Volkswagen Recalls 200,000 SUVs For Steering Bolts That BreakAutoGuide.comAutoGuide.com News StaffMon, September 21, 2026 at 6:30 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleVolkswagen has announced a safety recall impacting more than 208,000 crossovers and SUVs across its Volkswagen and Audi brands due to a steering component failure.The safety action affects an estimated 208,724 vehicles in the United States, including select 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan, 2018–2019 Volkswagen Atlas, and 2019–2021 Audi Q3 models.Corrosive Fasteners Risk Loss of SteeringAccording to recall documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), one of the bolts securing the steering rack to the subframe can corrode over time and snap.AdvertisementAdvertisementIf this mounting bolt breaks, the additional mechanical stress can cause the steering rack housing itself to fracture. A damaged or separated steering rack housing can lead to a sudden loss of steering control, significantly increasing the risk of a crash.To resolve the defect, authorized Volkswagen and Audi dealers will replace the affected right-side steering rack mounting bolt free of charge.Owner notification letters explaining the safety risk are scheduled to be mailed on November 10, 2026. Internal reference codes for this recall campaign are 48LG and 48VT for Volkswagen and Audi service departments.Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) associated with the safety action became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 16, 2026. Owners seeking additional details can contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.This article was written using AI and was then edited and optimized by our editorial team.Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletterhere.