Volkswagen and Audi recall 26V-590: Loss of Steering Control from Bolt Failure
A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Campaign facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 26V590000 (26V-590)
- Manufacturer number
- 48LG, 48VT
- Filed by
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- Report received
- September 11, 2026
- Component
- Steering
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 208,724
- Model years
- 2018–2021
- Built between
- November 30, 2016 and July 16, 2021
- Recall initiated by
- The manufacturer
What is wrong
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas, and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. One of the bolts that attaches the steering rack to the subframe may corrode and break. If this happens, the steering rack housing can break.
The risk
A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Why steering defects matter: A steering defect can make the vehicle harder to steer or, in the worst case, cause a loss of steering control.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 10, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 48LG and 48VT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 16, 2026.
About the steering
Steering campaigns cover anything between the wheel in your hands and the tires: the column, intermediate shaft, steering gear, tie rods, and the power-assist motor or pump.
Vehicles covered by campaign 26V-590
- Audi Q3 202120202019
- Volkswagen Atlas 20192018
- Volkswagen Tiguan 2018
What to do
- Enter your VIN in NHTSA’s lookup (below) to confirm that your vehicle is included and that the repair has not already been done.
- Call a dealer for the brand and book the repair. Quote NHTSA campaign 26V-590 and the manufacturer’s number 48LG, 48VT.
- Pay attention to new noises, play or heaviness in the steering, and mention any you have noticed when you book.
- Safety recall repairs are carried out free of charge by the manufacturer’s dealers. If you already paid for this repair yourself, ask the manufacturer about reimbursement and keep your receipt.
Check by VIN
A campaign rarely covers every vehicle of a model year. Enter your 17-character VIN to find the recall campaigns filed for your make, model and model year. The VIN is on the driver’s side of the dashboard (visible through the windshield), on the door-jamb label, and on your registration and insurance documents.
Is a recall still open on your vehicle? Only NHTSA’s official VIN check can say whether a campaign applies to your exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been done.
Your VIN is decoded with NHTSA’s public vPIC service to identify the make, model and year. It is not stored and is not added to any page address.
The official record
This page reproduces the campaign as filed with NHTSA. The NHTSA record is authoritative — if anything here differs, follow the agency.
Open campaign 26V-590 on NHTSA.gov