Volkswagen recalls new Passat in Europe over electrical fault

Embattled German auto maker Volkswagen last month launched a recall of a number of its new Passat cars in Europe owing to a potential electrical fault, a spokesman told AFP on Tuesday.

The recall affected the B8 Passat mode, the spokesman said, without specifying the number of vehicles involved.

"We have no knowledge of any accidents" related to the fault, he added, insisting that the recall was only small-scale.

The B8 went on sale in Europe at the end of 2014.

In Sweden, VW has written to "around 13,700 Passat owners ... asking them to contact a dealer to arrange a check-up," the carmaker's spokesman in the region told AFP.

The fault could affect the engine, braking assistance and steering, but the vehicle "can still brake and turn," he explained.

VW is currently engulfed in a scandal of global proportions after it was forced to admit it had installed emissions-cheating software in around 11 million diesel engines.