Volkswagen Polo recalls
Recalls to 31 Oct 2026, from DVSA's file. Each recall shows its own launch date.
DVSA lists 24 safety recalls naming the Volkswagen Polo, launched from 1993 to 2025. Most recalls cover only cars built in certain dates or chassis number ranges, so check a specific car on GOV.UK's recall check.
Volkswagen Polo recalls at a glance
- Recalls
- 24
- 1993 to 2025
- Latest recall
- 28 August 2025
- R/2025/385
Source: DVSA RecallsFile.csv, recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026, downloaded 31 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0.
Every Volkswagen Polo recall
Newest first. The concern is the part or system affected, the defect is what can go wrong, and the remedy is what the manufacturer does to put it right.
Check rear axle bolted connection
R/2025/385, launched 28 August 2025, 2 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: STOP -DRIVE - Do not drive your vehicle until the repair has been completed; it must be recovered to a workshop. The rear axle bolted connecting may not have been completed to specification. Risk of axle becoming detached and resultant loss of control and possible collision or injury.
Remedy: Check and if necessary re-work rear axle bolted connection
Takata front drivers or passenger airbag replacement
R/2025/357, launched 22 August 2025. Also covers the Beetle, Crafter, Eos, Fox, Golf, Passat, Sharan, Transporter, Us Passat, XL1, up!
Defect: Urgent Safety Warning – Do Not Drive Your Vehicle Our information shows your vehicle was originally allocated to or used for an extended period of time in a region with a climate zone considered to as HIGH RISK. Issue: The front airbag in your VW vehicle contains an ageing inflator propellant that may explode when deployed due to long-term exposure to heat and humidity. Risk: If the airbag inflator explodes metal fragments may be ejected causing life-threatening or fatal injuries to anyone in the vehicle.
Remedy: The front airbag must be replaced. Immediate Action Required: Stop driving your vehicle immediately. Contact the Takata Stop Drive helpline at 0113 526 9646 (MONDAY to FRIDAY 9:00AM to 5:00PM to arrange your recall service.
Replace front passenger airbag
R/2025/208, launched 9 June 2025. Also covers the ID.7, Id.buzz, Passat, Taigo
Defect: The front passenger airbag may be faulty. In the event of an accident-related deployment the front passenger airbag may have a reduced protective effect also the gas generator housing may burst and components of the gas generator housing may come loose and cause serious or deadly injuries to vehicle occupants.
Remedy: The passenger airbag must be replaced.
Takata Front airbag
R/2023/178, launched 13 June 2023. Also covers the Beetle, Crafter, Eos, Fox, Golf, Passat, Sharan, Tiguan, Transporter, Us Passat (A3), XL1 (6Z), up!
Defect: The function of the driver airbag inflators can degrade due to air and moisture ingress.
Remedy: Replace airbag
THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG MAY NOT CORRECTLY DEPLOY IF ACTIVATED
R/2022/274, launched 4 October 2022, 21 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: The driver's airbag may not correctly deploy if activated.
Remedy: Replace the driver's air bag assembly.
THE ROOF SPOILER MAY NOT HAVE BEEN BONDED TO THE REAR LID WITH THE SPECIFIED PROCESS MATERIALS
R/2022/115, launched 20 April 2022, 356 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: On all affected Polo vehicles there is a possibility that the roof spoiler may not have been bonded to the rear lid with the specified process materials.
Remedy: On all affected vehicles the roof spoiler has to be replaced.
THE SUN ROOF FRAME MAY NOT HAVE BEEN BONDED TO THE BODY ROOF
R/2022/011, launched 27 December 2021, 35 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: The sunroof frame may not have been correctly bonded to the body roof.
Remedy: Check and if necessary correctly bond the sunroof frame to the body roof.
A FAULTILY INSTALLED NET FOR THE DESIGN BREAKAGE POINT FOR THE DISCHARGE OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG HAS BEEN FITTED
R/2021/400, launched 19 October 2021, 6,889 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: A dash panel with a faulty installed net for the design breakage point for the discharge of the passenger airbag has been fitted.
Remedy: On the affected vehicles the dash panel has to be replaced.
OIL MAY GET INTO THE BRAKE SERVO THROUGH THE VACUUM LINES OF THE TANDEM PUMP.
R/2020/068, launched 16 March 2020, 4,103 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: Oil may get into the brake servo through the vacuum lines of the tandem pump leading to a loss of braking assistance.
Remedy: Replace the vacuum line from the tandem pump. Check other components for oil and replace if necessary.
THE HOUSING BOLTS ON THE CAMSHELF ADJUSTER MAY COME LOOSE
R/2019/261, launched 9 August 2019, 472 vehicles affected across the models it covers. Also covers the Golf
Defect: The housing bolts on the camshaft adjuster may come loose and break the pulley
Remedy: On the affected vehicles the camshaft adjuster has to be replaced
THE ADJUSTED HANDBRAKE LEVER TRAVEL FOR PARKING THE VEHICLE CAN INCREASE
R/2019/037, launched 4 February 2019, 44,256 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: Hand brake lever travel increase due to adjuster nut movement.
Remedy: Re-adjust assembly and fit locking device to nut.
THE LEFT REAR SEAT BELT DOUBLE BUCKLE MAY UNFASTEN INVOLUNTARILY
R/2018/142, launched 26 November 2018, 45,714 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: Left rear seat belt may unfasten involuntarily.
Remedy: On Affected vehicles a spacer will be fitted in the double buckle of the rear seat.
