LISTEN: Truck Parts Maker Fined $1M for Selling 'Rolling Coal' Devices
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Sinister Diesel, a California-based truck parts manufacturer, has been slapped with a heavy fine for selling devices that defeat a vehicle\\u2019s emissions controls.
For 10 years, Sinister manufactured and sold \\u201cdelete devices\\u201d or \\u201cdefeat devices\\u201d that allow vehicles like diesel trucks to dramatically increase the amount of pollutants they put in the air. The practice, often referred to as \\u201crolling coal,\\u201d can cause engines to emit massive black clouds of exhaust fumes.
According to the U.S. Justice Department, Sinister also sold \\u201cdelete kits\\u201d that sometimes came bundled with \\u201cdelete tunes,\\u201d third-party software that can make a vehicle with defeated emissions controls appear to run normally. The company is also accused of advising customers on the deleting process and on how to get around state emissions tests.
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