Volkswagen recalls more than 246,000 SUVs in North America

Volkswagen is withdrawing more than 246,000 SUVs in the United States and Canada because faulty cables can cause them to brake unexpectedly, sometimes during traffic.

The withdrawal comes three days after the Associated Press reported that 47 people had complained to U.S. security regulators about the problem, some reporting that they had almost been received by other vehicles. Many reported that the warning lights and alarms would go out, the driver’s side windows would come down, and the SUVs would suddenly slow down while in traffic.

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Volkswagen says in documents released Friday by the National Traffic Safety Administration that the recall covers certain Atlas SUVs from model years 2019 to 2023, as well as the Atlas Cross Sport from 2020 to 2023.

Documents say the electrical contacts of a wiring harness on any of the front doors can be corroded, disrupting electrical connections. The problem can cause the side airbags to develop late in a crash and the parking brake to come on unexpectedly. Volkswagen tells documents that SUVs can brake at speeds below 1.8 miles per hour.

But many who complained to NHTSA said the unwanted braking happened as they drove through the city streets, endangering them. A driver from Mansfield, Ohio, wrote in a complaint that the braking occurred several times at speeds of 25 to 70 miles per hour.

Kendall Heiman, a clinical social worker from Lawrence, Kansas, said her 2021 Atlas Cross Sport tried to stop several times while driving on the roads, often while slowing down. Heiman said another SUV nearly pulled her over from behind as she drove to a roundabout. He also braked as he exited a road, he said.

She and others complained that VW did not have parts available to fix their vehicles, which were sitting at dealerships for more than two months. Heiman borrowed cars, but some who complained to NHTSA said dealers told them VW would not provide loans.

Documents submitted to the government by VW show that the company started receiving complaints in 2020. An analysis was started, but VW initially handled the issue as a common quality issue. In 2021 the company began analyzing parts extracted from vehicles and found the problem of corrosion in a laboratory.

Response to consumer complaints

In February 2022, NHTSA called a meeting after seeing consumer complaints, and a meeting was scheduled for March 10. VW decided to make a withdrawal on March 4, “as a precaution,” the documents said.

Documents say a repair is underway. Owners will receive letters informing them of the security risk from May 10, and a second one will be sent when the remedy is available.

Complaints began reaching NHTSA in the fall of 2020. Many homeowners, including Heiman, said alarms were sounding, dashboard warning lights would come on, driver’s side windows would go down, and a crash would occur. mysterious braking. A review of the complaints found no accident reports.

Heiman’s SUV received a spare wiring harness last week, shortly after a reporter contacted his dealer. Wiring harnesses are cable bundles that handle multiple electrical connections to vehicles.