Auburn Hills, Mich. – June 21 – Volkswagen is recalling vehicles for one of its popular product lines due to seat belt buckle and miscommunication issue that may increase the risk of an injury in the event of a collision.

On June 15, Volkswagen Group of America notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that some of its 2018 Atlas models are equipped with seat belts that may not function as they’re intended if seats aren’t used for their intended purpose, a problem that may affect more than 54,500 passenger vehicles.

The Defect

According to documentation submitted to NHTSA, the vehicles subject to the recall include owner’s manuals with insufficient information regarding the child restraints attached to the seats in the second row. Some of the owners’ manuals fail to provide specifics about what size of child can fit in the center position without potentially compromising the adjacent seat belt buckles. If seat bases or boosters wider than 12.6 inches are installed, the seat belt buckles may fail to latch, potentially resulting in a passenger’s injury in the aftermath of a collision.

The affected cars have vehicle identification numbers ranging between 1V2NR2CA2JCT00090 and 1V2KR2CA8JC577159.

Timeline of Events

The German automaker first became aware of the issue back in May of last year, when a Volkswagen employee happened upon a damaged safety belt buckle in the second row of an Atlas vehicle, based on a chronology of events compiled by NHTSA . What at the time was believed to be an isolated incident proved otherwise, as by September, Volkswagen received numerous complaints from owners experiencing the same seat buckle issue. This spawned an investigation as to the source of the problem, which was determined through crash testing procedures and an internal review. The Volkswagen AG Product Safety Commission determined the defect and insufficient owner’s manual information warranted a recall as of May 30.

The Solution

Motorists affected by the recall are urged to take their Atlas vehicles to their local Volkswagen dealership, cautioned the NHTSA recall document. Additionally, the German automaker says that no later than August 3, it will proceed with notifying all owners and dealers to inspect the second row center seat belt buckles for signs of a potential flaw and schedule a repair. Owners will not have to pay for the fix if they coordinate with their dealer. Alternatively, owners can get in touch with Volkswagen directly by dialing 1-800-5298 and use 69X1 as a reference code.

Seat belts have proven to save thousands of lives in the millions of accidents that occur in the U.S. each year. In 2016, the most recent year for which data is available, motorists’ buckling up saved an estimated 14,668 lives, according to NHTSA. An additional 2,456 lives would have been saved had everyone who was in an accident in 2016 strapped themselves in.

For more information on seat belt safety and the Volkswagen recall, visit NHTSA’s recall website.

Auburn Hills, Mich. – March 14, 2018 – The Volkswagen Group of America has recalled more than 3,700 vehicles equipped with incorrect air bag assemblies, according to documentation submitted to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The campaign affects 2017-2018 Volkswagen Tiguan Limited sport utility vehicles manufactured between May 24, 2017, and Jan. 16, 2018. The German automaker suspects all of the models named in the action contain the incompatible parts.

The Defect

The affected vehicles contain driver-side air bags that were not approved for use in the U.S. market and therefore may not perform as required in the event of an accident. These fixtures violate Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, which states that all air bags must be tested and “meet the frontal crash protection requirements … in a perpendicular impact, with respect to anthropomorphic test devices in each front outboard designated seating position restrained only by … seat belt assemblies.”

The unapproved air bags installed in the recalled vehicles could malfunction during an accident, which makes them serious hazards to occupants. However, Volkswagen has not received reports connecting the features to any accidents or injuries.

Timeline of Events

Volkswagen in January 2018 received a communication from engineers at an American assembly plant indicating that some of the vehicles manufactured at the facility may have been fitted with air bag and steering wheel components not approved for use in the U.S. market. The car company issued a stop order and launched an investigation to pinpoint the root cause of the production error and the potential implications. 

The Volkswagen Product Safety Committee reviewed the issue Feb. 2, 2018, and determined that the features violated FMVSS, potentially putting passengers at risk, and therefore a voluntary safety action was required.

The Solution

Volkswagen intends to direct dealers to replace the unapproved components installed in the recalled vehicles free of charge, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgment document. The car company will notify both dealers and owners April 10, 2018. Owners in need of assistance prior to the start of the recall can connect with Volkswagen customer service personnel by calling (800) 893-5298. Callers should use the internal recall reference code 69V2. Owners can also reach out to the NHTSA using the agency’s toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236. 

Auburn Hills, Mich. – March 14, 2018 – The Volkswagen Group of America has recalled more than 3,700 vehicles equipped with incorrect air bag assemblies, according to documentation submitted to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The campaign affects 2017-2018 Volkswagen Tiguan Limited sport utility vehicles manufactured between May 24, 2017, and Jan. 16, 2018. The German automaker suspects all of the models named in the action contain the incompatible parts.

The Defect

The affected vehicles contain driver-side air bags that were not approved for use in the U.S. market and therefore may not perform as required in the event of an accident. These fixtures violate Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, which states that all air bags must be tested and “meet the frontal crash protection requirements … in a perpendicular impact, with respect to anthropomorphic test devices in each front outboard designated seating position restrained only by … seat belt assemblies.”