TOWING EYE IN THE VEHICLE TOOL KIT MAY DETACH DURING USE
R/2017/347, launched 21 December 2017, 110,001 vehicles affected across the models it covers. Also covers the up!
Defect: The welding of the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit may not be to specification. As a result the weld on the eye may fail during use causing loss of propulsion and the towrope with the attached eye can potentially cause property damage and personal injury.
Remedy: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and replace the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit.
CHILD LOCK MAY DISENGAGE
R/2016/145, launched 23 June 2016, 13,620 vehicles affected across the models it covers. Also covers the Golf, Passat, Tiguan, up!
Defect: The door child locks may disengage without driver knowledge. Though the door remains close it is possible for the door to then be opened from the inside.
Remedy: On affected vehicles inspect lock mechanism and replace where necessary.
BACKREST MAY NOT PERFORM CORRECTLY IN A COLLISION
R/2015/130, launched 4 August 2015, 207 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: The fitting for the backrest frame to the front seats (mounting of backrest to seat frame) may not have been correctly welded. This can cause noises on the front seats and in an accident the backrest/s can break. There is an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and check the production date of the backrest frames of the front seats. Where the date is within the affected range the backrest/s will be replaced.
UNINTENTIONAL AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT
R/2014/176, launched 15 February 2015, 526 vehicles affected across the models it covers. Also covers the up!
Defect: In rare cases an air bag acceleration sensor may give an incorrect signal which can lead to an unintentional airbag deployment
Remedy: Recall vehicle check if vehicle is affected and replace the control unit as required.
FUEL MAY LEAK
R/2014/144, launched 5 December 2014, 18,314 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: On affected vehicles the fuel filter may crack around inlet connection. This will allow fuel to leak which may cause a smell within the vehicle interior and possibly contaminate the road environment. This may affect the handling of the vehicle and of other traffic..
Remedy: Check type of filter fitted. If not of improved type then replace with improved filter.
SEAT MAY CATCH FIRE
R/2007/050, launched 30 April 2007, 433 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: It has been identified that due to an incorrectly sewn-in tension wire strap for the back-rest cover of the front seats there may be contact between the tension wire of the seat and the filaments of the seat heater. The resulting short circuit can lead to fire damage on the front seat covers.
Remedy: Recalled vehicles will have the tension wires of the front seats insulated.
BOLTS OF THE TANDEM FUEL PUMP COVER MAY BREAK
R/2004/211, launched 3 March 2005, 49,701 vehicles affected across the models it covers. Also covers the Bora, Golf, Lupo, New Beetle, Passat, Sharan, Touran
Defect: It is advised that on some vehicles fitted with a 3 and 4 cylinder pump injector engine the bolts of the tandem fuel pump cover may break due to a bolt production fault. As a result the pump housing will not be tight and a diesel fuel leak may occur.
Remedy: Recalled vehicles will have the pump checked for being of a certain manufacture. If found to be within the affected range the pump housing cover bolts will be replaced.
TENSION CRACKS MAY OCCUR ON THE VACUUM PIPE TO THE SERVO
R/2004/201, launched 11 February 2005, 6,774 vehicles affected across the models it covers. Also covers the Caddy
Defect: Tension cracks may occur on the vacuum pipe to the brake servo in the area of the connections due to a manufacturing fault. Should a vacuum pipe leak the brake servo will loose it's function. This will result in an increase of force which must be applied to the brake pedal. But will not result in a total failure of the braking system.
Remedy: Recalled vehicles will have the vacuum pipes checked and if necessary replaced.
CLUTCH OPERATION MAY BE AFFECTED
R/2004/092, launched 29 June 2004, 3,497 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: A fracture may occur in the area of the clutch pedal attachment because of poor welding which may affect the operation of the clutch.
Remedy: On all affected vehicles an additional foot pedal support (additional welding seam) will be fitted
BRAKE VACUUM SUPPLY PIPE CONCERN
R/2002/049, launched 6 July 2002, 120,978 vehicles affected across the models it covers. Also covers the Lupo
Defect: On Polo and Lupo vehicles in the affected chassis number range tension cracks may occur on the vacuum pipe to the brake servo in the area of the connections of the pipes because of a manufacturing fault. If a vacuum pipe leaks the brake servo loses its function. Without the servo assistance a lot more force must be used on the pedal. But this will not lead to a total failure of the brake system.
Remedy: The fitted vacuum pipes will be checked and if necessary replaced.
LOSS OF TYRE PRESSURE
R/1996/108, launched 18 December 1996, 2,670 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: The valve hole in the steel road wheel is 0.5mm out of its correct position. This results in a poor valve fit and loss of tyre air pressure.
Remedy: The affected vehicles are being recalled to have the original wheels replaced with quality assured examples.
BRAKE PIPES MAY CHAFE ON OTHER COMPONENTS
R/1992/066, launched 18 January 1993, 42,414 vehicles affected across the models it covers
Defect: On the subject vehicles it is possible that the brake pipe holder may not have been correctly positioned on the steering rack. This could allow the brake pipe to chafe on adjoining components and cause pipe damage.
Remedy: Recall the affected vehicles and if necessary modify the position of the pipe holder and pipes to eliminate the possibility of the pipes chafing on other components.
Source: DVSA RecallsFile.csv, recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026, downloaded 31 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0.
What to do next
If you own a Volkswagen Polo, check its registration on GOV.UK and ask a Volkswagen dealer whether any recall work is outstanding. If you are buying one, ask the seller for proof the work was done, and run a Motoring Insider history check for finance, write-offs and the MOT history.