VW's Tiguan model could suffer unexpected stalling.
This year’s record run-up in safety-related recalls is showing no sign of abatement, Volkswagen the latest to announce a six-figure service action, the German maker targeting 151,000 of its Tiguan SUVs due a stalling problem.
The announcement came just days after General Motors announced yet another batch of recalls covering an assortment of issues including a faulty ignition switch.
All told, the auto industry has now recalled more than 40 million vehicles since January 1, a more than 30% increase over the previous record of 31.4 million vehicles set during 2004. And industry analysts warn that at the ongoing pace, the numbers could grow substantially before the end of this year.
According to VW, Tiguan models produced between the 2009 and 2014 model-years could have “gas bubbles…form in the fuel system when winterized fuel with high vapor pressures is used in warmer areas or months with higher ambient temperatures.” That could lead to a situation in which the “fuel pump may not be able to overcome the vapor pressure under low loads and can potentially result in a vehicle stall directly after engine start, increasing the risk of a crash.”
(For more on the latest batch of GM recalls, Click Here.)
VW did not make the recall announcement public until more than two weeks after it notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the problem. It did not explain the delay.
The maker plans to directly notify owners by August 19, and will make necessary repairs at no charge.
Volkswagen reports it first became aware of the stalling issue in February as it monitored an increase in warranty rates and began an investigation. It issues a technical bulletin to dealers in June to update software controlling Tiguan fuel pumps to prevent the deposit of fuel residue that could lead to stalling.
In years past, the automaker might have left things there, but industry insiders say there’s growing pressure to issue a full-fledged recall whenever an endemic safety-related issue is discovered. Delays in doing so could lead to not only poor media coverage but the risk of fines by NHTSA – which last week levied a $17.35 million penalty against Hyundai for waiting too long to act on a brake defect involving 43,500 Genesis sedans.
(For the full story on Hyundai’s troubles, Click Here.)
“Safety is our top priority, and all automakers should understand that there is no excuse for failing to report a safety-related defect, as required by law,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
General Motors earlier this year paid a record $35 million fine for delaying by a decade a recall of 2.6 million vehicles equipped with faulty ignition switches. The maker is facing a series of investigations related to that problem, including one by the U.S. Justice Department that could lead to criminal charges.
GM last week added four more recalls to its growing list of service actions — originally announcing five then advising media that it actually had counted one problem twice. So far this year, GM has now staged 65 recalls in the U.S. alone, covering about 26 million vehicles.
(Ford investigating fire that destroyed prototype F-Series pickup during testing. Click Here for more.)