Volkswagen has announced a recall of 114,478 vehicles in the United States due to concerns that the driver's side airbags in certain models may pose a safety risk.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed that these airbags have the potential to explode due to prolonged exposure to high humidity and temperatures, which can lead to dangerous incidents for drivers and passengers.
The recall impacts specific Volkswagen models, including the 2006-2007 Passat Sedans, 2012-2014 Passat models, 2017 Passat Wagons, and 2017-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible models.
Volkswagen Issues Precautionary Recall
NHTSA reports state that the airbag issue is linked to degradation in the propellant used in Takata airbag inflators, which have been widely recalled in recent years. These airbags are at risk of rupturing and releasing sharp metal fragments, potentially causing severe injuries to occupants.
According to the NHTSA, "The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity."
Although there have been no incidents reported specifically with the recalled Volkswagen models, the recall has been issued as a precautionary measure. Volkswagen has stated that owners of affected vehicles will be notified by mail no later than December 27, USA Today reported.
Once notified, they can bring their vehicles to a Volkswagen dealership to have the driver's side airbag replaced free of charge. The company also encourages customers with questions or concerns to reach out to the NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298, referencing recall numbers 69EG and 69GQ.
In a similar recall earlier this year, Volkswagen pulled 271,330 Atlas SUVs from the market due to concerns over passenger-side airbags, per CNN.
