Recall 01V-157: 1998–2001 Audi A6, 2000–2001 Volkswagen Passat

VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC recall for fuel system, gasoline, reported to NHTSA on May 3, 2001, covering about 70,000 vehicles.

NHTSA number
01V-157
Report date
May 3, 2001
Vehicles affected
70,000
Owners notified
May 1, 2001

The problem

Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Sulfur in fuel interacts with certain additives found in widely available gasoline causing sulfur to become deposited on the contact points of three fuel sending units mounted inside the fuel tank. This could cause the fuel gauge to read full while the fuel tank may not in fact be full or could be empty.

The risk

Running out of fuel without warning while the fuel gauge indicates that there is sufficient fuel in the tank lead to safety problems.

The fix

Dealers will remove the existing fuel level sending units and replace them with fuel level sending units using a new alloy composed of gold, silver, and a small amount of nickel, which will not chemically react with sulfur. Vw/audi will also call back vehicles that were repaired under a previous recall last june in order to install the updated fuel sending units NHTSA 00v137/audi lb). Owner notification began may 1, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact audi at 1-866-892-2834.

Notes

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall details

ManufacturerVOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC
ComponentFuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Recall started bythe manufacturer
NHTSA campaign number01V157000

Vehicles in this recall

VehicleModel years
Audi A61998, 1999, 2000, 2001All years
Volkswagen Passat2000, 2001All years

Not every vehicle of these model years is included. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls ↗ or ask a dealer.

Frequently asked questions

What is recall 01V-157?

Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Sulfur in fuel interacts with certain additives found in widely available gasoline causing sulfur to become deposited on the contact points of three fuel sending units mounted inside the fuel tank. This could cause the fuel gauge to read full while the fuel tank may not in fact be full or could be empty.

How is recall 01V-157 fixed?

Dealers will remove the existing fuel level sending units and replace them with fuel level sending units using a new alloy composed of gold, silver, and a small amount of nickel, which will not chemically react with sulfur. Vw/audi will also call back vehicles that were repaired under a previous recall last june in order to install the updated fuel sending units NHTSA 00v137/audi lb). Owner notification began may 1, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact audi at 1-866-892-2834.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Check whether your vehicle is included with its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.