Photo: Volkswagen
A notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released today states that Volkswagen is recalling approximately 400,602 model year 2011-2013 Volkswagen Jetta, and 41,663 model year 2012-2013 Volkswagen Beetle and Beetle Convertible vehicles in America.
This is a voluntary safety recall which Volkswagen USA is doing in order to fix the trailing arms on the torsion beam rear suspension. If involved in a rear or a side-rear collision, this could result in damage of the rear suspension system. Or put simply, if somebody rear-ends you and you keep driving your car thinking that it safe, it could become a deathtrap at any moment.
Does this add strength and prevent the suspension from breaking to pieces? No, it will actually make a "distinctive sound if the car is later involved in a rear-end collision, which will be a signal for the owner to take the car to an authorized Volkswagen dealership for inspection". Basically, Volkswagen's new part buzzes and nags you into the workshop.
“We are talking about a very severe rear-end collision after which a driver in Europe would take the car to the workshop, but in China they don’t,” a company official said. “There is no technical reason for the recall. The axle is safe.”
All Jetta models sold in Europe are built in Mexico, the same place that supplies Americans with their compacts. As a result, a recall of 15,500 has also been announced in Germany alone, with more to come in other markets.
This is the second major recall affecting the Jetta and Beetle this year, after the company announced more than 26,000 vehicles were at risk because they could catch on fire back, in April. A problem was discovered with VW's brand new 1.8-liter TSI engine, which was also fitted to the Passat, and a stop-sale was issued.
How will it be fixed? Here's where it gets interesting!
On cars that have been involved in the specified types of crashes, an inspection will be carried out to determine the necessary repair. The majority of Jettas and Beetles that have not been crashed will get a sheetmetal inlay installed on the rear trailing arms.Does this add strength and prevent the suspension from breaking to pieces? No, it will actually make a "distinctive sound if the car is later involved in a rear-end collision, which will be a signal for the owner to take the car to an authorized Volkswagen dealership for inspection". Basically, Volkswagen's new part buzzes and nags you into the workshop.
It's happening in China and Europe
Volkswagen's Chinese ventures announced an identical recall for the Beetle and Jetta models sold in the People's Republic. It affects 580,000 cars and has caused huge controversy after a spokesman reportedly blamed the owners for the damage to their cars.“We are talking about a very severe rear-end collision after which a driver in Europe would take the car to the workshop, but in China they don’t,” a company official said. “There is no technical reason for the recall. The axle is safe.”
All Jetta models sold in Europe are built in Mexico, the same place that supplies Americans with their compacts. As a result, a recall of 15,500 has also been announced in Germany alone, with more to come in other markets.
This is the second major recall affecting the Jetta and Beetle this year, after the company announced more than 26,000 vehicles were at risk because they could catch on fire back, in April. A problem was discovered with VW's brand new 1.8-liter TSI engine, which was also fitted to the Passat, and a stop-sale was issued.
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