2006–2013 Audi A3 and 6 other Audi models: air bags recall
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
What was reported
Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573Reported to NHTSA Jan 30, 2018 by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc, owners notified Feb 23, 2018.
Which vehicles are covered
Source: NHTSA campaign 18V082000Vehicles built Jun 8, 2009 to Mar 1, 2012 — a VIN outside that window is not part of this campaign even if the year, make and model match.
| Model year | On WhichTrim |
|---|---|
| 2006 Audi A3 | every Audi on this site |
| 2007 Audi A3 | every Audi on this site |
| 2008 Audi A3 | every Audi on this site |
| 2009 Audi A3 | every Audi on this site |
| 2010 Audi A3 | every Audi on this site |
| 2011 Audi A3 | every Audi on this site |
| 2012 Audi A3 | every Audi on this site |
| 2013 Audi A3 | every Audi on this site |
| 2007 Audi A4 Cabriolet | every Audi on this site |
| 2008 Audi A4 Cabriolet | every Audi on this site |
| 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet | every Audi on this site |
| 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet | every Audi on this site |
| 2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet | every Audi on this site |
| 2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet | every Audi on this site |
| 2009 Audi Q5 | every Audi on this site |
| 2010 Audi Q5 | every Audi on this site |
| 2011 Audi Q5 | every Audi on this site |
| 2012 Audi Q5 | every Audi on this site |
| 2008 Audi RS 4 | every Audi on this site |
| 2009 Audi S4 Cabriolet | every Audi on this site |
| 2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet | every Audi on this site |
| 2011 Audi S5 Cabriolet | every Audi on this site |
| 2012 Audi S5 Cabriolet | every Audi on this site |
None of the vehicles this campaign names has a page on WhichTrim: every model year it names is older than the catalogue, which begins at 2016. The campaign record above is complete as filed, and whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by its VIN. Other campaigns on vehicles without a page here →
How much of it has been fixed
Source: manufacturer quarterly report, 49 CFR 573.7of the campaign
The final figure: the six quarters of reporting that 49 cfr 573.7 requires have closed.
This is the manufacturer's own cumulative count of vehicles it has inspected and repaired, divided by the vehicles the campaign covers. It files that count with NHTSA every quarter for six consecutive quarters, starting from the quarter in which owners were told a remedy was ready, and then the obligation ends — so a figure on an older campaign is where the count stopped, not where it stands today.
It rarely reaches 100%, and not because the work was not done. The same report asks manufacturers to count vehicles they could not reach at all — exported, stolen, scrapped, or simply never located — and those stay in the denominator. A low number means a lot of these vehicles are still out there unrepaired; it does not tell you which ones.
The federal paperwork
Source: nhtsa.govFiled documents
- Owner letter PDF — The letter mailed to registered owners, in full.
- Remedy instructions PDF — What the dealer is told to actually do about it.
Check one specific vehicle
A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. NHTSA checks a VIN against the manufacturer's own list and tells you whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.
NHTSA VIN recall lookup →Campaign 18V082000 · the manufacturer calls it 69R6
Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573Is 69R6 the same recall as 18V082000?
Yes. 69R6 is the number Volkswagen Group of America, Inc uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 18V082000 is the number NHTSA files it under. One recall, two references — dealers and service departments generally quote the manufacturer's.
Does this recall repair cost anything?
No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.
How do I know whether my vehicle is included?
By VIN, not by model year. This campaign covers vehicles built Jun 8, 2009 to Mar 1, 2012. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.
What if the repair is not available yet?
It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.
What did the manufacturer say was wrong?
The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.
Who started this recall?
NHTSA's record credits NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.