DETROIT (AP) — Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche are recalling more than 80,000 cars and SUVs worldwide to fix fuel leak problems.
The recalls cover the Audi A6 and Volkswagen Touareg hybrid from the 2012 model year, the Audi A7 from 2012 and 2013, and the Audi Q7, S4 and S5 from 2011 through 2012. All the vehicles have 3-liter V-6 engines, according to documents posted Tuesday by U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Also, the documents show a separate but similar recall from Porsche covering the Cayenne and Panamera S hybrids from 2011 to 2012 for a similar problem.
Volkswagen, which owns all three brands, says vibration during driving, and production issues can cause small leaks in rare cases. VW and Audi said they were not aware of any fires or injuries caused by the problem in the U.S.
An Audi spokesman in the U.S. says about 80,000 of the brand's vehicles are being recalled worldwide — about two-thirds in the U.S. and China. A VW spokesman in the U.S. said he did not have global numbers. Volkswagen and Porsche in Germany did not respond to messages.
The U.S. documents show about 27,000 VW, Audi and Porsche vehicles are being recalled in the U.S.
The problem was discovered in March of 2013 when customers complained of fuel odor, according to the NHTSA documents. VW investigated and decided Jan. 12 to do a recall.
VW will notify owners in March and dealers will replace the fuel injector rails and seals for free.