Volkswagen says it 'accepts and respects' watchdog's findings

A new Sagitar owner in Beijing was quoted as saying that the FAW-Volkswagen website showed his car had completed a recall and had the metal plates added, but claimed that although he had taken his car in to have a rear door repainted and a technician had found a 1-millimeter crack in the trailing arm, he refused the metal plate solution and drove the car away after the paint job had been completed.

Many new Sagitar buyers have been angered by the way FAW-Volkswagen has handled the issue and requested that FAW-Volkswagen either replace the entire rear suspension or refund buyers.

Chinese media have reported that the cost of replacing an entire rear suspension may cost more than 4,000 yuan ($627.8), which is obviously much more expensive than adding two metal plates.

Before the automaker announced the recall this year, owners had protested across the country numerous times. One owner said that several of owners had held banners and shouted slogans at FAW-Volkswagen's pavilion at the Guangzhou auto show in December 2014, and 11 were detained for 15 days for "threatening public safety".

Bloomberg reported earlier this year that at least 340 new Sagitar owners have employed a Beijing law firm to sue the automaker. They claim that some vehicles have had rear suspension problems without being involved in an accident and that the company's handling of their complaints has been unsatisfactory.