VW Recalls 679,000 Cars Because of Rollaway Risks

The German carmaker VW has informed about the recall of more than 679,000 vehicles on the US territory to prevent possible rollaway accidents. The problem is caused by the faulty e-switch in the gear selector, leading to possible emergency cases when a driver can remove the ignition key without engaging the car into P gear. This significantly increases the possibility of a rollaway, especially if the car is left in N gear with nothing there to stop it from moving.

According to the carmaker, the recall applies only to automatic models that come with manual handbrakes and keyless entry features. At the same time, owners of manual VW models equipped with an automatic handbrake or keyless entry will not have to deal with this issue. The list of recalled models includes the following:

The recall is required due to the accumulation of silicate on micro switch contacts of the gear-change lever that may allow the key to be taken from the ignition when the lever isn't in PARK. In such cases, the car system may display a warning message on the dashboard, issue a sound signal, or continue to operate as if nothing has happened at all.

2019 VW GTI

Last summer, VW had to recall 33,168 cars because of a similar issue. Then, VW engineers found out that a similar problem can occur in other models and this issue has more complex nature. Recently, they finally found out that the micro switch can get out of order due to higher resistance caused by silicate contamination on the contact surface of the switch. The carmaker has not received any info on injuries or car clashes related to this malfunction.

2018 VW Golf

It is assumed that the solution of this problem is as follows: dealers have to install a new switch inside the lever housing, disengage the old switch without dismantling it, and attach a circuit board to the wire harness that was not initially included in designs of these cars. It is expected that the board will limit the "current surges" that were leading to the issue mentioned above. The company has already provided solutions to all current models in production.

2018 VW Jetta

Owners of affected models who already paid for repairs will be offered compensation for the expenses. The recall is expected to start October 11, 2019.