Volkswagen Recalls Diesel Vehicles for Air Bag Inflator Defect
Volkswagen is recalling certain 2011-2015 Golf, Passat, and Audi A3 diesel vehicles because the driver's side air bag inflator may explode.
What this means for you
Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).
The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.
Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly states that the defect may result in 'serious injury or death,' which aligns with the rubric criterion for a score of 4 (Severe) involving significant injury reports or potential for serious harm.
Plain-English summary
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles. These vehicles are thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death. The recall began on December 20, 2019.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators free of charge. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69R6, 69Q8, 69Q9, and 69Y5.
The recalled product
- Product
- VOLKSWAGEN, AUDI GOLF, A3, PASSAT
- Brand
- VOLKSWAGEN
- Manufacturer
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- Category
- Vehicle — Air Bag Inflator
- Affected units
- 226
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)
- GOLF
- A3
- PASSAT
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
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