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NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Preliminary Evaluation PE15-010: Air Bag Clockspring Failure

  • Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE15-010 on March 24, 2015 and closed it on September 28, 2015. NHTSA's investigations file lists 8 Volkswagen models for it and links recall 15V-483 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number
PE15-010 (also written PE15010)
Investigation type
Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
Status
Closed September 28, 2015
Opened
Closed
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Components
Air Bags; Air Bags — Frontal; Electrical System
Recall linked by NHTSA
  • 15V-483: Air Bag Clock Spring may Fail, reported
Vehicles and equipment
8 Volkswagen models, including the CC and Eos

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE15-010.

try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation based on consumer allegations of steering wheel clock spring/steering column control module (SCCM) failures in model year (MY) 2012 Volkswagen Passat and CC models.

The SCCM is a module within the steering column that incorporates a spiral conductor (a ribbon cable) to electrically connect the steering wheel to the vehicle's electrical system while allowing for the turning of the steering wheel.

Complainants alleged that that the clock spring failed while driving and without warning.

When the SCCM fails electrically, an air bag warning light is illuminated on the dash of the vehicle.

If a vehicle with a failed SCCM were to be involved in a crash of sufficient severity to require deployment, the driver air bag may not deploy properly, or deploy at all.

As the result of an Information Request response from Volkswagen, ODI determined that the same SCCM was used in several vehicle models and MYs including: 2010-2013 CC, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2013 Golf, 2012-2013 Jetta and Jetta SportWagen, 2010 and 2012-2014 Passat and 2011-2014 Tiguan.

ODI identified a total of 29 NHTSA complaints across all affected vehicles potentially indicating a failed SCCM.Drivers often indicated that an audible noise was heard from the steering column when the unit failed. Some drivers also mentioned that there was a noticeable but minor resistance to turning of the steering wheel after the failure with noises coming from the steering column.

The average failure mileage is approximately 30,500 miles and failures often occur outside of the factory warranty.

There were no reported crashes or injuries identified in either the NHTSA or Volkswagen data as a result of SCCM failures.

On July 30th, 2015 Volkswagen notified ODI that it would conduct a safety recall (15V-483) to remedy the SCCMs in 415,825 MY2010-2014 vehicles.

According to Volkswagen, the SCCM can become contaminated with human hair or similar fibers entering the unit between the steering wheel and steering column.

Over time this can cause the electrical cable to tear and lose connection between the steering wheel and vehicle.

Volkswagen will install a cover that attaches over the SCCM to help prevent contaminants from entering the unit.

A new SCCM designed to reduce outside contamination intrusion was previously introduced into new vehicle production during the 2014 model year; accordingly vehicles equipped with the new design SCCM are not included in the recall.

The recall action initiated by the manufacturer addresses the safety risks identified by the investigation.

Accordingly, the investigation is closed.

The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchSafetyIssues under the following identification (ODI) numbers: 10760644, 10758777, 10748922, 110734168, 10731545, 10721424, 10717651, 10715305, 10713742, 10713139, 10712295, 10711945, 10704830, 10704221, 10702926, 10702212, 10701406, 10691906, 10683944, 10682136, 10672715, 10670517, 10669312, 10628549, 10607240, 10575783, 10561143, 10552113, 10397670.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE15-010. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Volkswagen

All Volkswagen recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Volkswagen VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for PE15-010

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.