Sources: Environmental Protection Agency; CP staff
Through a voluntary recall coordinated with the EPA, Cummins Inc. will replace components in selective catalytic reduction-equipped engines powering 2010-15 model year medium- and heavy-duty trucks. SCR catalyst components to be replaced were found to degrade within a few years instead of controlling emissions of nitrogen oxides for a regulatory timetable—10 years or 435,000 miles (heavy-duty vehicles)/185,000 miles (medium-duty).
A durability problem was discovered through government oversight programs that test vehicles for compliance with emissions standards throughout their useful life. Both EPA and the California Air Resources Board have testing programs to check emissions from typical, privately-owned vehicles. The agencies shared their test results with Cummins, which agreed to conduct the recall after internal follow-up testing confirmed that deteriorating SCR components were causing emissions to exceed Federal and California pollution standards. The manufacturer will contact owners with instructions with system repair details.