Vehicle recall R/1998/052

Volkswagen Passat recall: 1) air mass meter grid may detach and jam throttle open & fuel pipes & 2) metal brake pipes may chafe on rear subframe

DVSA recall R/1998/052 names the Volkswagen Passat and a line with no model name. It was launched 17 July 1998. It covers vehicles built 1 December 1997 to 30 April 1998.

Recall data updated 22 September 2026

Recall: R/1998/052
Launched: 17 July 1998
Issued by: VW
Vehicles: DVSA lists 74 on each model line

What can go wrong

1) In isolated cases misfiring after a cold start can cause the air grid in the air mass meter to become detached. In the worse case this could jam the throttle valve causing an increase in engine speed. Fuel pipes may chafe together and/or on fuel filter. 2) Metal brake pipe may be incorrectly positioned and chafe on rear subframe.

The fix

Recall affected vehicles and:- 1) Check air mass meter and air grid and install retaining ring in air mass meter. Examine fuel pipes for chafing damage and renew or reposition and secure as appropriate. 2) Examine brake pipe for chafing damage and renew or reposition and secure brake pipe as appropriate.

Models and build dates

As listed in the DVSA recall file. DVSA lists the same vehicle number on each line: 74. It may be a figure per line or for the whole recall.
Model	Built	Vehicles
Volkswagen Passat	1 December 1997 to 30 April 1998	74
Volkswagen (model not named in the DVSA file)	1 December 1997 to 30 April 1998	74

Is a specific car affected? A recall lists models and build dates, not individual vehicles, so these pages cannot tell you whether one car is included. Enter the registration on the DVSA vehicle recall checker on GOV.UK, or give the vehicle identification number (VIN) to the manufacturer or one of its dealers. Buying used? Ask the seller for proof that any recall work was done.

Other recalls for these models

R/1998/056 The drivers air bag could have been unintentionally deactivated 15 July 1998, Volkswagen Passat
R/1999/001 Tow bar ball end may loosen 15 January 1999, Volkswagen Passat
R/1996/008 Insecurity of fan blade 12 February 1996, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Passat
R/1995/008 Failure of headlamps 6 September 1995, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Passat
R/2004/108 Rh shock absorber mounting may not be correctly torqued 29 July 2004, Volkswagen Passat
R/2004/211 Bolts of the tandem fuel pump cover may break 3 March 2005, Volkswagen Bora, Volkswagen Beetle, Volkswagen Golf and others

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Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA vehicle recall records (RecallsFile.csv), recalls launched 1992 to 2026. Recall data updated 22 September 2026.

Recall wording is DVSA's, with capitals and punctuation tidied and American spellings such as tire, center and windshield given in British English. We list a recall when its make and model match a car or van family with at least 1,000 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2025, and when the maker of the vehicle issued it.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. Methodology · Data sources