Anyone who’s witnessed or been involved in a car wreck will know the spectacular, explosive crashes you see in movies and TV shows aren’t really realistic. Rarely does a modern car actually catch fire or explode when it gets into an accident, since the gas tank—the one thing in the car that could actually explode—is well insulated and protected by a lot of bodywork.
If a gas tank is punctured or torn open during a crash, well, that’s a different story. Modern tanks are pretty good at holding together in a wreck, but if, say, a seal is ripped off the tank in a crash, leaving a giant hole where gas can leak out, that could make for a dangerous, fire-prone situation.
That’s exactly the problem Volkswagen is dealing with right now. The company is recalling a bunch of Taos SUVs because, in the event of a crash, the fuel pressure sensor could be separated from the tank, leaving an opening for fuel to escape. In a scenario where lots of sparks may occur—say, during a wreck—that could mean a lot more opportunity for a fire to start.
What’s The Exact Issue?
According to Volkswagen, select 2025 and 2026 model year Taos vehicles were built with wiring harnesses to the fuel pressure monitoring sensor that were too short. The sensor is fixed to a hole in the gas tank, which means that if it’s torn from its mounting point, it’ll leave a hole in the tank. From the recall document:
In the event of a severe rear-end collision, tension in the wiring harness may cause the fuel pressure sensor located on top of the fuel tank to become dislodged or separate from the fuel tank. If this happens, fuel will leak from the tank in the event of a subsequent vehicle rollover.
Rollover crashes are pretty dangerous as-is, so adding a stream of fuel to the mix obviously isn’t the best thing. At best, it could drench the car and its occupants in gasoline, and at worst, it could act as an accelerant for a fire, endangering everyone onboard.
Specifically, the recall targets 38,710 Taos vehicles built between July 2024 and April 2026. And unlike some recalls, where the manufacturer suspects only a small percentage are affected, VW says every single car will have this fault.
How Did Volkswagen Find Out About This?
Thankfully, VW didn’t issue this recall because it found out about the too-short wiring harness after a customer car crash. The info came through Transport Canada, which is basically Canada’s version of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency performed a rear-end crash test on a Taos back in March and discovered the hole in the gas tank.
VW shipped over its own analysts to look at the crash results, who discovered how it got there:
Analysis performed by the company to further investigate the issue indicated potential root cause related to sensor movement and wire tension. It was determined that additional inspection and analysis should be done to confirm the hypothesis.
By mid-April, VW determined the issue was serious enough to escalate it into a full-blown recall.
What’s The Fix?
Instead of doing something time-consuming like replacing the harness or splicing in new wires, Volkswagen came up with a simple solution: Add a plug-in extension between the harness and the sensor to give it enough slack. From the recall doc:
At no cost to owners, dealers will install an 80 mm wiring harness extension to the existing affected wiring harness. This extension is intended to reduce tension on the fuel pressure sensor in the event of a severe rear-end collision.
This is the type of recall that can’t be performed through an over-the-air software update, so you’ll have to bring your Taos to the nearest dealership to get it done. The work will be completed free of charge, of course.
Production of the Taos at its assembly plant in Puebla, Mexico, is currently paused until April 30, “due to the lack of components required for the manufacture of vehicles,” per Mexico Now. When it restarts, VW says the car will have a new wiring harness with the correct length for the pressure sensor. It’s unclear if the production pause and this recall are related; I’ve reached out to VW to see if it would give me any more info. I’ll be sure to update this article if I hear back.
My advice to Taos drivers: Don’t get rear-ended. And if you do get rear-ended, try not to roll over. If you were already avoiding these things, great. Keep doing what you’re doing.
Top graphic image: Volkswagen
Severe rear collision causing fuel tank ruptures and fires? Where have I heard that one? Over and over. About Fords.
Oh, right. Pintaos.
That is a fantastic green in person. Also as an old jeep driver, leaking gas is just part of the fun.
VW: *Blushes in Pinto*