Mercedes customers can now join a model declaratory action against the car manufacturer Daimler in connection with the diesel scandal. “Consumers can now register their claims or legal relationships with regard to this lawsuit for entry in the register,” said the Federal Office of Justice on Wednesday. In July, the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv) filed a model declaratory action against Daimler at the Stuttgart Higher Regional Court to seek compensation for Mercedes customers affected by the diesel scandal. The consumer advocates accuse Daimler of deliberately manipulating the emissions values.

The Federal Office has now made the complaint public and has made a registration form available on its website. Those who do not have internet access can also request the form in writing, it said. It is generally possible to register claims for the action up to the end of the day before the start of the first appointment at the Stuttgart Higher Regional Court. The date will be announced in good time on the Federal Office's website.

In the opinion of the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), Daimler has used impermissible exhaust technology in hundreds of thousands of diesel vehicles under its Mercedes-Benz brand.

The automaker therefore had to recall cars en masse.

However, Daimler considers the functions to be permissible.

The consumer advocates essentially accuse Daimler of having installed various shutdown devices in its affected diesel cars.

This enables manufacturers to ensure that cars comply with the permissible limit values ​​for exhaust gases during type approval.

In road traffic, however, they sometimes significantly exceed this limit.