The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·11V490000·Announced 2011-10-03

Volkswagen and Audi Recall 2009-2012 Models for Fuel Line Fire Risk

Volkswagen is recalling 2009-2012 Jetta, Golf, and Audi A3 vehicles because a fuel injector line may crack and leak, posing a fire risk.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect (fuel line cracking) that poses a significant risk of fire, which aligns with the rubric criteria for a Severe (4) rating.

Plain-English summary

Volkswagen of America, Inc. is recalling certain 2009-2012 Volkswagen Jetta, Jetta Sportwagen, Golf, and Audi A3 vehicles equipped with a 2.0L TDI common rail diesel engine. The affected vehicles were manufactured between May 2008 and September 2011 for the Jetta, and between May 2009 and September 2011 for the Golf and A3 models.

The recall addresses a defect where fuel injection pulses may coincide with the natural frequency of the number 2 injector line under specific load and RPM conditions. This resonance creates additional stress in the fuel line, which can lead to small cracks and subsequent fuel leakage. If leaking fuel comes into contact with an ignition source, it may cause a fire.

Volkswagen and Audi will notify owners to have the vehicles repaired free of charge. The corrective action involves installing an improved fuel injector line for the number 2 cylinder on certain vehicles and installing vibration dampers on all injector lines. The safety recall was expected to begin during November 2011. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
VOLKSWAGEN, AUDI JETTA, A3, GOLF
Brand
VOLKSWAGEN
Manufacturer
VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC
Category
Vehicle — Fuel System
Hazard
Affected units
168,275

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (3)

  • JETTA
  • A3
  • GOLF

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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