Double Recall: Porsche, Audi Say 32,000 Recalled Cars Were Not Properly Fixed

Some Porsche and Audi owners who recently got their vehicles fixed are already being instructed to take them back to local dealers for another attempt at a repair.

Volkswagen USA is telling the owners of some 32,000 cars that the company botched a recall of those vehicles last year, Jalopnik reports. Specifically, the rear axle alignment on the cars might not have been inspected in vehicles previously brought in for repairs as part of the recall.

“This may result in displacement in the wheel alignment,” Volkswagen told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in a defect notice. “The result could be premature and uneven wear of the tires leading to a decrease of traction.”

“This could lead to a loss of tire pressure without warning, potentially causing a loss of vehicle control and even a crash,” the company added.

The recall covers more than 30,000 Audis built between 2019 and 2021. It also includes more than 1,200 Porsche Cayenne sport utility vehicles produced in 2020 and 2021. 

The same cars were recalled last year over defective lock nuts, which VW said at the time could break and cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles.

Defective Car? Know Your Lemon Law Rights

Although recalling the same cars twice in less than a year is out of the ordinary, automakers around the globe call back millions of vehicles each year because of a wide range of defects that put people’s safety at risk.

Volkswagen, for example, recently recalled nearly 300,000 Audi sport utility vehicles because of an engine defect that increases the risk of a crash. The company also announced last year that it was recalling some 150,000 Audi vehicles whose passenger airbags were defective.

The good news for car owners and lessors in California is that you have some important rights and protections under the state’s lemon law. 

The law, formally known as the Song Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, requires carmakers to perform a wide variety of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. It also forces manufacturers to buy back vehicles that they cannot or refuse to properly fix. That means compensating the owner for the purchase price and financing costs, as well as other related expenses, like towing and rental cars.

The law permits manufacturers to offer to replace the vehicle, instead of buying it back. It is up to the owner to decide whether to accept or reject this alternative arrangement.

Talk with a San Diego Lemon Law Attorney

If you are stuck with a lemon or locked in a dispute with a car manufacturer over repairs, the San Diego lemon law attorneys at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help. 

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a San Diego lemon law attorney.