The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas, and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break. If this happens, the steering rack housing can break.
The risk
A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 10, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 48LG and 48VT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 16, 2026.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Audi Q3 | 2019, 2020, 2021 |
| Volkswagen Atlas | 2018, 2019 |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 2018 |
Components: STEERING
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audi Q3 | 2019 | 10 | 4 |
| Audi Q3 | 2020 | 66 | 3 |
| Audi Q3 | 2021 | 15 | 3 |
| Volkswagen Atlas | 2018 | 466 | 17 |
| Volkswagen Atlas | 2019 | 483 | 12 |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 2018 | 287 | 14 |
Other steering recalls in 2026
20 of the 666 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2026 concerned the steering; Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. filed 321 campaigns in all.
| 26V621000 29 Sept 2026 | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) |
| 26V598000 17 Sept 2026 | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 26V527000 13 Aug 2026 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC |
| 26V524000 12 Aug 2026 | BMW of North America, LLC |
| 26V509000 6 Aug 2026 | Mack Trucks, Inc. |
| 26V500000 30 Jul 2026 | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) |
| 26V444000 9 Jul 2026 | Volvo Trucks North America |
| 26V405000 24 Jun 2026 | Harbinger Motors Inc. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2026