Stellantis Unit FCA US Agrees to Pay $4.2 Million to Resolve California Emissions Investigation
Stellantis unit FCA US has agreed to pay $4.2 million to resolve a California investigation into excess emissions, the state announced on Monday. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) said the vehicles covered by the settlement for violations of air quality regulations include 2014 through 2016 Ram ProMaster 1500, 2500, and 3500 vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines.
The state said the vehicles had an unapproved device that circumvented emissions control and resulted in nearly 55 tons of excess oxides of nitrogen being released into the air. As part of the settlement, FCA US agreed to recall the vehicles to modify the emission control system to be compliant with state regulations.
The settlement also includes a more than $2 million civil penalty that will go to the state’s Air Pollution Control Fund and $2.1 million that will fund a project to provide incentives for ocean-going cargo vessels to slow down in certain areas during peak whale and ozone seasons to provide wildlife and air quality benefits.
This is not the first time FCA US has faced emissions-related issues. In 2022, the company paid a $5.6 million settlement to California for similar allegations involving gas-powered vehicles. In a separate federal emissions probe, FCA US pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy and agreed to pay about $300 million in a plea agreement to resolve a U.S. Justice Department diesel emissions fraud investigation.