Volkswagen bulletin Bulletin 42M6
What it saysRear suspension bolts may not have been properly torqued. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Volkswagen filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Aug 3, 2023, received Sep 1, 2023, about the suspension. It names 1 model year (2023). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationRear suspension bolts may not have been properly torqued. Rear suspension bolts that are not correctly tightened may cause the alignment angles of the rear suspension to change over time. If this occurs, this can lead to pre-mature tire wear. Check the rear axle alignment and torque of the rear suspension adjustment bolts. If the any of the bolts are not at the correct torque, the rear axle alignment will be corrected as needed and the adjustment bolts torqued to the proper specification. The tires will be checked for premature and uneven wear. If found, the tires will be replaced as necessary.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulletin 42M6 | Service bulletin | Aug 3, 2023 | 10241207 | PDF, 778 KB |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 1 model year this bulletin names have filed 467 complaints with NHTSA since 2015.
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the suspension
Source: same model, same component group4 other manufacturer communications filed against the Volkswagen ID.4 under the same component group (suspension), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SM 08-2026 | Other | Feb 12, 2026 | This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed and only order the successor parts going forward. |
| V4418012043620_9 | Service bulletin | Dec 3, 2025 | Alignment Submission Form |
| V4616012043146_3 | Service bulletin | Jul 14, 2025 | How to identify and when to replace a leaking strut |
| Dealer 42M6 | Service bulletin | Aug 3, 2023 | Dealer Letter to announce Repair Available - UPDATE 42M6 / Rear Suspension Adjustment Bolts |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Volkswagen, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Volkswagen Bulletin 42M6 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the Bulletin 42M6 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way. Every Volkswagen warranty extension on file lists the ones Volkswagen has filed.
Which vehicles does Bulletin 42M6 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 1 model year: 2023 Volkswagen ID.4. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.