Volkswagen and Audi are recalling 208,724 SUVs in the US after identifying a steering-rack mounting bolt that can corrode, fracture and weaken the rack’s connection to the vehicle. The campaign covers select Volkswagen Atlas, Volkswagen Tiguan and Audi Q3 SUVs, with owner notification letters scheduled to go out on November 10, 2026.

The affected bolt is mounted on the right side of the steering rack. If moisture corrodes the bolt head enough to cause a fracture, steering response could deteriorate or the driver could lose control of the vehicle, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall notice.

Volkswagen and Audi models affected

The recall includes three model lines and specific production windows rather than every vehicle from the listed model years:

  • 2018–2019 Volkswagen Atlas: 82,601 vehicles built from November 30, 2016, through September 22, 2018.
  • 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan: 85,713 vehicles built from March 22, 2017, through June 18, 2018.
  • 2019–2021 Audi Q3: 40,410 vehicles built from May 21, 2019, through July 16, 2021.

Although 208,724 SUVs are included in the campaign, the filing does not estimate how many actually have the corrosion-prone bolt. Vehicles in the listed production ranges may use different hardware that is not affected by the same issue.

Free steering-rack bolt replacement

Volkswagen and Audi dealers will replace the potentially defective fastener with a new bolt featuring a highly corrosion-resistant polymer coating. The repair will be performed at no cost to owners, regardless of whether the vehicle remains under warranty.

The automakers said they are not aware of steering-rack-related issues in the North American region. The US filing also lists no crashes or injuries connected to the defect so far.

How owners can check the recall

Owners do not have to wait for a letter to determine whether their SUV is involved. Vehicle identification numbers linked to the campaign became searchable through NHTSA’s online lookup tool on September 16, 2026.

Drivers who notice steering looseness or an unexpected change in steering response should stop driving and contact a Volkswagen or Audi dealer promptly. Dealers are expected to prepare replacement-part inventory ahead of the November notification date.