Auburn Hills, MI – September 24, 2021 – Volkswagen (OTCMKTS:VWAGY) – which owns the Audi brand – has recalled 45,496 cars to rectify a problem with the child restraint system related to faulty seat belts. The issue can increase the risk of injury to a child in an accident.
The rather long list of affected models includes nearly every offering in the company’s 2021 Audi portfolio, and the VW ID.4. Here are some of the models affected:
- 2021 Audi A4
- 2021 Audi A5
- 2021 Audi A5 Cabriolet
- 2021 Audi A6
- 2021 Audi A6 allroad
- 2021 Audi SQ7
- 2021 Audi SQ8
- 2021 Volkswagen ID.4
You can see the full list here.
Recall summary
There are two ways to secure a child seat:
- With hooks – officially referred to as the lower anchors and tethers for children (LATCH) system.
- Using the seatbelt, which comes with two retractors that hold it in place. Retractors fall in two categories – an emergency one that locks the seat belt in place when there is a crash and what is called an automatic locking retractor (ALR) which locks automatically as soon as the belt is buckled.
The recalled vehicles have been fitted with faulty ALRs that may allow the seat belts to come loose after they are locked which would result in the child seat moving around.
Recall risks
If the child seat is not secured properly, the child can get injured if there is an accident or even a hard stop.
There is no risk if the LATCH system is used to secure the seat instead.
Warning signs
Parents may realize that the ALR is not working if the clicking noise made when it is activated stops before the seat belt is fully retracted.
Background of the recall
As reported, this is part of an ongoing series of recalls brought upon by faulty seat belts supplied by Swedish-American supplier Autoliv. The affected component is the “seat belt assembly” of the middle-rear seat with multiple part numbers, including 4M0857807AV04 and 4M8857807AV04. You can read more about a BMW recall caused by the same issue here.
Other Volkswagen and Audi recalls
There was an Audi Q5 recall in May of this year Volkswagen recalled 40,993 vehicles over a suspension issue. Some of the company’s high performance models like the 2021 Audi RS6 Avant, and the RS Q8 were also recalled.
A quick VW recall check on our site will also bring up results of one for the 2021 VW ID.4, where multiple units were recalled for misadjusted headlights.
The repair
Dealers will change the affected seat belt assembly and, if required, the seat belt, free of charge.
Owners will be notified on October 1, 2021.
Is your vehicle part of the recall?
Over 45,000 Audi cars are affected by this recall. To find out if your vehicle is a part of this Audi recall, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
