The owners of 820 Volkswagens in Hawaii are on track to receive restitution payments of $5,100 under a settlement announced Tuesday by Attorney General Doug Chin and Office of Consumer Protection Executive Director Stephen Levins.

Hawaii joined other states in suing the German vehicle manufacturer over its violation of laws prohibiting unfair or deceptive trade practices by marketing, selling and leasing diesel vehicles equipped with illegal and undisclosed defeat device software, according to a release from the AG’s office.

“This settlement punishes Volkswagen for deceiving Hawaii consumers,” Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin said in a statement.

Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin speaks during a press conference at the governor's office, April 4, 2016.
Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin, seen here in April, says the settlement punishes Volkswagen for deceiving Hawaii consumers. Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat

The $570 million settlement includes up to $10 million in payments to Hawaii — $7.5 million to fund mitigation projects and $2.5 million for affected vehicles sold and leased in the islands.

The attorneys generals’ investigation confirmed that Volkswagen sold more than 570,000 2.0- and 3.0-liter diesel vehicles in the United States equipped with “defeat device” software intended to circumvent applicable emissions standards for certain air pollutants, and actively concealed the existence of the defeat device from regulators and the public, the release says.

The settlements resolve consumer protection claims raised by a coalition of state attorneys general in 43 states and jurisdictions against Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, and Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., Porsche AG and Porsche Cars, North America, Inc. – collectively referred to as Volkswagen, the release says.

They also resolve actions against Volkswagen brought by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, California and car owners in private class action suits, the release says.

The full details of the consumer program will be available at VWCourtSettlement.com and www.ftc.gov/VWSettlement.

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