Vinfast VF 8 recalled due to airbag that may strike driver’s arm

• Vinfast recalled 4,888 VF 8 electric SUVs
• The center airbag mounted to the driver’s seat could deploy improperly
• Vinfast will replace the airbag free of charge

Vinfast is recalling certain VF 8 electric SUVs because of faulty airbags that could injure drivers.

The recall includes 4,888 vehicles from model years 2023 to 2025. The center airbag mounted in the driver’s seat in these vehicles “may deploy improperly” during a side impact, striking the driver’s arm and potentially causing injuries, according to the NHTSA.

Vinfast estimates that 100% of the recalled vehicles have this defect, which the automaker said it became aware of after a test conducted by the NHTSA in June that led to a safety inquiry.

The defect is due to the cushion shape and inflation angle of the original airbag design, which allows the airbag to deploy between the driver’s arm and torso in some circumstances, the NHTSA said. Vinfast worked with the agency to redesign the center airbag with a different shape and deployment angle to prevent this from occurring.

Dealers and service centers will replace the center airbag with one of the new design free of charge. Vinfast initially pursued a direct-sales model like Tesla, with company-owned showrooms and service centers, but began pivoting to a franchised dealer model in late 2023.

Vinfast expects to mail owner notification letters Jan. 20, 2025. Owners can also call the automaker’s customer service department at 1-833-503-0600 for more information.

2023 Vinfast VF 8

The VF 8 is Vinfast’s first U.S.-market vehicle, but its launch hasn’t gone smoothly. An initial prototype drive indicated Vinfast had a long way to go, development-wise, before the electric SUV’s 2023 launch. And a follow-up test drive of the production version led us to warn that, even at that stage, it simply didn’t feel ready yet. But Vinfast’s first announced update was a Sony entertainment system that didn’t seem to address the VF 8’s core issues.

Things haven’t gone well for Vinfast since the launch of the VF 8. Earlier this year the company said it was falling behind with sales targets and delayed a planned North Carolina factory. Nonetheless, Vinfast is moving ahead with the launch of its three-row VF 9 SUV.