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No Recall for Audis, Passats Made Here
Passats and Audis made in China will not be recalled, Shanghai Volkswagen and FAW Volkswagen said.
German Volkswagen (VW) announced last Wednesday that it is recalling 300,000 1999 Passats and 260,000 A4, A6 and A8 Audis worldwide because of a potential defect.
Inspections revealed the sleeves over the tie rod ends could slip off, allowing dirt to enter the mechanism, a spokesman for the automaker said.
This is the second time VW has had trouble with the 1999 Passats. In the summer of 1999, some 270,000 cars of that model were recalled due to a similar defect.
The news stirred the Chinese automobile market, which is still suffering from turbulence caused by Japan-based Mitsubishi's recalls of two models earlier this year.
FAW Volkswagen, jointly set up with the Jilin-based China First Automobile Works, said the plant, which began making A6 Audis in June 1999, used improved parts that do not have the flaw.
Shanghai Volkswagen, another VW joint venture which began to produce Passats last March, made similar announcements last week.
Both companies stated clearly that their cars would not be recalled.
There are about 70 imported A6 Audis in China which should be recalled. VW said owners of the 70 Audis would have the same services as their foreign counterparts.
Volkswagen agreed when starting the Shanghai venture not to allow the import of Passats from Germany after the Shanghai plant began production.
So far, no complaints about Passat and A6 Audi have been reported in China.
Source: China Daily
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