driving
Volkswagen recall: drivers in France expected to be impacted
Owners can check online if their car is affected
German car manufacturing giant Volkswagen has recalled millions of vehicles worldwide over a faulty screw that could lead to a steering failure.
2.1 million Volkswagen-branded vehicles and 700,000 Audi cars are among the vehicles recalled.
This includes certain Volkswagen Golf, Golf Variant, Tiguan, Touran, and Caddy models, produced between September 2013 and July 2024, and Audi Q3 models from October 2017 to May 2024.
A country-by-country breakdown is not yet available but vehicles in France are expected to be affected.
More information should be made available by the French government in the coming days through its dedicated recalls website (Rappel Conso).
A link to the automobile section is available here, where the French-specific recall will be posted.
Check if you are affected
Not all vehicles from the above models and timeframes are affected, drivers can check themselves if their vehicle is impacted.
Drivers can look up their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the official Volkswagen recall website.
This is a number “consisting of 17 characters, it can easily be found on your vehicle's registration document as well as at the bottom of the windscreen,” the manufacturer said.
Otherwise, impacted drivers will also be contacted in the coming weeks by the manufacturer, but checking for yourself is best in case of any communication issues.
If the vehicle does need to be repaired, you can contact a nearby authorised garage or dealership for an appointment. This will be free of charge.
Drivers can continue using vehicles
The recall is a precautionary measure over a screw that is at risk of corroding and affecting the driver’s ability to steer the vehicle.
“We are recalling the affected vehicles as a precautionary measure; there have been no personal injuries,” said a company spokesperson, quoted via AFP.
The issue is not “so acute,” that drivers must stop driving the car until repaired, unlike the recent Takata airbag campaign that affected millions of vehicles in France.
“You can continue driving until your appointment at the dealership,” the spokesperson added.
