Volkswagen has been given the go ahead by German authorities to begin the “remedial” fixes required for the approximate 8.5 million cars across Europe, including the UK, affected by emission cheat software.

It has also issued a timetable for owners to begin liaising with dealers.

The company has presented its proposals for the EA189 1.2, 1.6 and 2.0-litre engines to the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). All of the measures, VW said, have been ratified.

Vehicle owners will shortly be informed about the next steps.

“In order to ensure that the measures are completed quickly, Volkswagen will begin implementation right at the start of 2016,” VW said today.

“In developing the technical measures, finding customer-friendly solutions was an important aspect.”

The measures for the affected EA189 diesel engines are as follows:

* The 1.2-litre and 2.0-litre engines will get a software update. Labour time will be just under half an hour.

* The 1.6-litre engines will also get a software update. In addition, a ‘flow rectifier’ will be fitted right in front of the air mass sensor. The labour time for implementing these measures will be less than an hour.

After the measures have been implemented, the vehicles will meet relevant emissions standards, “with the aim of achieving this without any impairment of engine output, fuel consumption or performance” said Volkswagen.

The timetable

In a first letter the affected vehicle owners will be informed that a recall measure is scheduled for their car.

The customers will also be asked to wait for further written information before they make contact with a dealer.

In a second letter Volkswagen will ask customers to make an appointment for the appropriate fix.

The plan is that all affected vehicles will be called into dealers in “several waves”.

The technical measures will be implemented on the affected 2.0-litre engines from the first quarter of 2016.

The fixes for 1.2-litre engines are scheduled for the end of the second quarter of next year.

From the third quarter of 2016, concluding the recall, the measures will be implemented on the affected vehicles with 1.6-litre engines.

“While the technical measures are being performed Volkswagen AG aims to avoid any disadvantages for the customers, such as any curbing of their mobility. In this connection the Volkswagen brand is assuring all customers that where necessary an appropriate replacement mobility option will be provided free of charge,” a Volkswagen statement reads.

Until December 31, 2017 Volkswagen is waiving the limitation period in respect of any claims made in connection with the software installed in vehicles with EA 189 engines.

The waiving of this limitation applies even where a claim's validity has already expired.

“The mere act of waiting will therefore not disadvantage Volkswagen customers in any way. This means that all customers affected can wait for the necessary technical measures to be implemented on their vehicles by the above mentioned time.

“One thing is certain: the vehicles continue to be technically safe and ready to drive and can therefore be used on the road without any restrictions.”