Volkswagen has announced a recall of over 30,000 vehicles due to two potential issues: malfunctioning backup cameras and the risk of overheating in electric vehicle batteries.
According to a report submitted by Volkswagen to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the United States, the company is recalling 29,569 vehicles including 2022-2024 Volkswagen Tiguan SUVs, 2023 Volkswagen Arteon sedans, and 2024-2025 Audi Q3 SUVs.
The report states that the backup camera images in these vehicles may fail to display properly. An error in the camera control unit upon vehicle start-up could prevent the backup image from appearing, increasing the risk of accidents due to reduced visibility.
In addition to the backup camera issue, Volkswagen is also recalling 2,616 2023 Audi Q5 plug-in hybrid SUVs. According to the NHTSA report, these vehicles’ high-voltage battery module units may have defects that could lead to overheating, thereby increasing the risk of fire.
The models affected by the backup camera image issue recall include 2024-2025 Audi Q3 (14,028 vehicles), 2023 Volkswagen Arteon (1,660 vehicles), and 2022-2024 Volkswagen Tiguan (13,881 vehicles).
The model affected by the battery issue recall is the 2023 Audi Q5 plug-in hybrid model.
Volkswagen and Audi have provided solutions for these recalls. Owners of affected vehicles regarding the backup camera issue are expected to receive notification letters by April 11, 2025. Dealers will update the camera control unit software free of charge. Owners can call Volkswagen Customer Service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi Customer Service at 1-800-253-2834 for more information. The recall numbers are 91NY for Volkswagen and 90AV for Audi.
For the high-voltage battery issue, 2023 Audi Q5 owners are expected to receive an initial interim notification letter by April 11, 2025, with the final repair solution, including the installation of advanced on-board diagnostic software, set to begin implementation in the second quarter of 2025. Owners will receive a second letter regarding this.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen will monitor available online data for vehicles and contact owners when necessary, advising them not to use external sources to charge the vehicle before the battery replacement. Owners of vehicles where online data cannot be obtained by Volkswagen should also avoid external charging until the final repair solution is introduced. Repairs will be free of charge. Owners can call Audi Customer Service at 1-800-253-2834 for more information. The recall number for this issue is 93AA.