TORONTO and DETROIT – Volkswagen is telling Canadian and U.S. dealers to stop selling its most popular cars until transmission fluid leaks can be fixed.
The order covers slightly less than 2,000 Jetta, Passat, Beetle and Beetle convertible models in (or destined for) Canada, according to Volkswagen Canada spokesperson Thomas Tetzlaff.
“Less that 10 per cent (under 200) are in customer hands throughout Canada, with the rest either being at dealerships or en route,” Tetzlaff told Global News.
In the U.S., the “stop sale” order affects 25,000 of the models that are equipped with 1.8-litre, four-cylinder engines and automatic transmissions, spokesman Scott Vazin said Wednesday. They were built after Feb. 1, and about half the cars in the U.S. remain on dealer lots.
An “O-ring” that links a transmission fluid line to a cooler can fail and cause leaks, potentially causing a fire.
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Both Tetzlaff and his American counterpart say no fires or crashes have been reported. VW plans to replace the defective parts.
“Our engineers are on the way to a solution,” said Tetzlaff. “We will be working with Transport Canada in the next few days and will contact those affected to arrange for repairs.”
Vazin says VW is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on how to fix the cars that have been sold.
He says owners with questions about their cars should contact their dealers.
Vazin expects parts to be available to make the repairs in two weeks or less. The simple repairs should take about a half-hour, he said.
The stop-sale order was first reported by the trade publication Automotive News.
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