It has been ten years since the first reports emerged, and thieves are still targeting Volkswagen badges that incorporate the radar unit used by their advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). These badges are being stolen from some Volkswagen vehicles, leaving victims to pay hundreds of dollars in repairs.
In 2016, owners took to social media to report how thieves were prying the grille badges from the latest VW models, such as the Mk7 Golf, to gain access to the radar unit that controls features including the vehicle’s adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking system.
More recently, in May 2024, The Guardian newspaper reported that the badges and radar units were still being stolen, with over 50 residents in one London borough falling victim to the crime.
View Price on AmazonAmong the latest victims is Claire Coleman. The grille badge on her VW Passat 2.0 TDI, registered in 2020, was stolen while the vehicle was parked on a street close to her home in Brixton, south London. “It was there one day and gone the next,” she said.
Without the radar unit, her car’s adaptive cruise control, speed limiter, and lane assist did not function. In addition, a warning light indicating a fault with the ACC and the error message ‘Front Assist not available’ was displayed, although these would not cause the vehicle to fail its inspection.
A VW dealer quoted almost $2,000 to replace the badge and radar unit but told Coleman that, owing to a customer support package made available by Volkswagen in response to badge thefts, it might be possible to reduce the bill to around $400.
The precise value of the contribution is decided on a case-by-case basis, and Coleman was eventually quoted $539.
A former VW technician told Autocar that in similar cases, the size of VW’s contribution may be linked to a car’s service history, with full main dealer history attracting greater support. Coleman’s car has a partial main dealer history.
“The cost is one thing, but it’s the fact that VW has not publicized the fact that these radar units are single-use devices that cannot simply be fitted to another VW that frustrates me,” said Coleman. “If they did, it might put off the thieves.”
Source: autocar.co.uk
