Nearly 68,000 Volkswagen, Audi Vehicles Recalled Over Gear Issue

Published: 3/6/2025, 11:45:41 PM EST

Nearly 68,000 Volkswagen, Audi Vehicles Recalled Over Gear Issue — A new Volkswagen (VW) ID.4 electric automobile is presented at the headquarters of German car maker Volkswagen in Wolfsburg, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2020. (Ronny Hartmann/AFP via Getty Images)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a safety recall for nearly 68,000 Audi and Volkswagen vehicles sold in the United States and Canada because of a faulty gear position indicator.

Volkswagen Group of America Inc. first received reports the malfunction in August 2024: five cases outside the United States where the “N” gear position was not shown on the instrument dashboard when the car was put in neutral.

“If the correct transmission gear position indicator is not shown and the electronic parking brake is not engaged, the driver may be unable to identify the transmission shift position, increasing the risk of a crash and vehicle roll away,” Volkswagen Group America said in a notice to dealers.

To prevent the car from rolling away and causing an accident, the company advises consumers to always engage the parking brake, which is confirmed by a red indicator light, before leaving their vehicle.

According to the report, the recall pertains to a total of 56,446 Volkswagen vehicles and 11,482 Audi vehicles from different models.

2021 to 2022 Volkswagen ID.4
2023 to 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 USA
2022 to 2023 Audi Q4 e-Tron SUVs
2022 to 2023 Audi Q4 e-Tron Sportbacks

The odds of the defect occurring are estimated at 1 percent.

“These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of [Federal Motor Vehicle Safety] Standard number 102, ‘Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect,’” the NHTSA's recall notice said.

“While the conditions required to effectuate the incorrect gear position display were difficult to replicate, it could be done during internal testing,” the NHTSA said, prompting the Audi and VW Product Safety Committees to issue a recall for the affected vehicles.

Audi said the issue owes to a specific software version in the brake control unit that was used in certain cars manufactured between March 2022 and October 2023.

An updated version of the brake control unit software will be installed in the affected vehicles at no cost to owners, the NHTSA said. All vehicles produced since October 2023 came with an updated software version.

“In addition to the recall remedy, the updated vehicle software being provided may contain enhancements/improvements to some of the vehicle’s other systems,” Volkswagen Group of America said in a notice to car dealers.

Volkswagen and Audi said they do not plan to offer a reimbursement program under this recall, as the vehicles included would still be within warranty.

Owners will receive a notification letter on or before April 25, the NHTSA said.

The recall code for Audio is 454R; for Volkswagen it is 97H3.