THOUSANDS of cars have been recalled after a faulty display feature could cause serious danger to drivers.
Drivers of these vehicles should look out for a missing detail which could prompt a trip to the auto shop.
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According to the latest recall, over 60,000 Volkswagen and Audi electric vehicles were missing the gear “N.”
This mistake could confuse drivers, increasing the likelihood of a vehicle rolling away, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Not only that, the missing letter fails to live up to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
2022-23 Audi Q4 e-Trons and Q4 Sportback e-Trons, and the 2021-23 Volkswagen ID.4s were all recalled.
Drivers of the electric models will be informed by April 25, according to the NHTSA.
After being notified, they should take the vehicles to dealerships that will “update the brake control unit software” for free, according to NBC News.
“If the parking brake is not engaged, the red parking brake indicator light on the instrument cluster will not be illuminated,” Volkswagen said in a statement.
“Before leaving the vehicle, owners are advised to confirm the parking brake indicator light has illuminated in order to help avoid a situation where the vehicle could roll when it is not intended to do so.”
Volkswagen did not immediately reply to The U.S. Sun’s request for more information.
The announcement comes less than a month after Volkswagen recalled its Tiguan, Arteon and Audi Q3 vehicles.
On February 12, the company announced that specific models may have a defect preventing the rearview camera while reversing, Top Class Actions reported.
The inability to see the rear of the vehicle may lead to a severe crash, the recall states.
All owners who received a notification letter by April 11 can bring their car back to the dealer for a free update of the camera control unit software.
Last year, the company recalled 110,000 cars over serious concerns that the driver’s side airbag may explode.
If the airbag were to explode, sharp metal pieces could strike the driver and other passengers.
Electric vehicles vs gas
Pros and cons of EVs vs gasoline-powered vehicles
EV PROS:
- Convenient (when charging at home)
- Cheaper (depending on state or city)
- Cheaper maintenance, due to lack of mechanical parts
- Great for commuting
- Reduced CO2 emissions
- Federal and state tax incentives
- More performance (speed, handling – depending on the make and model)
EV CONS:
- Higher initial cost
- Higher insurance rates
- More frequent tire and brake replacement intervals
- Higher curb weight (thus causing more rapid wear on crucial parts)
- Low resale value
- High depreciation rates
- Lack of charging infrastructure
- Unreliable public charging (related: slow charging times)
- Poor winter and summer performance
- Lack of clean energy alternatives means more “dirty energy” from coal and nuclear sources
- Range anxiety
GAS PROS:
- Highly developed refueling infrastructure
- Fast refueling
- Cheaper insurance rates, depending on make, model, and configuration
- Established repair industry
- Lower initial cost
- Higher range before refueling, especially with hybrids
- Many manufacturers produce nearly emission-less engines
- Cheaper refueling, depending on the location
GAS CONS:
- Finite resource (related: heavy dependence on petroleum)
- Carbon emissions/greenhouse gases
- Higher repair costs
- Higher insurance rates, depending on make, model, and configuration
- Varying costs at the pump, depending on state, city, and county
Source: Car & Driver, Perch Energy, AutoWeek
The Volkswagen models year 2017-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles were all mentioned in the recall.
The company blamed the airbag issue on the Takata-brand SDI-D frontal airbag inflators, which were at risk of exploding after prolonged exposure to extreme weather conditions.
The recall of these airbags is the largest in US history, with about 63 million inflators being recalled by several car manufacturers, the Associated Press reported.
Hundreds of drivers were impacted by these faulty airbags, leaving dozens dead worldwide.
One driver of a Honda Civic, which uses the same airbags, died after the bag exploded when the car was hit in Mesa, Arizona.
