VW Recalls Certain Beetle Models With Takata Airbags
The original Takata airbag recall took place years ago, but the list of affected models continues to grow. Volkswagen recently recalled 37,558 2015 and 2016 Beetles for issues with the driver’s side airbag. Volkswagen reviewed production records and found the affected vehicles, though it’s baffling that it took so long to discover.
Recall documentation shows that the driver’s side airbag propellant can degrade over time and with exposure to high humidity, temperature, and extreme temperature changes. The Takata SDI-D airbags are called out specifically, and VW said that some Beetle models have inflators not included in the recall. The units are supposedly less dangerous than the Takata models in other vehicles, but the NHTSA’s evaluation led VW to issue a recall out of an abundance of caution.
If the inflator explodes, it can send shrapnel and metal fragments toward the driver and other passengers. Nineteen people have died, and hundreds have been injured from the airbags, so it’s best not to ignore the problem if your car is affected.
A Volkswagen dealer will replace your airbag module for free if your Beetle or Beetle Convertible is included in this recall. Letters will be mailed to owners by February 17, but owners can call VW’s customer service line for more information in the meantime.
[Image: VW]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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If own a car with Takata, wear an atmospheric diving suit. 🦑
Not all Beatles songs were great. And the air-cooled Beetle is the one to get.
Bonus: Great non-Beatles song from a Beatle.