Volkswagen has been ordered to recall all of the new ID.Buzz microvans it’s sold in the U.S. because, says NHTSA, the third row is too roomy. According to the feds, that makes it too easy to squeeze a third passenger into the back row though it doesn’t have three seatbelts. That’s one of two new recalls that have forced VW to temporarily halt sales and deliveries of the new EV. Headlight.News explains.
The back bench in the ID.Buzz is, according to NHTSA, wide enough for a third passenger.
While more and more vehicles come with three rows of seats these days, the back row all too often is little more than a penalty box used when there’s no other option. But, when Volkswagen rolled out the long-awaited ID.Buzz microbus it boasted that there was more than enough room for third-row passengers.
Too much room, it turns out. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has ruled that Buzz’s back row is so roomy it can easily squeeze in three passengers, even though it only has seatbelts and headrests for two. So, it has ordered VW to recall the microbus.
Separately, VW has to fix faulty brake system warning lights in the electric van. As a result, dealers have been issued a stop-sale until both problems can be addressed.
What’s the problem?
A procession of ID.Buzz minivans winds its way down San Francisco’s Lombard St., often billed as the world’s twistiest street.
The first problem is a violation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208. It requires automakers to meet strict crash protection guidelines and, among other things, that requires passive safety equipment be installed for all passengers.
The issue centers around the back bench in the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz which has been deemed to be too wide. While officially designated by the automaker to hold just two passengers, NHTSA says there’s enough room that a third person who might try to squeeze in.
That poses a safety risk, the agency contends, because the extra person would go without either a seatbelt or headrest. As a result, VW has to take steps, either to add passive protection for a third passenger or make it impossible for an additional person to squeeze into that third row.
The fix
VW will add plastic parts to the back bench so a third passenger can’t be squeezed into the Buzz’s back bench.
For its part, VW said there are “no field claims known” of that indicate an additional back row passenger has been injured in a crash. But it’s decided to go along with NHTSA’s demands.
Rather than bolt in another seatbelt, Volkswagen has decided it will eliminate the opportunity for a third person to sit in back.
It plans to add “fixed unpadded trim parts” that take up that added space.
All told, about 5,700 Buzz microvans will be be covered by the recall. Th automaker will start sending out notices to owners late next month. Repairs will be made free of charge to those owners who do choose to have the “repairs” made. But considering the limited real world benefit this recall could have a relatively low owner participation rate.
More VW News
- First Drive: 2025 VW ID.Buzz
- Digital Tech, 90% Seatbelt Usage Combine to Bring Down U.S. Highway Deaths
- VW Pairing Up with Uber to Launch Fleet of Autonomous ID.Buzz Microvans
Stop-sale
VW has to revise the safety warnings on its instrument panel to meet federal standards.
As of now, Volkswagen has issued a stop-sale for the ID.Buzz for not only the third-row seat problem but another issue involving the brake system warning light on the microvan’s instrument panel.
Under federal rules, the word “BRAKE” must light up in red whenever the vehicle’s emergency brake is activated. The warning light on the Buzz IP is amber, a violation of safety guidelines.
This recall was first announced on April 10 and covers about 5,600 of the EVs produced for the U.S. market through Feb. 11 of this year.
As with the seat recall, repairs will be made free of charge to owners.
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