the money. By claiming compensation, you’ll also be helping to set an important precedent: that despite their size, multinational companies like BMW are not above regulation.

If you’re one of its customers, make sure you hold them to account.

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