Volkswagen Group of America has recalled over 60,000 electric vehicles manufactured from 2021 to 2023 due to a gear display issue. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) made the announcement that 60,490 electric vehicles including Volkswagen and Audi that are affected by this software glitch. The displays in these cars are failing to show the correct gear position, which could be dangerous as the car might not engage the brakes when in Parking mode, potentially leading to an accident.
Which EVs are affect by the software error?
Volkswagen has issued a recall affecting several of its electric vehicle models due to a display issue that may result in the car not showing the correct gear position. The affected models include the 2021-2023 Volkswagen ID.4, the 2022-2023 Audi Q4 e-Tron, and the 2022-2023 Audi Q4 e-Tron Sportback. This malfunction could prevent the car from applying the brakes when in Parking mode, potentially leading to an accident. The issue violates Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 102, as outlined by the NHTSA.
In response to the problem, Volkswagen and Audi are advising affected vehicle owners to always engage the parking brake when exiting their cars to ensure safety until the issue is resolved. To fix the problem, dealerships will provide free brake control software updates to the affected vehicles. Owners will be notified by mail, with notification letters scheduled to be sent out by April 25, 2025. The recall is part of the company’s effort to maintain safety standards and ensure the safety of its customers on the road.
February recall by VW: Rearview camera issue
Last month in February, Volkswagen issued a recall for over 32,000 vehicles due to two separate concerns: a potential rearview camera malfunction and a risk of overheating electric vehicle batteries.
The rearview camera recall affected 29,569 vehicles, including the 2022-2024 Volkswagen Tiguan SUVs, 2023 Volkswagen Arteon sedans, and 2024-2025 Audi Q3 SUVs. The issue was that the camera could fail to switch on while starting the car. This could increase the danger of having an accident due to the lack of a rearview image.
Additionally, Volkswagen is recalling 2,616 of its 2023 Audi Q5 PHEV hybrid SUVs due to a defect in the high-voltage battery cell modules, which could overheat and pose a fire hazard.