VW has '˜no data' on fix numbers

Volkswagen says it has launched technical fixes for some of the 1.2 million diesel vehicles in the UK fitted with '˜defeat devices' designed to cheat emissions tests.

The car maker said it had gained approval for alterations to the Audi Q5, A5 and A4, SEAT Exeo, Volkswagen Caddy, Amarok and Golf ranges.

But it was unable to say how many fixes had been done.

VW has admitted selling 11m rigged diesels worldwide pumping out more noxious gas than tests would suggest.

A spokesman said: “I do not have data for cars that have been in to receive the technical updates, but I can assure you that work is under way and in progress. It is a principle focus for us.

“Customers of affected cars, where technical measures have been approved, have been contacted by us by letter – via information supplied by the DVLA only for this purpose – four times so far, with further correspondence to follow if the fix has not been applied.”

Fixes take up to an hour and are free.

Affected vehicles are: Volkswagen, Audi, Seat and Skoda cars and VW commercial vehicles with 2ltr, 1.6ltr or 1.2ltr ‘EA189’ engines.

The VW spokesman added: “We are expecting the next batch of models to receive approvals in the coming days and weeks.