Texas sues VW over clean air violations

As if it doesn't have enough trouble, now Volkswagen faces lawsuits by individual states -- starting with Texas.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against VW and Audi of America citing breeches of the state's consumer protection law. Separately, Paxton filed a suit alleging that VW violated Texas clean air laws.

The suits stem from Volkswagen's admission that it rigged 482,000 diesel-powered cars in the U.S. to beat emissions tests. In Texas, the tally amounted to 32,000 diesel cars purchased. Volkswagen says it inserted software that could detect when the car was being tested, causing it to run cleaner. On the highway, the cars ran up to 40 times dirtier than allowed by law.

"For years, Volkswagen intentionally mislead consumers about the environmental and performance qualities of the vehicles they sold in Texas," said Paxton in a statement. "When companies willfully violate the public's trust, a penalty must be paid, and we will hold these entities responsible."

Other states attorneys general are believed to be taking a hard look at VW's violations as well.

In testimony before Congress last week, Volkswagen CEO Michael Horn apologized for cheating emission tests and said it could takes years to repair the cars.