Audi recalls 208,332 vehicles over disabled passenger airbags
The fault comes from a bad connection in the passenger occupancy sensor which makes the computer think there's nobody in the seat.
Audi is recalling 208,332 vehicles over concerns that a bad passenger occupant sensor connection could deactivate the vehicle's passenger-side airbags and increase the risk of injury or death in the event of a crash.
The problem specifically stems from a faulty connection between the passenger seat occupancy sensor and the seat heater wiring, which can cause the vehicle's computer to assume that there is no passenger present and defeat the airbag on that side. This system is usually meant to reduce the cost of repairs in a crash by not detonating unneeded airbags.
This recall specifically affects 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 models.
The fix for this issue involves either replacing the connecting cables or, in some cases, the seat heating mat or even the entire seat cover. This recall, like all recalls, will be performed by your Audi dealer free of charge.
Audi expects to start sending notices out to the owners of affected vehicles on or around Jan. 7, 2022. If you have questions or concerns about your vehicle, you can contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834 and reference recall number 74E3. This recall is an expansion of recall 19V-547 (74D9). If your vehicle was previously repaired under 19V-547, you'll need to return to your dealer when notified for the new fix.
Neither Audi, nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have reported any injuries or fatalities based on this recall. We've reached out to Audi for comment, but didn't hear back in time for publication.
