Steering may fail

Massive recall at the VW Group: Over 2 million cars!

The VW Group must recall millions of vehicles.(Bild: AP/Michael Sohn)

A minor issue is turning into a multimillion problem for the VW Group. In several Volkswagen, Audi, and Seat models, a steering mounting bolt can corrode and break off. In the worst-case scenario, the car becomes uncontrollable.

For the core Volkswagen brand alone, the recall affects 2,159,054 vehicles worldwide. The models affected include the Golf, Golf Variant, Tiguan, Touran, and Caddy produced between September 24, 2013, and July 1, 2024. In Germany, just under 900,000 vehicles are affected. 

For Audi, an additional 696,547 Q3s are included, which were built between October 31, 2017, and May 23, 2024; of these, just under 60,000 are in Germany and approximately 6,000 in Austria.

Nearly three million vehicles
At Seat, the recall affects the Ateca and Tarraco models. This involves 66,224 vehicles worldwide, produced between April 2016 and September 2024. This brings the total number of vehicles affected by the recalls announced so far to more than 2.92 million worldwide.

The VW Group must recall millions of vehicles.(Bild: AP/Michael Sohn)

This many vehicles affected in Austria
In response to an inquiry from “Krone,” the importer Porsche Austria stated: “Specific figures are currently being determined. As of now, approximately 95,000 vehicles from the Volkswagen Group are affected. Customers affected by this precautionary recall will be notified in writing based on the vehicle registration database and asked to visit service centers.”

As of now, approximately 95,000 Volkswagen Group vehicles in Austria are affected.

Porsche Austria auf „Krone“-Anfrage

The repair is relatively simple
The cause sounds far less dramatic than the potential consequence: Corrosion can weaken the affected bolt over time. If it breaks, the steering’s mounting could be compromised.

At the service center, the existing bolt will be inspected and replaced with a more corrosion-resistant version. The repair is free of charge for vehicle owners.

Important: Not every vehicle in the listed model series and model years is automatically affected. The vehicle identification number is the determining factor. Anyone driving one of these models should therefore have their car checked by their respective dealership to see if it is included in the recall.

This is how many cars VW estimates are actually affected
According to information from “kfz-betrieb,” which is based on documents related to the parallel U.S. recall, Volkswagen estimates that the actual proportion of vehicles with the problem is at most around one percent. According to the ADAC, no accidents or injuries have been reported so far. However, because a broken bolt could, in the worst-case scenario, result in a loss of steering control, the manufacturer must recall all potentially affected vehicles, even if the probability of this occurring is low.

Number of recalls has risen sharply overall
It has become the norm that it feels like some manufacturer is recalling cars almost every day. The ADAC counted 532 recall campaigns in Germany alone for 2025. In 2010, there were only 185. The club cites more models, more registered vehicles, more complex technology, and shorter development cycles as reasons for this trend. For several years now, however, the number of recalls has remained at a relatively constant high level.

A recall alone is not proof of generally poor vehicle quality. On the contrary: the fact that a manufacturer identifies a known safety defect and repairs vehicles free of charge is precisely the purpose of the recall system. It would be more concerning if a known defect were delayed or not adequately addressed.

In the current case, what makes it unique is the combination of a massive vehicle population and potentially serious consequences. The steering system, along with the brakes and restraint systems, is one of those components where even a low probability of failure must be taken seriously.

Large, but not historically unique
Even the figure of nearly three million vehicles is somewhat put into perspective on a historical scale. The Takata airbag scandal has affected tens of millions of vehicles worldwide for years; according to the ADAC, more than 3.5 million cars in Germany were affected by Takata recalls announced since 2022 alone. In the VW diesel scandal, around three million passenger cars in Germany had to be taken to repair shops.