⚖️ Corporate Misconduct
EVILCORPORATIONS.COM
OTR Performance Sabotages Diesel Emission Controls
OTR Performance manufactured and sold over 5,000 parts designed to disable critical emissions systems in heavy-duty diesel engines.
🟡 HIGH SEVERITY
TL;DR
OTR Performance, Inc. knowingly flooded the market with parts designed to disable emissions controls on heavy-duty diesel engines. By selling over 5,000 defeat devices, they prioritized corporate profit over the air we breathe and the health of our planet. This intentional tampering bypassed technology meant to reduce toxic pollutants like nitrogen oxides. We must demand strict enforcement against companies that trade our climate for their bottom line.
Demand cleaner air and hold polluters accountable.
$770,000
Total settlement amount
5,040
Illegal parts or components
44
Affected workers/consumers
Scale of Illegal Activity
The massive volume of parts produced compared to modified vehicles shows a large scale of illegal distribution.
Penalty Payment Structure
The total penalty is split into three roughly equal payments over one year.
⚠️ Core Allegations
What they did
Core Allegations · 3 points
| 01 | The company manufactured and sold at least 5,040 parts designed to bypass or defeat air pollution emission control systems. | HIGH |
| 02 | OTR Performance installed devices that rendered inoperative emissions systems on at least 44 heavy-duty diesel vehicles. | HIGH |
| 03 | The company targeted critical components including the engine fueling strategy, diesel oxidation catalysts, and particulate filters. | MEDIUM |
☣️ Public Health and Safety
The environmental cost
Public Health and Safety · 2 points
| 01 | Illegal parts allow higher levels of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides to enter the atmosphere. | HIGH |
| 02 | Tampering with diesel engines increases the release of harmful hydrocarbons into the air. | HIGH |
⚖️ Corporate Accountability Failures
The cost of wrongdoing
Corporate Accountability · 3 points
| 01 | The EPA imposed a civil penalty of $770,000 to settle the violations. | MEDIUM |
| 02 | This violation creates a permanent history of noncompliance for the company and its officers. | HIGH |
| 03 | The company must now destroy or electronically wipe all remaining illegal inventory. | MEDIUM |
🕐 Timeline of Events
January 2016
Illegal manufacturing and sales begin.
April 2018
EPA sends a written Request for Information to the company.
August 2018
EPA issues a formal Finding of Violation.
April 2022
Final settlement and penalty order is filed.
💬 Direct Quotes from Legal Document
SCALE OF DECEPTION
CORE ALLEGATIONS
“Respondent manufactured, sold, offered for sale, and/or installed at least 5,040 parts or components (Subject Products) where a principal effect of each part or component is to disable, remove, bypass, defeat, or render inoperative air pollution emission control systems…”
💡 This shows the violation was not an accident but a massive, organized effort to sell illegal hardware.
DIRECT VEHICLE TAMPERING
CORE ALLEGATIONS
“Respondent knowingly removed or rendered inoperative devices or elements of design that were installed on or in at least 44 motor vehicles or motor vehicle engines…”
💡 It confirms the company actively worked on vehicles to ensure they would fail emissions tests.
💬 Commentary
What did OTR Performance actually do?
They manufactured and sold thousands of parts specifically designed to cheat emissions tests. These parts stop diesel engines from cleaning their own exhaust, letting toxic pollution flow freely into our air.
How many people were affected by this?
While the document counts 5,040 parts and 44 trucks, the real victims are everyone breathing the air near these vehicles. The toxic fumes from these engines harm public health on a massive scale.
Is a $770,000 fine enough?
For a company selling thousands of parts, this fine is a significant cost, but we must ask if it truly outweighs the profit they made from being dishonest. Fines should be high enough to ensure that polluting is never more profitable than being clean.
What can I do to prevent this from happening again?
Support legislation that increases transparency in the automotive aftermarket. Demand that the EPA and other regulatory bodies maintain aggressive oversight of companies selling engine components. You can also vote for leaders who prioritize climate protection over corporate interests.
OTR Performance is located at 51619 Industrial Dr, Macomb, MI 48042
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