The unapproved air bags installed in the recalled vehicles could malfunction during an accident, which makes them serious hazards to occupants. However, Volkswagen has not received reports connecting the features to any accidents or injuries.

Timeline of Events

Volkswagen in January 2018 received a communication from engineers at an American assembly plant indicating that some of the vehicles manufactured at the facility may have been fitted with air bag and steering wheel components not approved for use in the U.S. market. The car company issued a stop order and launched an investigation to pinpoint the root cause of the production error and the potential implications.

The Volkswagen Product Safety Committee reviewed the issue Feb. 2, 2018, and determined that the features violated FMVSS, potentially putting passengers at risk, and therefore a voluntary safety action was required.

The Solution

Volkswagen intends to direct dealers to replace the unapproved components installed in the recalled vehicles free of charge, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgment document. The car company will notify both dealers and owners April 10, 2018. Owners in need of assistance prior to the start of the recall can connect with Volkswagen customer service personnel by calling (800) 893-5298. Callers should use the internal recall reference code 69V2. Owners can also reach out to the NHTSA using the agency’s toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

Auburn Hills, Mich. – Feb. 22, 2018 – Volkswagen Group of America has recalled more than 97,000 vehicles equipped with defective Takata air bag inflators, according to documentation filed with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The campaign affects multiple models across the Audi brand, including:

• 2009-2012 Audi Q5 sport utility vehicles produced between Nov. 15, 2008 and Oct. 22, 2012.
• 2010-2012 Audi A5 cabriolets produced between June 4, 2009 and March 6, 2012.
• 2010-2012 Audi S5 cabriolets produced between June 8, 2009 and March 1, 2012.

Volkswagen has concluded that all of the vehicles referenced in the recall contain the defective Takata air bag inflators. These fixtures are at the center of a massive, multiyear safety campaign spanning almost two dozen automotive brands and 37 million vehicles, according to Consumer Reports. The air bags have resulted in approximately 15 deaths and more than 100 injuries.

The Defect

The models named in this recall contain Takata air bag inflators that are prone to rupture due to extensive propellant breakdown, which occurs in hot and humid environments. During front air bag deployment, the degraded propellant may rupture the metal inflator casing, causing high-speed projectiles to fly through the vehicle cabin at high speeds. As a result, the Takata air bag inflators pose a grave hazard to occupants.

Timeline of Events

The German automaker initiated an extensive field investigation in January 2016 after receiving word from Takata that several of its vehicles, including the Audi A5, S5 and Q5 models, contained the problematic inflators assemblies, according to an NHTSA safety recall report. The NHTSA advised the company to issue an immediate safety recall to accompany the inquiry, which it did in February 2016. The latest action taken by Volkswagen is a continuation of the initial campaign and a requirement under the NHTSA’s coordinated remedy order related to the defective Takata air bag components.

The car manufacturer notified dealers Jan. 30, 2018.

The Solution

Volkswagen has directed dealers replace the air bag inflators installed in the recalled vehicles free of charge, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgement document. Owners can expect to receive official notice of the campaign between Feb. 13, 2018 and March 30, 2018 via first-class mail. Those in need of more immediate assistance can contact Volkswagen customer service at (800) 253-2834. Callers should use the internal recall identification code 69R6. Owners can also reach out to the NHTSA directly using its Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

Auburn Hills, Mich. – Feb. 20, 2018 – The Volkswagen Group of America has recalled more than 3,500 vehicles potentially equipped with defective tire labels, according to documentation submitted to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The campaign affects 2014-2015 Audi S7 sedans produced between July 25, 2013, and Jan. 17, 2015, along with 2016-2018 Audi RS7 sport sedans produced between Feb. 16, 2015, and Oct. 20, 2017. Volkswagen estimates all of the vehicles named in the recall possess the defective labels.

The Defect

Affected models feature tire placards that list an incorrect maximum load weight of 1146 pounds instead of the correct figure, 992 pounds. These fixtures make the recalled vehicles noncompliant under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110, which states vehicles must have placards “with the vehicle capacity weight and seating designations as finally manufactured.” While relatively minor, the defect does create some risk as owners could accidentally overload their vehicles based on the incorrect information, thereby affecting maneuverability and increasing the likelihood of an accident. However, Volkswagen has not received field reports connecting the defect to any accidents or injuries.

Timeline of Events

Volkswagen engineers conducted conformity of production tests in October 2017 and found that multiple recently manufactured vehicles were equipped with tires affixed with placards displaying incorrect vehicle weight information. Production staff immediately amended existing assembly processes to prevent recurrences.

In November 2017, the Audi Product Safety Committee reviewed information related to the conformity test results and initiated an investigation that concluded in January 2018. Following the inquiry, which revealed the the defective placards violated FMVSS 110, the APSC requested for a voluntary safety recall.

The Solution

Volkswagen intends to direct dealers to replace the tire labels on the recalled vehicles free of charge, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgment document. The German automaker will notify both dealers and owners April 8, 2018. Owners in need of more immediate assistance can contact Audi customer service personnel at (800) 253-2834 using the internal recall identification code 44N9. They can also reach out to the NHTSA directly using its Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.