Volkswagen has issued a recall for certain 2011-2012 Audi R8 Spyder sports cars. In the report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the auto manufacturer said that a fuel supply line in the engine compartment could rub against the heat shield creating a leak in the line. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source could lead to vehicle fire. The vehicles included in the recall were built between May 18, 2010 through June 22, 2011. Owners wanting more information about the recall can contact Audi at 1-800-822-2834.

After receiving seven complaints, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has decided to open an investigation into fuel line leaks in some 2011 Volkswagen Jetta and 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportswagen vehicles. Drivers complained about leaks at the fuel line to the number two fuel injector on Jetta vehicles equipped with 2.0L TDI common rail diesel engines. Because these engines operate at extremely high fuel injection pressures, the NHTSA’s wants to do a preliminary evaluation to assess the frequency and potential safety consequences of the defect.

Volkswagen is recalling certain 2012 CC model vehicles for failing to comply with the Federal motor vehicles safety standards for tire pressure monitoring. Certain vehicles that had their factory installed wheels and tires replaced with accessory wheels and tires may not have the proper tire pressure monitoring sensors (TPMS) installed. With the incorrect sensors, the driver will receive inaccurate warnings for the inflation of the tires. Improper tire pressure can lead to premature wear and eventual failure of the tires. Volkswagen will replace the sensors with the proper part for the accessory wheels. Owner wanting more information on the recall can contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.

Volkswagen is recalling Audi model vehicles for a problem with the fuel system that could lead to a fuel leak and a potential vehicle fire. The problem is being blamed on aging plastic material in the fuel tank rollover valve. Stress from the ventilation line to the rollover valve nipple could lead to cracking of the nipple resulting in a fuel leak. The vehicles involved in this recall are equipped with 4.2L engines and include:

Owners receiving the recall notice can take their vehicles into their local dealer to have the rollover valve nipple replaced or reinforced. For more information, contact Audi at 1-800-822-2834.

Volkswagen (VW) has issued a recall for certain 2011 Jetta cars, built between March 2010 to March 2011, for problems with the electrical wiring. According to VW, a fuse shared between the anti-theft alarm and the converter box could short circuit causing the light and wipers to stop working. Under the recall, dealerships will reconfigure the wiring so that each system has their own fuse. Any Jetta owners wanting more information on this recall can contact VW customer service at 1-800-822-8987

Last February the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened up an investigation into failing fuel pumps in some Volkswagen and Audi diesel cars. Today, the NHTSA announced they will be intensifying the investigation after receiving over 150 complaints. The vehicles involved in this investigation include the 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta, 2010 Volkswagen Golf and 2010 Audi A3 vehicles. If the investigation should lead to a recall, nearly 100, 000 vehicles could be involved.

Last may, VW issued a service bulletin telling dealers to inspect the diesel fuel requiring fuel system service associated with fuel pump failure, suspecting the problem is with contaminated fuel. According to VW, even small amounts of gasoline in the diesel may disrupt lubrication, leading to fuel pump failure. They told the NHTSA that they were unable to find a defect related to motor vehicle safety with relation to the TDI clean diesel fuel system.

Last August, when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened up an investigation into failing ignition coils in some Volkswagen vehicles, the automobile maker offered an emission service program to inspect and replace ignition coils installed in some 2001-2007 vehicles. The NHTSA has intensified their investigation because of possible fire problems that could affect almost half a million Volkswagen Passats with four cylinder turbo engines. Additional consumer complaints and records from Volkswagen show that the problem could involve a greater number of vehicles and may lead to a recall.

The NHTSA reported that they have received 14 complaints of fires and another 21 complaints of ignition coil failures that caused vehicles to suddenly lose power. Volkswagen reported another 199 complaints, although it is not clear how many of those involved fires.

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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has come out with their annual list of top safety picks for the 2011 model year vehicles. This year they recognized 66 vehicles, more than double that of last year. Hyundai and their affiliate Kia as well as Volkswagen and their affiliate Audi lead the insurance industry’s list with nine vehicles on the safest new vehicles list. Below are some of the automobile manufactures and their vehicles that made the list.

  • Audi – A3 sedan, A4 sedans, Q5 SUV
  • BMW – 5 series (except 4-wheel drive and V8)
  • Buick – LaCrosse, Regal
  • Cadillac – CTS, SRX
  • Chevrolet – Malibu, Cruze, Equinox
  • Chrysler – 200 4-door
  • Dodge – Avenger, Journey
  • Ford – Taurus, Fusion, Fiesta sedan and hatchback built after July 2010, Explorer, Flex
  • GMC – Terrain
  • Honda – Civic 4-door models (except Si) with optional electronic stability control, Element
  • Hyundai – Genesis sedan, Sonata midsize, Santa Fe, Tucson
  • Infinite – M37/M56 (except M56x 4-wheel drive)
  • Jeep – Grand Cherokee, Patriot with optional side torso airbags
  • Kia – Optima, Forte, Soul, Sorento built after March 2010, Sportage
  • Lexus – RX
  • Lincoln – MKS, MKZ, MKT
  • Mercedes – C class, E class coupe, E class sedan, GLK
  • Mitsubishi – Lancer sedan (except 4-wheel drive)
  • Nissan – Cube
  • Scion – tC, xB
  • Subaru – Legacy, Outback, Impreza sedan and hatchback (except WRX), Tribeca, Forester
  • Toyota – Avalon, Corolla, Sienna, Highlander, Venza
  • Volkswagen – Jetta sedan, Jetta SportWagen, Golf 4-door, GTI 4-door , Touareg, Tiguan
  • Volvo – C30, S80, XC60, XC90