Volvo brake failure (video) and Kia brake booster malfunction (week 28/25)

16/07/2025

This week’s recalls:
– Volvo – Brake failure
– Kia – brakes, fire
– Volkswagen – airbags and seatbelts

Overview of the recalls in the 28th week of 2025

Four recalls for 14 models of three makes were published via EU Safety Gate in week 28 of 2025. Seven recalls for eight models of seven brands were released by the German Motor Vehicle Authority (KBA).

Kia, Volkswagen and Volvo each have one recall in the European Safety Gate system this week.

Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Land Rover, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen are all recalling via the German KBA.

Isn’t that your car? See also the recent recalls of other makes.

Volvo: Brake failure when driving downhill

Swedish car manufacturer Volvo has announced a major recall affecting 76,365 plug-in hybrid and electric cars produced between 2019 and 2025 in Europe. A serious software error can cause a loss of braking power when driving in B-mode (regenerative driving) or when using ‘single-pedal’ control. The incident, which was captured on camera (see below) and attracted media attention, occurred in California, where the owner of a new XC90 lost the ability to brake on a mountain road following a recent software update. He subsequently crashed after deliberately steering the vehicle up a slope to avoid falling off a cliff.

Volvo is urging owners of the affected models to install software update version 3.6.4 or higher as soon as possible. In the meantime, the company strongly cautions owners against using B-mode and single-pedal control, especially on longer downhill runs. The recall affects the following models manufactured between 17 May 2019 and 11 June 2025: XC60, S90, V90, S60, XC40, C40 and V60. See the links in the table at the end of the article.

Kia: Brake booster issues

A mechanical defect in the camshaft of 23,887 Kia Sportage vehicles manufactured between 8 September 2022 and 14 June 2023 may damage the vacuum pump in the engine due to the high acceleration torque at engine start-up. Following a subsequent brake booster failure, more force will be required to depress the brake pedal. This could result in an increased braking distance and an increased risk of an accident.

Volkswagen: Airbags and seat belts

Volkswagen is recalling 39,131 Golf 8s and their Variant derivatives produced between February and May 2024. This is because the passenger’s seat belt is fastened incorrectly at the anchor point of the B-pillar. This significantly reduces its restraining effect and increases the risk of injury.

The company is also recalling over 1,800 Tiguan SUVs from 2018 and 2019 for issues with the head airbag, as well as 1,637 Kia Tayron models from January 2025 for issues with the passenger airbag. Airbags in newer cars have also been the reason for recalls of other Group brands in recent weeks. We recently wrote about this in our article Volkswagen, Audi, Škoda… VW Group recalls over airbags again.

Details on this week’s Safety Gate recalls can be found in the table below.

We write about the German KBA recalls in the following articles:

What we’ve written about in recent weeks:

What did we write about a year ago:

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Rapex Recalls announced in the 28 week of 2025

Make, Model (years)	Problem
Kia Cerato (2010 – 2013)	Due to an internal leak of brake fluid, a short circuit may occur.
Kia Optima (2011 – 2013)	Due to an internal leak of brake fluid, a short circuit may occur.
Kia Sorento (2010 – 2013)	Due to an internal leak of brake fluid, a short circuit may occur.
Volkswagen Tayron (2025)	Due to a control panel defect, the passenger airbag may not open.
Volkswagen Tiguan (2018 – 2019)	Parts of the inflator may become detached when the head airbag is deployed.
Volvo EC40 (2021 – 2025)	The vehicle’s braking functionality can be disabled.
Volvo EX40 (2021 – 2025)	The vehicle’s braking functionality can be disabled.
Volvo XC40 (2019 – 2025)	The vehicle’s braking functionality can be disabled.
Volvo S60 (2019 – 2025)	The vehicle’s braking functionality can be disabled.
Volvo V60 (2019 – 2025)	The vehicle’s braking functionality can be disabled.
Volvo XC60 (2019 – 2025)	The vehicle’s braking functionality can be disabled.
Volvo S90 / S90L (2019 – 2025)	The vehicle’s braking functionality can be disabled.
Volvo V90 (2019 – 2025)	The vehicle’s braking functionality can be disabled.
Volvo XC90 (2019 – 2025)	The vehicle’s braking functionality can be disabled.

Where now?

What should an owner do if there's a recall?

Please note that the recall may not apply to all vehicles produced in a given period. If you think your car might be affected, you should immediately contact an dealer or workshop officially authorised to perform repairs on behalf of the manufacturer and ask for the details. You can use our sample request text. After reporting the vehicle's VIN code, you will find out if the defect is present on your car, or if it has already been resolved by the previous owner if the car was purchased second-hand.

More about

Recalls and Reliability

If you wish to know more about the eventual problems of a specific car (e.g. real mileage, potential traffic accident damages, odometer rollback, repairs, etc.), in that case, we suggest going to this page.

Check the vehicle's history