Volkswagen Passat Under Further Investigation by NHTSA for Fire Risk, Recall Likely
After opening an initial inquiry, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a more thorough investigation of nearly half a million Volkswagen Passat models for a potential fire risk.
The investigation surrounds 490,000 Passat models dating from 2001 to 2007 and deals with ignition coils on the 2.0T 4-cylinder engines.
The initial inquiry into faulty ignition coils that could cause a fire on roughly 200,000 models from 2002-03 has prompted this more thorough ‘engineering analysis’.
In total NHTSA’s files indicate 14 complaints of fire and 21 instances of failed ignition coils, while Volkswgen itself lists 199 complaints surrounding ignition coils.
This more thorough investigation does not guarantee a full recall, but since the Toyota crisis NHTSA has been on a tear, issuing recalls for everything from rusting Bentley ornaments to Suzuki glove boxes. That being said, a recall is likely.
[Source: NYT]
With AutoGuide from its launch, Colum previously acted as Editor-in-Chief of Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine where he became a certifiable car snob driving supercars like the Koenigsegg CCX and racing down the autobahn in anything over 500 hp. He has won numerous automotive journalism awards including the Best Video Journalism Award in 2014 and 2015 from the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Colum founded Geared Content Studios, VerticalScope's in-house branded content division and works to find ways to integrate brands organically into content.
More by Colum Wood
Comments
Join the conversation