German automaker Volkswagen VWAGY is recalling 114,478 vehicles in the U.S., the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Thursday, citing concerns that the driver’s side frontal airbag inflator may explode.
What Happened: The recall population includes model year 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles, the U.S. auto safety regulator said.
“The driver’s side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling,” it noted.
An explosion of the driver’s side frontal airbag inflator may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other vehicle occupants.
As for a solution, the company will replace the driver’s side front airbag module, manufactured by Takata, free of charge to the customer, it added.
Automaker And Regulator Disagree: “The Takata SDI-D driver frontal airbag inflators installed in the recalled vehicles currently do not pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety to drivers of affected vehicles,” Volkswagen said in its recall report while adding that the company is issuing the recall out of an “abundance of caution.”
NHTSA, however, said that it does not agree with the statement.
“In our view, this statement has no force or effect in terms of Volkswagen’s obligation to undertake and complete the recall,” the regulator added.
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Photo courtesy: Volkswagen
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