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U.S. Safety Regulators Investigate VW Sedans for Electrical Issue

DETROIT, April 6 (Reuters) - U.S. safety regulators said they have opened an investigation into an estimated 30,000 Volkswagen AG sedans for a potential electrical defect that could affect the performance of the driver-side air bag and other parts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a preliminary investigation into the affected VW Passat and CC sedans from model year 2012 after receiving nine consumer complaints alleging failure of the steering column control module, affecting the air bag and other steering wheel mounted components, NHTSA said in documents posted online.

If a vehicle with a failed control module is involved in an accident, the driver-side air bag may not deploy properly, the documents said.

A VW spokesman said on Monday in an email the German automaker was cooperating with NHTSA in its investigation.

A preliminary investigation is the first step in a process that can lead to a recall if regulators determine that a manufacturer needs to address a safety issue. (Reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit; Editing by Bernadette Baum)