VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 5,000 MY 2008 R32 (5TH GENERATION) VEHICLES. WHEN CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS ARE ACCOMPANIED BY HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES, THE FUEL TANK VENTILATION VALVE MAY NOT REMAIN FULLY CLOSED. IF THIS HAPPENS, LIQUID FUEL MAY ENTER THE FUEL TANK VENTING SYSTEM AND MIGRATE INTO THE EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM, SATURATING THE CARBON CANISTER. SHOULD THIS OCCUR WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE MAY EXPERIENCE PERFORMANCE ISSUES (I.E., VEHICLE JERKING) AND THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER COULD ILLUMINATE. FUEL COULD LEAK FROM THE EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM LEAK DETECTION PUMP FILTER.
Safety risk
A FUEL LEAK, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE FIRE.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK VENTILATION VALVE WITH AN IMPROVED VALVE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 2, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." SOME VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE HAD A REQUIRED CAP INSTALLED WHICH DISABLES THE HEADLIGHT HORIZONTAL AIM AND SOME VEHICLES MAY CONTAIN A CAP THAT DISABLES THE VERTICAL AIMING SCREW.
Safety risk
NONCOMPLIANCE CAN INHIBIT PROPER HEADLAMP AIM ADJUSTMENT FOR ROADWAY ILLUMINATION, IMPROPERLY AIMED HEADLAMPS COULD CAUSE REDUCED ROAD VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF A CAP IN THE SOCKET OF THE LOW BEAM HORIZONTAL AIMING SCREW AND INSTALL ONE IF MISSING, AND INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF A CAP IN THE SOCKET OF THE VERTICAL AIMING SCREW AND IF PRESENT, THE CAP WILL BE REMOVED. THE RECALL WILL BEGIN ON OCTOBER 31, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Power train: automatic transmission
60
12,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline
19
5,585 mi
Power train
17
32,000 mi
Electrical system
6
36,000 mi
Exterior lighting
6
63,000 mi
Power train: manual transmission
6
8,900 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
4
117,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling
2
500 mi
Air bags
1
36,000 mi
Engine
1
43,600 mi
Engine and engine cooling: engine
1
9,200 mi
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: auxillary tank
1
10,000 mi
Fuel system, other
1
3,100 mi
Tires
1
4,800 mi
Unknown or other
1
11,800 mi
Vehicle speed control
1
36,000 mi
The 2007 model has 128 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.