The VW Group is recalling roughly 101,900 late-model Audi A4 models in the U.S. to fix a software error that can prevent the front airbags from deploying in a crash, according to the company.
The recall, first reported by German magazine Auto Motor und Sport , involves 850,000 A4s globally from the 2013–2015 model years. All sedan, Avant, Allroad, and S4 models are included, and only those built following the car’s mid-cycle face lift first introduced for 2013. The problem affects both driver and passenger frontal airbags and resides with a faulty sensing and diagnostic module (SDM). An Audi statement said the problem was discovered during “routine quality testing” and that there have been no injuries or accidents within the U.S.
It is not related to the Takata shrapnel-shooting airbag recalls affecting 20 different brands (no Volkswagen Group cars are included in those recalls). In many other recent airbag recalls, automakers have had to either reprogram SDMs or passenger-side weight sensors in the seat—a common problem that can incorrectly shut off an airbag or have it deploy with the incorrect force in a crash.
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The recall has not been posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, although the agency was notified earlier today (the agency is typically late by several days or even weeks to post recalls on its public database). According to Audi, notification letters will start hitting owner mailboxes as early as Friday and dealers are ready to perform a 20-minute software update. Audi said the cars were safe to drive since there is no risk of the airbags deploying inadvertently while driving; the only risk is of them not deploying upon an actual impact.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/1FKQA0b
via Agya
