2022 Volkswagen GTI, Golf R Recalled for Loose Engine Cover

Sales of the eighth-generation Volkswagen GTI and Golf R just began late last year, but the hot hatchbacks are already experiencing their first recall. In a notice first filed March 16, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a recall for more than 4000 examples of the 2022 GTI and Golf R for an engine cover than could potentially come loose and melt if it touches certain parts of the powertrain, heightening the risk for a fire in the engine bay.

An updated report from March 21 shows 4269 affected vehicles: 3404 GTIs and 865 Golf Rs. The engine cover can potentially become unfixed during “specific driving maneuvers with extreme high accelerating forces,” likely a common behavior when driving the sporty Volkswagen hatchbacks. If the loose cover comes in contact with hot surfaces under the hood like the turbocharger, the cover can melt and possibly cause a fire, the NHTSA warns. The organization says that if the cover breaks free from its fixation points, owners may smell a burning odor from the engine bay.

Volkswagen said it plans to remove the engine cover from the affected vehicles while it works on a redesigned part. Once the improved cover is ready, owners will be able to bring their cars back to the dealership and have it installed for free. In the meantime, the missing engine cover shouldn’t have a huge affect on the ownership experience, although the car may sound noisier without the sound deadening most engine covers include. Starting in February 2022, Volkswagen has begun building GTIs and Golf Rs without engine covers, according to the report. Owners of affected vehicles will start receiving recall notices from Volkswagen on May 13.

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