Volkswagen, Ohio Settle Lawsuit Over Vehicle Emissions

COLUMBUS, OH — Volkswagen agreed this week to pay $3.5 million to the state of Ohio to settle a lawsuit over vehicle emissions.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost led a lawsuit against the company accusing the auto manufacturer of violating state environmental laws. The lawsuit claimed Volkswagen manipulated computer software in its vehicles to mask carbon dioxide emissions.

“This agreement fully resolves Ohio’s legacy claims and puts this matter behind the company as we focus on building a future of sustainable mobility," a Volkswagen spokesperson told Patch in an email. He noted the settlement does not include any admissions or findings of liability on the company's part.

The lawsuit accused Volkswagen of putting vehicles into "test" mode during emissions testing. That allowed the vehicles to reduce emissions, but only for the duration of the test, the lawsuit said, and during normal driving the vehicles emitted higher levels of carbon dioxide.

For his part, Yost claimed the settlement was a victory for his office and for the state of Ohio. The $3.5 million will be split between the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the attorney’s general office.

“The damage to the environment and consumer trust required us to hold Volkswagen accountable and this settlement does that,” Yost said. “These funds will go toward protecting Ohio from other environmental hazards.”

Ohio's lawsuit against Volkswagen was filed in 2016 in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. At that time, Yost's office also filed a separate lawsuit against the company accusing them of misleading consumers. That lawsuit was also settled.