Volkswagen and Audi are recalling 208,724 SUVs because a corroded steering rack mounting bolt may break, potentially leading to a loss of steering control.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas, and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break. If this happens, the steering rack housing can break.
Owners can check their vehicle identification number (VIN) on the NHTSA recall lookup to see whether their SUV is affected.
Here is the relevant information from the NHTSA Recall notice:
NHTSA ID Number: 26V590
Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Components: STEERING
Potential Number of Units Affected: 208,724
Estimated percentage with defect: 1%
Descriptive Information
The recall population was determined based on production records.
The recalled products differ from products that were not included in the recall because the recalled vehicles were manufactured with a specific steering rack. Vehicles not included in the recall were manufactured with a different steering rack and are therefore not affected by the condition addressed by this recall.
Description of defect or noncompliance:
Corrosion at the affected left-hand-drive steering rack-to-subframe mounting connection may lead to a fracture of the bolt head.
Description of the safety risk, including crash, fire, death, injury:
If the bolt head fractures, the steering rack remains attached to the subframe by only one mounting point. Continued loading may result in a fracture of the steering rack housing, which could lead to a loss of steering capability. Vehicle testing and field reports indicate that such a housing fracture is most likely to occur during parking or low-speed maneuvering events, where steering loads are particularly high.
Description of the cause:
Moisture may enter the area around the right steering rack mounting bolt. Over the service life of the vehicle, this may lead to corrosion of the bolt, which can subsequently result in a fracture of the bolt head.
Identification of any warning that can occur:
The condition may be detectable by unusual metallic rattling or knocking noises originating from the front axle area.
Chronology
October 2024: Volkswagen received the first field report involving corrosion of a steering rack mounting bolt and broken steering rack housing from outside the North American Region. An investigation was initiated, and the steering rack and subframe components were requested for detailed analysis.
November 2024 – January 2025: Cross-functional analyses involving engineering, production, supplier, and materials experts were conducted. Examination of the returned components identified corrosion-induced bolt head fracture of the steering rack mounting bolt resulting in a fractured steering rack housing. Additional investigations focused on potential moisture ingress paths and environmental influences, which led to corrosion of the steering rack bolt.
January – July 2025: Additional field investigations, vehicle inspections, and engineering evaluations were performed. The investigation identified moisture ingress into the steering rack mounting area as a contributing factor to bolt corrosion. Volkswagen continued field investigations and engineering assessments to better understand the corrosion mechanism, environmental influences, and potential field occurrence of the condition.
August 2025: Volkswagen received a second field report involving a similar condition on a vehicle from outside the North American Region. The investigation scope was expanded to further evaluate the root cause, field occurrence, and potential corrective measures.
September 2025: Volkswagen started expanding its investigation activities to include the evaluation of alternative bolt surface coatings to improve the robustness of the steering rack bolt.
December 2025: Volkswagen received a third field report involving a similar condition from outside the North American Region. Continued component analyses, field investigations, engineering evaluations, and testing activities were conducted.
March – April 2026: Vehicle testing, field inspections, and engineering analyses were conducted to assess the progression and potential consequences of the condition. Testing indicated that a potential steering rack housing fracture would most likely occur during parking maneuvers or low-speed steering inputs involving high steering loads. Based on the information available at that time, the condition was considered primarily limited to parking and low-speed maneuvering situations and occurrence during normal driving conditions was considered unlikely. Volkswagen nevertheless continued its investigation to further evaluate the potential safety implications of the condition and the consequences of a housing fracture event.
May – June 2026: Volkswagen and Audi Product Safety Committees reviewed the results of field investigations, vehicle testing, and risk assessments. Potential field activities were evaluated. Testing and analyses continued to further evaluate the potential consequences of the condition under customer operating conditions.
August 2026: During further investigations, it was determined that a steering rack housing fracture may not necessarily be immediately apparent to the driver. Based on the updated analysis and risk assessments, the topic was escalated again to the Volkswagen and Audi Product Safety Committees.
September 4, 2026: Based on the results of the investigations, testing activities, field experience, and safety assessments, the Product Safety Committees determined that a safety-related defect may exist. Volkswagen and Audi therefore decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall. Volkswagen and Audi are not aware of any crashes, fires, injuries, deaths, warranty claims, field reports, service reports, or other information associated with this topic in the North American Region.
Remedy
Description of Remedy
Remedy Type: Replace
Description of remedy program:
Replace the right steering rack mounting bolt with a bolt featuring a highly corrosion-resistant polymer coating.
How remedy component differs from recalled component:
The recall remedy component can be distinguished from the recalled component because the recall remedy bolt differs from the recalled bolt by the application of an improved corrosion-resistant coating. This coating provides enhanced corrosion protection and significantly improves long-term durability.
Description of recall schedule:
Dealer notification was scheduled for September 16, 2026.
Owner remedy notices are scheduled to be mailed November 10, 2026.
Affected VINs were scheduled to become searchable September 16, 2026.
