Due to issues with tire pressure sensors, Volkswagen Group is recalling 224,704 cars. Affected by the recall are some VW and Audi cars that may have faulty sensors that fail to recognize a loss of pressure in a particularly peculiar situation. As a result, these cars do not adhere to National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) motor vehicle safety requirements.
Please be patient with us as the recall’s phrasing is a little strange. No mention is made of potential blowouts or tire damage concerning the issue, but rather how the sensors recognize such circumstances. VW claims in a letter to the NHTSA that the issue “does not constitute an unacceptable safety risk, as every puncture (meaning a sudden tire pressure drop) as well as diffusion (meaning a long-term pressure loss on numerous tires) will be identified.
The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) on certain cars “may not detect an air pressure decrease inappropriate time when deflating happens among all four tires simultaneously,” according to the recall. It is undoubtedly an odd circumstance because a motorist would likely be aware of the simultaneous deflation of all four tires without the necessity for sensors. But in the eyes of the US authorities, the condition is sufficient to render these cars inoperable.
A closer look at the recall reveals that it appears the impacted vehicles had a certain hardware/software combo installed, including a brake control unit. As a result, the repair is a quick software update to the TPMS, which will be carried out without charge by VW dealers.
By December 2022, VW will start contacting owners of the impacted vehicles.
