Skoda Volkswagen Recall: What You Should Know About The Real Issue

German carmaker Volkswagen and its subsidiary, Skoda, recently issued a recall for their cars. The affected units include 25,722 from Skoda and 21,513 from Volkswagen. Affected models include offerings like the Kylaq, along with sedan and compact SUV models in the Indian portfolio of both brands. That said, the newly launched 2025 Kodiaq and Tiguan R-Line are not part of the recall. 

While the official statements from both Skoda and Volkswagen are awaited, here's everything you need to know about the recall.

What Led To The Recall? 

Skoda had flagged a potential safety concern in three of its models, the Kylaq, Kushaq, and Slavia, following a routine quality check. The issue revolves around the rear seat belt latch/buckle, which, in the event of a severe frontal collision, may fail or break. This could prevent the middle and right rear seatbelts from functioning correctly, putting passengers in a vulnerable position.

Volkswagen provided a similar reason for the recall of Taigun and Virtus. The brand stated that the recall was issued due to a specific malfunction of the rear seatbelts. In the worst-case scenario, during a frontal crash, the latch plate of the rear seatbelt could snap, compromising passenger safety.

What’s Ahead For Affected Owners

Both Skoda and Volkswagen are yet to release an official statement on the matter. However, similar to other recalls, we expect both brands to reach out to affected owners to schedule an inspection and replace the faulty part at no additional cost. 

The details of the recall have appeared on the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) portal. We also expect both brands to issue a formal update soon, outlining the necessary steps for replacing the faulty parts.

The recall does not mention any other operational issues in the affected cars meaning they are still fit for driving. An ideal recommendation would be to avoid using the rear seats of affected cars until an all clear has been received but we understand that this may not be an acceptable solution for all. That being said, the recall highlights a potential problem, so should you choose to use the rear seat, wearing the seatbelt is still advisable.

The Skoda Kylaq recently scored 5 stars in the Bharat NCAP safety ratings and is one of the highest-rated sub-4m SUVs in its segment. Meanwhile, the Taigun, Kushaq, Slavia, and Virtus have also secured a 5-star rating in the Global NCAP crash tests. Common safety features across all models include six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, and a rear parking camera with sensors.

While the affected Skoda and Volkswagen models have performed well in crash tests during their respective testing periods, the recalled cars still need to be fixed. For this, both brands first need to issue an official statement and guide owners on the next steps to get their vehicles repaired.