Depending who you ask, size can matter. If you ask the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, they will tell you that when it comes to the length of your exhaust tailpipes – size does matter – but bigger is definitely not better.
In fact, NHTSA and Volkswagen have announced the recall of some 30,000 examples of the German automaker’s latest (2011 and 2012 model year) Jetta for having tailpipes that stick out too far beyond the rear bumper, posing a burn risk to anyone walking by.
The problem apparently stems from the fact that some stainless steel tailpipe tips were installed either after entering their port of entry or by dealership staff. Some of those tips have been found to protrude further than the factory-installed tips – causing some customers to complain of burns.
VW will adjust the tips to safer lengths free of charge as a result.
