Volkswagen Group has issued a safety recall affecting more than 44,000 SUVs in Canada due to a potential steering system defect that could lead to a sudden loss of control. A parallel campaign in the United States covers more than 208,000 vehicles.
The recall involves the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas and 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan, representing the first model-year of their respective generations, alongside the 2019-2021 Audi Q3 crossovers.
The problem
According to recall notices updated by Transport Canada, the problem has its source in a crucial mounting component. On affected vehicles, one of the bolts securing the steering rack to the subframe can corrode and snap over time. If the bolt fails, the steering rack housing itself can break, resulting in a sudden loss of steering control. That, to put it mildly, significantly increases the risk of a crash.
The solution
Volkswagen and Audi dealerships will replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt free of charge. Transport Canada’s advisory notes that the repair process focuses strictly on the bolt replacement without requiring further mechanical checks.
The automakers are notifying affected owners directly by mail to schedule a service appointment. Canadian owners can also verify whether their vehicle is impacted by visiting the official Volkswagen Canada or Audi Canada recall portals and submitting their 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN).
With this recall in mind, prospective used-car shoppers considering a 2018 Tiguan, 2018 Atlas, or second-generation Audi Q3 will want to check the vehicle's VIN against recall databases to confirm the repair has been completed. A full pre-purchase mechanical inspection remains strongly recommended.