Volkswagen and Audi bulletin SM 08-2026
What it saysThis special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed and only order the successor parts going forward. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Volkswagen and Audi filed this with NHTSA as a manufacturer communication dated Feb 12, 2026, received Mar 3, 2026, about the suspension. It names 11 model years across Volkswagen and Audi (2021–2026). A manufacturer communication is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
One page for every brand it was filed under. Each brand’s bulletins: Volkswagen · Audi.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationThis special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed and only order the successor parts going forward.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SM 08-2026 | Other | Feb 12, 2026 | 11029308 |
What the document itself lists
Parts the bulletin names
| Part number | Description | Qty | Find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1EA-411-315-B | — | — | |
| 1EA-411-315-C | — | — | |
| 1EA-411-315-D | — | — | |
| 1N3-411-315 | — | — | |
| 1EA-411-315-E | — | — | |
| 1N3-411-315-A | — | — |
Read by machine from the document NHTSA serves (1 page), read Sep 30, 2026. A part number is shown only where it matches Volkswagen and Audi’s own catalogue shape, an operation only with its code and time, and a description only where the reader got it whole; anything it could not settle is left out, and the PDF is the record. Times are the manufacturer’s warranty allowances, not a quote. Listings and prices on eBay Motors are the seller’s.
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The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themVolkswagen 6 model years
Audi 5 model years
A vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 11 model years this bulletin names have filed 1,101 complaints with NHTSA since 2015.
Front suspension ball joint failure occurred while driving approximately 70 mph on an interstate highway, resulting in sudden loss of vehicle control and requiring immediate emergency response. The vehicle is a 2023 Audi e-tron A5.
2023 Audi Q4 e-tron · Suspension · filed with NHTSA Feb 9, 2026 · ODI 11716747
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the suspension
Source: same model, same component group24 other manufacturer communications filed against these Volkswagen and Audi models under the same component group (suspension), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Volkswagen list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSB_2068250_5 | Service bulletin | Jun 25, 2026 | This bulletin provides informaiton when there is a booming noise from the rear of the vehicle while moving; DTC P18F100. |
| TSB_2078055_2 | Service bulletin | Mar 24, 2026 | This bulletin provides information when maneuvering only in comfort drive select mode. |
| TSB_2023187_8 | Service bulletin | Mar 24, 2026 | This bulletin provides informaiotn regarding squeaking noises when steering or maneuvering. |
| TSB_2081267_1 | Service bulletin | Mar 10, 2026 | This bulletin provides information when there are noises from the coupling rods on the front axle. |
| V4418012043620_9 | Service bulletin | Dec 3, 2025 | Alignment Submission Form |
| TSB_2080121_1 | Service bulletin | Nov 21, 2025 | This Pending Service Solution (PSS) requests that technicians enter a record in the PSS database in instances where there is vibration felt… |
| TSB_2038689_10 | Service bulletin | Oct 1, 2025 | This bulletin provides information when there are noises from the rear of vehicle - securing bump stops. |
| TSB_2076604_2 | Service bulletin | Sep 29, 2025 | This bulletin provides information on locating noises coming from the suspension. |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Volkswagen and Audi, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Volkswagen and Audi SM 08-2026 a recall?
No. A manufacturer communication is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the SM 08-2026 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way. Every Volkswagen warranty extension on file lists the ones Volkswagen has filed.
Which vehicles does SM 08-2026 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 11 model years across 2 brands (Volkswagen and Audi): 2026 Audi Q4 e-tron, 2025 Audi Q4 e-tron, 2024 Audi Q4 e-tron, 2023 Audi Q4 e-tron, 2022 Audi Q4 e-tron, 2026 Volkswagen ID.4 and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.