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Lawsuit Filed Against Volkswagen In California

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- An Audi owner has filed a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles over news that Volkswagen tampered with emissions testing on VW and Audi models to deceive regulators.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court seeks class-action status for all California residents who bought or leased a Volkswagen with a diesel engine or a diesel-powered Audi A3 between 2009 and 2015.

It's one of several dozen filed across the U.S. following last week's announcement by federal regulators that VW installed a component that switched to a clean driving mode during smog tests but reverted to higher emissions when testing was done.

The lawsuit alleges that VW falsely marketed the cars as "eco-friendly," leading consumers to pay a premium.

Volkswagen of America Group didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

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