Click to enlarge.
Audi, part of Volkswagen Group of America, is recalling ~4000 2022-2023 model year RS E-TRON GT and E-TRON GT vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may experience a fault in the wiring and deactivate the front passenger air bag when the seat is occupied.
“A manufacturing error may cause the passenger occupant detection system to… switch off the passenger airbag even though the seat may be occupied. As designed, a warning light in the instrument panel comes on together with an acoustic warning sound and an error message is displayed… The airbag indicator light shows Passenger Airbag OFF,” Audi said in the mandatory recall filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“In the event of a crash, there could be an increased risk of injury to the occupant seated in the front passenger seat if the passenger airbag is switched off/not working. The crimp connection of the seat cushion heating mat at the transition of the connection cable to the heating wire may not have been correctly executed in the affected vehicles.
“Should a malfunction occur, vehicle occupants will be alerted by illumination of the airbag warning light, an error message displayed in the instrument cluster and by the status of the Passenger Airbag OFF indicator light. In this case the customer should take their vehicle as soon as possible to a dealership for inspection/repair,” Audi said.
Chronology
- In May 2024, the topic was first reviewed under Audi’s product safety process due to customer complaints about a yellow warning message regarding the passenger airbag.
- May – November 2024: Investigation was started, including analysis of the crimp process as well as further testing to reproduce the failure pattern. Initial attempts to replicate the malfunction were unsuccessful as all returned parts appeared to be in good condition, possibly due to micro-movements during removal and transportation.
- By mid-August 2024, a parallel analysis of additional field cases was completed, which showed that the limited number of observed faults were intermittent, and at least some of the faults were resolved by handling or using the seat. The root cause analysis suggested that the problem was due to errors in the crimping process.
- Coordination within the brand group took place in September and October 2024. In addition, an ongoing analysis of the fail-safe mechanism was carried out to determine whether airbag deactivation could actually occur (or just the warning message would be displayed). Further assessment of the estimated failure rate, including discussions with the supplier, took place in November 2024.
- November 2024 – March 2025: Continued coordination among the affected Volkswagen Group brands continued through February 2025. The technical differences between certain seat occupancy detection system versions and the related production years were analyzed in comparison to other years under consideration of the number of claims in specific time periods. As a result, a potential clean date was identified to determine the actual potentially affected population, and comparisons were made of the failure mechanisms within the affected Volkswagen Group brands.
- In March 2025, the results of the analysis were completed and prepared for presentation to the Audi Product Safety Committee.
- On 2 April 2025, Audi’s Product Safety Committee decided a safety recall for the affected vehicles.
- As of 9 April 2025, Audi is aware of 101 customer complaints in the US, but is not aware of any injuries or crashes due to this safety defect.
Dealers will replace the seat cushion, free of charge as required by Federal safety regulations. Owner notification letters are not expected to be mailed until 6 June 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi’s number for this recall is 74HC. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 or go to nhtsa.gov about NHTSA recall 25V227 or 25V-227.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Audi Airbag Recall – RS E-TRON GT and E-TRON GT
Click to enlarge.
Audi, part of Volkswagen Group of America, is recalling ~4000 2022-2023 model year RS E-TRON GT and E-TRON GT vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may experience a fault in the wiring and deactivate the front passenger air bag when the seat is occupied.
“A manufacturing error may cause the passenger occupant detection system to… switch off the passenger airbag even though the seat may be occupied. As designed, a warning light in the instrument panel comes on together with an acoustic warning sound and an error message is displayed… The airbag indicator light shows Passenger Airbag OFF,” Audi said in the mandatory recall filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“In the event of a crash, there could be an increased risk of injury to the occupant seated in the front passenger seat if the passenger airbag is switched off/not working. The crimp connection of the seat cushion heating mat at the transition of the connection cable to the heating wire may not have been correctly executed in the affected vehicles.
“Should a malfunction occur, vehicle occupants will be alerted by illumination of the airbag warning light, an error message displayed in the instrument cluster and by the status of the Passenger Airbag OFF indicator light. In this case the customer should take their vehicle as soon as possible to a dealership for inspection/repair,” Audi said.
Chronology
Dealers will replace the seat cushion, free of charge as required by Federal safety regulations. Owner notification letters are not expected to be mailed until 6 June 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi’s number for this recall is 74HC. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 or go to nhtsa.gov about NHTSA recall 25V227 or 25V-227.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.