Volkswagen May Wish it Could Turn Back Time
Can an auto recall happen two times for the same problem?
If I could turn back time, if I could find a way… I’d get the clock spring recall right on the first day.
No, it isn’t Cher, but it could be a tune that Volkswagen executives have stuck in their heads as they are forced to revisit the adequacy of a prior Volkswagen auto recall.
Volkswagen defects attorneys are watching with interest the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (“NTHSA”) so-called “recall query” examining the effects of repairs made under a prior August 2015 clock spring defect recall. After the initial recall repairs were made in 2015, customers continued to file numerous complaints alleging post-recall repair failures of the clock springs.
This new investigation will examine whether the prior recall repairs were adequate or, if not, then whether a new repair and additional recall of the impacted Volkswagens will be needed.
Owners, some reportedly fearful of airbag deployment, complained of allegedly hearing a loud sound upon turning followed by control panel lights going off and then an “airbag error and check engine” message and finally a loss of “all of the steering wheel control”. When the problem allegedly recurred after repairs were made, some owners claimed dealers tried to charge for the second repair.
The initial investigation involved complaints about “noise coming from the steering wheels and illuminating airbag warning lights, indicating the airbags were non-functional”. The resulting recall “was ordered due to debris in the steering wheel hubs that caused contamination of the clock springs, allowing them to tear and finally fail.”
The investigation impacts over 415,000 Volkswagens of the following models:
- 2010–2014 Volkswagen CC
- 2010–2014 Volkswagen Passat
- 2010–2013 Volkswagen Eos
- 2011–2014 Volkswagen Golf
- 2011–2014 Volkswagen GTI
- 2011–2014 Volkswagen Jetta
- 2011–2014 Volkswagen Tiguan
- 2012–2014 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen
If you have any questions regarding a Volkswagen or any other auto recall, or if you feel you may be driving a “lemon” because your relatively-new vehicle is repeatedly sidelined with the same problem, The Law Offices of Timothy Abeel & Associates can help. Contact us today for a free consultation.