Volkswagen entered into a partnership with Chrysler in 2008 to help the German maker fill its void in the minivan segment in the U.S. Now that partnership is giving VW a headache as it’s recalling nearly 21,000 of the minivans for the second time, reported The Detroit Bureau.
VW is recalling them again to fix faulty ignition switches that can cause the vans to stall.
The recall covers roughly 18,500 Routan minivans from the 2009 model year and another 2,200 from 2010. The switches can unexpectedly slip out of the run position, shutting off the engines, knocking out power steering and brakes and disabling the air bags.
The vans were recalled last year due to the same problem but federal officials determined the repair was effective. Dealers will now replace the entire ignition switch. Volkswagen says parts will be available for 2009 models this month and for 2010 models in August.
Until the vehicles are inspected, owners should remove all items except the ignition key from their key rings. The key fob also should be removed, the filing said. The recall is an extension of two recalls: a 2011 recall of 2010 Routans and a 2014 recall of 2009 Routans.
No injuries or deaths have been reported as a result of the problem.
Chrysler recalled more than 700,000 minivan models from 2008 to 2010 for the identical issue.
For the first repair, FCA attempted to bolster the position of the ignition key position with a trim ring, which was deemed ineffective. Fiat Chrysler also elected to completely replace the ignitions in the minivans. It was similar to the problem that General Motors had with its small cars last year that resulted in the recall of nearly 2.6 million cars last year.
