Volkswagen Group recalls up to 4 million vehicles over steering screw defect

Scope of the recall

Volkswagen Group is recalling up to 4 million vehicles across four of its core brands following the discovery of a mechanical defect in the steering system. Data from Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) confirms that the global callback includes 2,159,054 Volkswagen brand vehicles and 696,547 Audi vehicles. Reporting by the Handelsblatt newspaper indicates that the campaign also extends to over 1 million vehicles from Czech subsidiary Skoda and 200,000 vehicles from Spanish subsidiary Seat, a figure Seat verified. The combined operation represents the largest vehicle callback for the German automotive group since the Dieselgate emissions scandal. Volkswagen declined to comment on the projected financial costs of the repairs.

Volkswagen2,159,054

Audi696,547

Volkswagen

2159054 vehicles

Audi

696547 vehicles

Data from the article text

Mechanical defect and repair process

The recall targets a connection screw within the steering mechanism that can deteriorate under specific conditions. Internal quality assessments showed that years of exposure to road salt and damp environments can corrode the component, creating a risk that the screw could break and compromise driver steering control. The affected Volkswagen production line includes Golf, Golf Variant, Tiguan, Touran, and Caddy models assembled between 24 September 2013 and 1 July 2024. Affected Audi vehicles are restricted to Q3 models produced between 31 October 2017 and 23 May 2024, alongside Seat Ateca and Tarraco models built between April 2016 and September 2024.

The repair procedure requires workshop technicians to replace the vulnerable part with a more corrosion-resistant screw, an intervention that takes up to one hour and is provided without cost to owners. German automotive publication Auto Motor Sport reported company expectations that the defect will actively affect only a small portion of the recalled fleet. The KBA confirmed that no road incidents, injuries, or property damage have been linked to the issue, and company representatives clarified that drivers do not need to ground their cars immediately before visiting an authorised workshop.

“The company requested the recall of the vehicles as a precautionary measure, and it has not caused any accidents.”

Regional distribution across Europe

Germany represents the single largest national market affected by the action, with the KBA listing 895,832 Volkswagen passenger cars and 58,555 Audi models in the country. In Switzerland, general importer Amag reported that approximately 66,000 group vehicles are affected, comprising 40,073 Volkswagens, 13,700 Skodas, 8,619 Audis, and 3,651 Seats. Amag confirmed it will issue direct letters asking Swiss customers to schedule dealer visits, while the Swiss Federal Roads Office (Astra) prepares its corresponding administrative notices.

Volkswagen40,073

Skoda13,700

Audi8,619

Seat3,651

Volkswagen

40073 vehicles

Skoda

13700 vehicles

Audi

8619 vehicles

Seat

3651 vehicles

Data from the article text

In Portugal, the national recall database operated by the Automobile Association of Portugal (ACAP) and the Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT) tracks the callback, where failure to complete a mandatory safety repair results in a failed periodic vehicle inspection.

Corporate restructuring backdrop

The callback arrives during a broader corporate restructuring program at Volkswagen Group. The manufacturer announced plans to cut 100,000 jobs by 2030, an initiative expanded in September with 50,000 planned redundancies. The group faces weaker consumer demand for battery electric vehicles, expanding market share from Chinese automotive brands, and potential trade tariffs in the United States. Earlier in September, Volkswagen agreed to sell one of its domestic manufacturing plants to an Israeli defence company for conversion into a weapons production site, while the operating future of four other German factories remains unresolved.