Germany’s auto industry has had a great year with a bright future ahead, but not every automaker is experiencing success. Following a massive emissions scandal, German automaker Volkswagen attempts to rebuild trust in the brand but is faced with a new crisis.

Reportedly, the presence of Cadmium, a poisonous heavy metal, was cited in the charger component of electric and hybrid cars. According to German magazine Wirtschaftswoche, Volkswagen may have to recall up to 124,000 vehicles of this kind. Audi and Porsche vehicles, the luxury brands of Volkswagen group, are included in the range of cars in question.

Cadmium is carcinogenic and therefore banned in most auto industries. With 0.0008 grams of the toxic metal each in charging device in question, Volkswagen indicates users would be protected from exposure during the vehicle’s life due to strong insulation. Allegedly, VW’s supplier never mentioned cadmium content and Volkswagen was unaware of it’s presence in the chargers.

Volkswagen is complying with the German Federal Motor Transport Authority and stated that if necessary, they will recall the vehicles. If Volkswagen recalls the vehicles, they will be faced with the major concern of safely disposing of cadmium waste.

In the meantime, series production and delivery of said vehicles was halted immediately. A new supplier replaced the charging component and production has since proceeded, cadmium free.

Volkswagen seems to have hit a rough patch and the presence of cadmium is the latest to join the long list of problems threatening profits. Now is a seemingly fit time for the VW Group to reconsider plans moving forward.