Volkswagen Recalls 290,000 Diesel Vehicles

BERLIN December 10, 2004; The AP reported that Volkswagen is recalling some 290,000 diesel vehicles worldwide to carry out checks on their fuel pumps.

The automaker said it was contacting owners of vehicles with three- or four-cylinder diesel engines that were built between March and August of this year. The recall affects the Volkswagen, Audi, Seat and Skoda brands, the company said.

Volkswagen said a defect during the manufacturing process of a bolt on the cover of the fuel pump could, "in isolated cases," lead to the bolt breaking -- possibly resulting in a leakage of diesel fuel.

The company said that some 290,000 vehicles were affected worldwide, about 90,000 of them in Germany.