VW Touareg shamed by CCTV China consumer rights show for defective engine issue

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- The German automaker Volkswagen (VW) was named and shamed at the China consumer rights show (also known as “315 Gala) run by China Central Television (CCTV) for its defective engine drain valves in its Touareg sport utility vehicle on March 15.

According to the video exposed at the show, a consumer Ms Huang, from Fujian Province, spent RMB 620 thousand on a VW Touareg. However, after six months, she found out that the vehicle stalled with unknown reasons. The staff of 4S shop explained that the engine flameout was caused by being watered. The other consumer Mr Luo, from Guangdong Province, suffered a similar problem as well. When he passed a traffic light intersection, the Touareg 2017 he drove suddenly lost power with the steering wheel stuck and the brake retarded.

VW (China) Sales Company (VW China) issued a statement soon afterwards that the company apologized again for any inconvenience and concern this issue may have brought toits customers. Besides, it added that VW China had already registered a recall plan to China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) which will be officially implemented from April 30 this year.

On March 7, 2018, the official website of the AQSIQ showed that from April 30, 2018, VW China plans to recall a part of imported Touareg SUVs 2015-2018 produced during the period from December 21, 2014 to November 12, 2017, involving 33,142 units.

Although the automaker had filed the recall plan in advance to China's authorities, it still cannot avoid the fate of being named and shamed at the show. This is not the first time that VW was exposed for the product quality issued. As early as 2013, VW had already been targeted by CCTV's “315 Gala” for its DSG transmission security issues. Then, the automaker submitted a recall plan to the AQSIQ to recall a total of 384,181 defective vehicles from April 2, 2013.

Although the automaker had filed the recall plan in advance to China's authorities, it still cannot avoid the fate of being named and shamed at the show. This is not the first time that VW was exposed for the product quality issued. As early as 2013, VW had already been targeted by CCTV’s “315 Gala” for its DSG transmission security issues. Then, the automaker submitted a recall plan to the AQSIQ to recall a total of 384,181 defective vehicles from April 2, 2013.