Volkswagen (OTCPK:VWAGY) (OTCPK:VWAPY) is recalling over 271,000 vehicles in the U.S. over a wiring fault that may deactivate the front passenger airbag when the seat is occupied, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said.
“The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may experience a fault in the wiring and deactivate the front passenger airbag when the seat is occupied,” according to the recall report.
In the event of a crash with frontal airbag deployment, there would be an increased risk of injury to the occupant seated in the front passenger seat if the passenger frontal airbag is switched off.
The NHTSA advised owners to avoid use of the front passenger seat whenever possible, until the recall repair has been performed.
The recall affects 2021-2024 Atlas and 2020-2024 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 16, 2024. Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge.