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Recalls are common in the automotive industry, but sometimes you get campaigns that are out of the ordinary, to say the least. This is the case with a problem affecting some Lamborghini, Porsche and Audi vehicles. To be precise, 31 of them. In total.
The models affected are the Lamborghini Urus, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and the Audi RS6 Avant, RS7 and RS Q8. Each of these is equipped with a twin-turbocharged 4.0L V8 engine (capable of producing more than 600 hp).
The recall of the 31 vehicles comes as a result of an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that looked into reports of cracks that could develop on the surface of the engine's cylinder bore, leading to an increased risk of stalling or oil leakage. This type of engine damage could result in a fire. What is most eyebrow-raising about the recall is, of course, the number of vehicles being recalled. Of the 31 unlucky vehicles, four are Lamborghini Urus SUVs, all built between October 6 and 21, 2020.
The source of the problem is not traceable back to Lamborghini or the other brands of the Volkswagen Group. It is attributable to a German supplier that, during the engine block molding process, experienced a “misalignment of the automated mold-extrusion stamp” at the factory. This relatively minor production flaw led to a potentially major problem.
In addition to the four Lamborghini Urus, 12 Porsche Cayenne Turbo, GTS and GTS Coupe, as well as 15 2021 Audi RS6 Avant, RS7, SQ7, SQ8 and RS Q8 models are also affected. As for the solution, there is only one: replace the engine.
Dealers of the respective brands will do the engine replacing; owners will be notified in the coming weeks before the recall is issued on June 30. The NHTSA notice does not mention any fire, injury or death related to this specific situation. The notice does not explicitly ask owners to park their vehicles outside until the engine replacement is complete.