Two popular European automobile manufacturers have notified dealers to halt sales on some of their diesel vehicles due to fire risks. Audi and Volkswagen have issued recalls stemming from a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that showed that no less than eight customers have complained about an issue in the common-rail diesel engine of some of these companies’ vehicles.
Audi has issued the recall on the A3 TDI, while Volkswagen has recalled the VW Jetta, Jetta Sportswagen, and Golf. Consumer Reports explains that “These diesel-powered cars are at risk for a potential fuel line leak that could lead to fire.”
The recall is issued for all Audi A3s produced from September of 2009 until October of 2011, all Jetta TDI sedans and Sportswagons made from May of 2008 until October of 2011, and all VW Golf TDIs manufactured from May 2009 until October 2011. This comes to a total of 168,275 vehicles that may pose a potential fire risk.
The fuel line that leads to the fuel injector in the second cylinder is the culprit of these potentially dangerous leaks. Customers have complained that the leaks are caused by the injector line becoming fatigued and eventually failing. The consumer product news source explains that “the pulse of the injector operates at the same frequency as the natural resonance of that injector line, causing it to become fatigued and fail.”
The article goes on to explain that the injectors of these diesel engines “operate at extremely high pressures of up to 26,000 psi, so a fuel leak can be catastrophic.”Vehicles that were affected by this defect had been driven between 2,500 and 7,800 miles,” the article explains.
The New York Times reports that this latest setback for Volkswagen comes after it received complaints this past January about “possible fire problems on nearly 500,000 Volkswagen Passats with 4-cylinder turbo engines.” According to this article, the investigation from earlier this year involved 2001-2007 Passat models. The Times reports that a document from the NHTSA around that time showed that “additional consumer complaints and records provided by Volkswagen indicated sufficient reason for concern to begin a more serious ‘engineering analysis’ and greatly expand the number of vehicles covered.”
Both Volkswagen and Audi will begin campaigns this month to notify all owners of vehicles affected by this most recent fire risk recall, Consumer Reports explains. Dealers for the companys will replace the fuel lines when required, and install a damper that will soften the vibrations. Dealerships will return to selling the vehicles after the modifications have been made, as the manufacturer has actually instructed dealers to halt the sale of affected models. Customers who own these vehicles should contact their local dealer to schedule an inspection as soon as possible.
If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of fuel leaks in the affected Volkswagen or Audi models, contact Newsome Law Firm and fill out a case evaluation form today. Our team of attorneys has experience specific to complications associated with automobile recalls. Not only can they give you the legal guidance you need, they can help you get the compensation you deserve.
References:
Bartlett, Jeff. (October 7, 2011) “Audi A3 joins Volkswagen Golf, Jetta in TDI recall for fire risk.” Retrieved on November 7, 2011 from Consumer Reports.
Evarts, Eric. (October 6, 2011) “Stop-sale and recall: Volkswagen Golf, Jetta diesel cars for risk of fuel leak.” Retrieved on November 7, 2011 from Consumer Reports.
Jensen, Christopher. (January 31, 2011) “Ignition Coil Problem Identified on Nearly 500,000 VW Passats.” Retrieved on November 7, 2011 from the New York Times.