Recall 18V148 covers 363,713 2007-2014 Volkswagen vehicles with driver air bag inflators that can explode. Repair is free at any franchised Volkswagen dealer.
Volkswagen is recalling 363,713 2007-2014 Golf, Cc, Passat Wagon, Passat, and Eos vehicles under recall 18V148 because the driver's frontal air bag inflator can explode during deployment. In a crash, metal fragments can strike occupants and cause serious injury or death; Volkswagen dealers will complete the recall repair free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The driver's frontal air bag inflator sits inside the steering wheel on the 2007-2014 Volkswagen Golf, Cc, Passat Wagon, Passat, and Eos. In a crash that triggers the driver's air bag, the inflator burns propellant and produces gas that fills the bag in front of the driver. That process has to happen quickly, but the inflator housing has to stay intact.
On affected vehicles, the Takata propellant wafers inside the inflator degrade after years of heat, humidity, and temperature cycling. When the air bag deploys, degraded propellant can burn too aggressively and create excessive internal pressure. That pressure can rupture the inflator body instead of only filling the air bag.
There is no warning sign before failure. The problem shows up only if the driver's frontal air bag deploys, so an owner will not see a dashboard light, hear a noise, or feel a change in normal driving.
Who's affected?
Spans Golf, Cc, Passat Wagon, Passat, and Eos models across the 2007-2014 model years, all tied to the driver-side front air bag inflator module.
| 2011 Volkswagen Golf | front air bag |
|---|---|
| 2010 Volkswagen Golf | front air bag |
| 2012 Volkswagen Golf | front air bag |
| 2013 Volkswagen Golf | front air bag |
| 2013 Volkswagen Cc | front air bag |
| 2010 Volkswagen Passat Wagon | front air bag |
| 2009 Volkswagen Passat Wagon | front air bag |
| 2007 Volkswagen Passat Wagon | front air bag |
| 2008 Volkswagen Passat Wagon | front air bag |
| 2014 Volkswagen Golf | front air bag |
| 2013 Volkswagen Passat | front air bag |
| 2014 Volkswagen Passat | front air bag |
| 2014 Volkswagen Cc | front air bag |
| 2012 Volkswagen Passat | front air bag |
| 2007 Volkswagen Passat | front air bag |
| 2008 Volkswagen Passat | front air bag |
| 2009 Volkswagen Passat | front air bag |
| 2009 Volkswagen Cc | front air bag |
| 2010 Volkswagen Cc | front air bag |
| 2010 Volkswagen Eos | front air bag |
| 2010 Volkswagen Passat | front air bag |
| 2012 Volkswagen Cc | front air bag |
| 2011 Volkswagen Eos | front air bag |
| 2011 Volkswagen Cc | front air bag |
| 2012 Volkswagen Eos | front air bag |
| 2014 Volkswagen Eos | front air bag |
| 2013 Volkswagen Eos | front air bag |
| Units affected | 363,713 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific vehicle is included.
What's the safety risk?
In a crash that deploys the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator can explode and send metal fragments into occupants, causing serious injury or death. If your VIN is included, schedule the air bag inflator replacement soon. Repair is free at any franchised Volkswagen dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2007-2014 Volkswagen Golf, Cc, Passat Wagon, Passat, or Eos is included in this recall.
- Contact your nearest franchised Volkswagen dealer to schedule the free driver's frontal air bag inflator replacement that addresses the explosion risk during air bag deployment.
- Bring the recall notice if Volkswagen mailed one. If not, reference recall number 18V148 and Volkswagen recall 69Q9 when you call.
- Avoid delaying the repair once your VIN is confirmed; the driver air bag inflator is the recalled part.
- Call Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 if the dealer cannot confirm the recall or parts status.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Volkswagen technician replaces the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator. The replacement parts and labor are free under the recall. Volkswagen says it will not offer reimbursement for costs tied to replacement of airbag inflators, so there is no separate reimbursement claim process for this campaign. Keep any prior repair paperwork for your records, but do not expect a separate recall reimbursement claim for 18V148.
| Reimbursement | No separate reimbursement |
|---|
Timeline
| March 6, 2018 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| March 15, 2018 | Dealer notification began |
| March 15, 2018 | Dealer notification ended |
| March 15, 2018 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| March 16, 2018 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 18V148?
Recall 18V148 covers 363,713 Volkswagen vehicles with a driver's frontal air bag inflator that can explode during deployment. Included models span 2007-2014 Volkswagen Golf, Cc, Passat Wagon, Passat, and Eos vehicles. Volkswagen dealers replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator for free.
What should I do if my 2007-2014 Volkswagen Golf, Cc, Passat Wagon, Passat, or Eos is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 18V148. If it is, contact a franchised Volkswagen dealer to schedule the driver's frontal air bag inflator replacement. Reference recall number 18V148 and Volkswagen recall number 69Q9 when you call.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to repair safety defects at no cost, and Volkswagen's remedy says dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator free of charge. The free repair applies at franchised Volkswagen dealers.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is serious injury or death from an exploding driver's frontal air bag inflator. In a crash that deploys the air bag, excessive internal pressure can send metal fragments toward occupants. Confirm your VIN and schedule the free Volkswagen dealer repair.
What if I bought this Volkswagen used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the vehicle, not the original owner. If you bought the vehicle used and never received Volkswagen's owner letter, check your VIN and give the dealer recall number 18V148 when scheduling the inflator replacement.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/18V148000 |
|---|---|
| Volkswagen customer service | 1-800-893-5298 |
| NHTSA recall # | 18V148 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 18V148000 |
Source documents
-
Download Owner Notice (PDF) - Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Misc. Document (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 25, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →