Continental's (Hanover / Germany; www.continental.de) Automotive Systems division has issued safety recalls for faulty fuel pump flanges. The US Department of Transportation opened an investigation regarding millions of cars from 14 manufacturers. The flanges (containing POM copolymers) on the affected vehicles may crack, allowing fuel to leak, which in the presence of an ignition source may cause a risk of fire. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently obtaining information from the affected companies in order to determine whether any additional vehicles are affected and further safety recalls may be required.

Volkswagen Group of America (VW, Wolfsburg / Germany; www.vw.com) notified the authorities for the first time in May, having discovered problems with SUVs from Porsche (Macan model) and Audi (Q5 and Q7 models), recalling nearly half a million vehicles. Continental thus recalled their supply, issuing a list with 14 car manufacturers suspected of having used their leaky flanges.

According to Continental spokesperson Mary Arraf, cracks originate from environmental factors, like acids from cleaning solutions or other sources. However, as each automobile manufacturer uses the flanges in a different way, not all of them might be exposed to the same risk.