Engine. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

3 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 2026

Air Bags

Read full complaint

My 2018 Audi A5 Sportback previously received Audi Safety Recall 74E3 on January 27, 2023. The recall repair documentation indicates a seat POD (Passenger Occupant Detection System) update was performed. Several years later, the vehicle developed another passenger airbag fault. The vehicle displays a message indicating the front passenger airbag is OFF even when an occupant is seated in the front passenger seat. Audi diagnosed fault code B12251B, "Passive Occupant Detection System Mat Resistance Too High," and determined that the seat POD occupancy mat and wiring are defective and require replacement. Audi has refused to cover the repair because more than 12 months and 12,000 miles have passed since the recall repair. I am concerned that the passenger occupant detection system involved in the previous safety recall has failed again, resulting in the passenger airbag being disabled while the seat is occupied. I am requesting that NHTSA review whether the recall remedy adequately corrected this safety issue.

NHTSA ODI #11755942

Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 2024

Air Bags

Previous recall 19V-547 and 74D9 impacting the passenger air bag turning off even when a passenger is in the vehicle was repaired improperly, and the problem is still happening.

NHTSA ODI #11615967

24,500 miles · Jan 26, 2021

Air Bags

WITH THE FRONT PASSANGER SEAT OCCUPIED BY AN ADULT, DISPLAY ON THE DASH RANDAMLY DIPLAYS "PASSANGER AIRBAG OFF" THEN DISPLAYS "PASSANGER AIRBAG ON". DISPLAY SWITCHES BETWEEN THE TWO. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY OR CITY ROAD DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #11390038

Official recalls

21V874000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger; Seats

Nov 10, 2021

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2017-2020 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, 2018-2019 RS5 Coupe, 2019 RS5 Sportback, 2018-2020 A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, and Audi S5 Sportback vehicles. The cable connecting the seat heater to the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) may have a contact fault, causing the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the connecting cable and either the heating mat or entire seat cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 74E3. This recall is an expansion of Recall 19V-547 (74D9). Vehicles previously repaired under 19V-547 will need to return for the new remedy.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger

Consequence: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the connecting cable and either the heating mat or entire seat cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 74E3. This recall is an expansion of Recall 19V-547 (74D9). Vehicles previously repaired under 19V-547 will need to return for the new remedy.

Seats

Consequence: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

19V547000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module; Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

Jul 24, 2019

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi RS5 Sportback, 2018 S5 Cabriolet, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, S4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, and 2017-2018 A4 Sedan and A4 Allroad vehicles. Oxidation on the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) connecting cable may cause the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will install cable ties to the harness, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's number for this recall is 74D9.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Consequence: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will install cable ties to the harness, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's number for this recall is 74D9.

Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

Consequence: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

18V893000 · Suspension:front

Dec 17, 2018

Volkswagen Group of North America (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Sportback vehicles. The front suspension fasteners may not have been sufficiently tightened during vehicle production, possibly resulting in a front wheel becoming loose.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A loose front wheel may increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the front suspension fasteners, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 23, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40O2.

18V836000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Nov 27, 2018

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Sportback and 2017-2018 Audi A4 Allroad vehicles. A passenger air bag module mounting screw may not have been sufficiently tightened, possibly affecting the deployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the air bag does not deploy correctly in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of an injury.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag mounting screw, tightening or replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 19, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Y4.

17V822000 · Air Bags:side/window

Dec 20, 2017

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Coupe vehicles. The affected vehicles were built with head curtain air bag assemblies that may not unfold properly. As such, these vehicle fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the head curtain air bag, if the air bag does not deploy properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will modify the head curtain air bags so that they deploy properly, free of charge. The recall began on January 18, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 11-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69T7.

17V675000 · Structure:body:door:hinge And Attachments

Oct 25, 2017

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad, and 2018 A5 Sportback vehicles. The aluminum trim on the front and rear doors can come loose from around the door speakers, leaving sharp edges exposed.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The sharp edges of the speaker trim increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the speaker cover aluminum trim, free of charge. The recall began March 13, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 70G6.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.