US safety regulators open probe of VW SUVs for lighting problem

DETROIT, Nov 8 Reuters)-U.S. safety regulators have opened an investigation into an estimated 61,000 VW Tiguan SUVs in the United States after receiving complaints about the loss of outdoor lighting.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said that it may disrupt the preliminary assessment in the compact SUVs from model years 2009-2011 to 26 complaints from consumers about the partial or complete loss of exterior lighting, including headlights, brake lights and turn indicators, due to a heat damaged electrical backup open.

"The reports indicate that the problem in the course of time with additional outdoor lighting progression of the problem worsens malfunction" according to the NHTSA document. "Find most complaints report an overheated and melted the inadequate hood fuse fuse box." The overheated 30-ampere fuse protects including several outdoor lighting circuits".

There were no accidents or injuries in connection with the issue according to NHTSA document published online. A Volkswagen AG spokeswoman said that the German automaker is working with investigation of the Agency.

A preliminary assessment is the first step in a process that may result in a callback regulators should determine that a manufacturer needs to fix a security problem.