EZ Lynk sued by U.S. government for manufacturing and selling emissions defeat device

EZ Lynk has been sued by the US government due to the company’s sale of defeat devices that allowed owners to deactivate their vehicle’s computerized emission controls. According to the filing, disabling the said function is a violation of the Clean Air Act.

About the EZ Lynk System

Reuters reported that the case was filed in Manhattan and the U.S. Department of Justice charged the company for selling its EZ Lynk System to owners of GMC, Ford, Chrysler trucks, and other brands. It was said that the firm has been breaching the Clean Air Act laws since 2016.

The Manhattan attorney stated that the defeat device the firm has been selling easily plugs into the car’s computers to activate the deletion software. This is a cloud platform where the software is stored and also serves as an application that allows users to buy and install apps through their smartphones.

In the filing, the government alleged that EZ Lynk encouraged car owners to use the device it is selling through an online forum. The page was said to be full of positive reviews and praises for the EZ Lynk System, which apparently drove readers to buy their own units as well. Company representatives also offer technical support that further motivates drivers to purchase the product.

EZ Lynk’s violation explained

Now, it has been sued because, with the use of the defeat device, drivers are able to obtain faster acceleration and improve fuel economy that in turn harms the environment.

“Emissions controls on cars and trucks protect the public from harmful effects of air pollution,” U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said via press release that was published by the Department of Justice’s U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York on March 8. “EZ Lynk has put the public’s health at risk by manufacturing and selling devices intended to disable those emissions controls.”

Finally, the U.S. is seeking to prohibit the sale of the EZ Lynk System through the lawsuit. Proper penalties for the involved parties are also requested. The other defendants in the case include Thomas Wood and Bradley Gintz, who are co-founders of the company.