Manufacturer recall number

Volkswagen recall 87F9

Q: Is 87F9 the same recall as 18V537000?

Yes. 87F9 is Volkswagen’s own number for it; 18V537000 is NHTSA’s. One recall, two references.

Volkswagen calls it 87F9. NHTSA filed it as campaign 18V537000 on Aug 20, 2018: air bags on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, 9,685 vehicles potentially affected. One recall, two numbers — the dealer quotes the manufacturer’s, the federal record carries NHTSA’s.

The full filing, 18V537000 →Check a VIN at NHTSA Volkswagen’s own VIN lookup →

What NHTSA has under this number

Source: 49 CFR Part 573 filings

NHTSA campaign	Vehicles	Component	Filed	Affected	Severity
18V537000	2018 Volkswagen Atlas	Air Bags	Aug 20, 2018	9,685	high

Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. During production, the air conditioning system drain tube may have been twisted, causing water to drain into the air bag control module. Risk The wet air bag control module may result in an unintentional deployment of the air bags, increasing the risk of injury or crash. Fix Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air conditioning drain tube, and if it is twisted, the drain tube and air bag control module will be replaced, free of charge. Some of the affected vehicles have had their drain tube previously replaced but did not receive a new air bag control module; the airbag control module will be replaced in these vehicles. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 87F9.

The manufacturer’s own words as filed for 18V537000. Every model year it covers, the build window and the filed PDFs →

Two numbers, one recall

Every safety recall carries two identifiers. 87F9 is the number Volkswagen assigned in its own system: it is what appears on the owner letter, on the dealer’s service screen and on the repair order. 18V537000 is the number NHTSA filed the same recall under when the manufacturer reported it, and it is the one every federal record, this site included, is keyed on.

The repair is free by federal law for vehicles up to fifteen years old. Whether one particular vehicle is included is settled by its VIN against the manufacturer’s build list, not by its model year.

Check one specific vehicle

Both lookups check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list and say whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →Volkswagen’s own VIN lookup →

Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Is 87F9 the same recall as 18V537000?

Yes. 87F9 is Volkswagen’s own number for it; 18V537000 is NHTSA’s. One recall, two references.

Which vehicles does 87F9 cover?

2018 Volkswagen Atlas, 9,685 vehicles by the manufacturer’s count. A recall covers a build range, so the VIN decides whether one particular vehicle is in it.

Does the 87F9 repair cost anything?

No. The manufacturer must remedy a safety defect at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from first sale.