The defect
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.
The risk
THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVERAL STAGGERED MAILINGS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2007. VEHICLES WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS POPULATION MAY BE INVOLVED IN EITHER THIS RECALL OR 06V-183, BUT NOT BOTH. THE REMEDY IS THE SAME FOR EACH RECALL. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL APPLY THE REMEDY BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Volkswagen Beetle | 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 |
| Volkswagen Golf | 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 |
| Volkswagen GTI | 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 |
| Volkswagen Jetta | 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 |
| Volkswagen Passat | 2003, 2004, 2005 |
| Volkswagen R32 | 2004 |
Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
Other exterior lighting recalls in 2007
22 of the 587 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2007 concerned the exterior lighting; VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC filed 63 campaigns in all.
| 07V515000 5 Nov 2007 | AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP. |
| 07V493000 22 Oct 2007 | U.S. BUS CORPORATION |
| 07V491000 18 Oct 2007 | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 07V492000 18 Oct 2007 | R-VISION |
| 07V482000 16 Oct 2007 | GM DAEWOO AUTO & TECHNOLOGY COMPANY |
| 07V478000 11 Oct 2007 | MACK TRUCKS, INC |
| 07V462000 2 Oct 2007 | GOSHEN COACH |
| 07V463000 1 Oct 2007 | UTILIMASTER CORPORATION |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2007