Volkswagen Recalls More Than 208,000 SUVs Over Steering Failure Risk

More than 208,000 Volkswagen and Audi SUVs are being recalled in the United States because a mounting bolt can corrode and break, potentially causing drivers to lose steering control.

The recall covers 208,724 vehicles, including certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguans, 2018 and 2019 Volkswagen Atlases, and Audi Q3 SUVs from the 2019 through 2021 model years.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the recall Friday.

At issue is a bolt used to secure the steering rack. If the bolt breaks, the steering system can become detached from its mounting point, creating the possibility of a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Owners will be able to have the affected bolt replaced at no charge.

Three SUV Models Are Included

The recall involves vehicles from both the Volkswagen and Audi brands:

Certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan SUVs

Certain 2018–2019 Volkswagen Atlas SUVs

Certain 2019–2021 Audi Q3 SUVs

Not every vehicle from those model years is necessarily included.

The fastest way to determine whether a particular vehicle has an open recall is to search its 17-character vehicle identification number through the federal government’s recall database.

The VIN can generally be found at the lower driver’s side of the windshield and on vehicle registration and insurance documents.

Owners Should Check Their VIN

NHTSA allows drivers to search for outstanding recalls using either a VIN or, for supported vehicles, a license plate number.

The search is particularly useful for people who bought their vehicles used and may not have received an original recall notification.

Federal safety recalls do not expire. If a vehicle is covered, the required recall repair is provided without charge.

NHTSA also offers the SaferCar app, which can store a vehicle’s information and alert its owner when a new recall is issued. Drivers do not need to wait for a mailed notice to check whether their vehicle is affected.

What Drivers Should Do

Owners of a Tiguan, Atlas or Q3 within the affected model years should first check their specific vehicle rather than assume that it is included.

If the VIN shows an open recall, owners can contact an authorized Volkswagen or Audi dealer about the repair.

NHTSA generally advises drivers with an open safety recall to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and arrange the free repair as soon as it becomes available.

The agency’s recall system also shows whether other unrepaired safety recalls are associated with a particular vehicle, making the VIN check useful even for owners whose SUVs are not included in the latest action.

For families driving older SUVs, particularly vehicles that have changed owners since they were new, Friday’s recall is also a reminder that a few minutes spent checking a VIN can uncover repairs that are still available years after a vehicle was purchased.

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