Passenger frontal air bag inflator may explode
Defect Summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2010-2011 audi a6 avant, a6 sedan and s6 sedan vehicles, ever registered in the states of arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new mexico, north carolina, ohio, oklahoma, pennsylvania, tennessee, virginia, and west virginia, or "zone b." additionally, unless included in "zone b" above, volkswagen is recalling certain 2009 audi a4 cabriolet and s4 cabriolet vehicles, and 2009-2011 audi a6 avant, a6 sedan and s6 sedan vehicles registered in the states of alaska, colorado, connecticut, idaho, iowa, maine, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, montana, new hampshire, new york, north dakota, oregon, rhode island, south dakota, utah, vermont, washington, wisconsin, and wyoming or "zone c." these vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Safety Consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Corrective Action
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. audi mailed an interim owner notification march 02, 2018. When parts to perform the recall repair become available, audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in june 2018. Owners may contact audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. volkswagen's number for this recall is 69u1. note: this recall has been superseded by 18v427.
Similar Recalls
Other recalls from Volkswagen Group Of America, Inc. or involving Air Bags.
FAQ: Recall 18V004000
Your rights, the repair process, and what each field on this page means.
What is recall 18V004000?
NHTSA recall 18V004000 was issued by Volkswagen Group Of America, Inc. on January 4, 2018. It addresses: Passenger frontal air bag inflator may explode. The recall affects approximately 10,166 vehicles, with the defect involving the Air Bags component.
How do I get this recall repaired?
Contact any authorized Volkswagen Group Of America, Inc. dealer and reference NHTSA recall ID 18V004000 or the manufacturer campaign number 69U1. Under federal law, the repair is completely free regardless of vehicle age or owner history.
Is my vehicle included in this recall?
The only way to confirm is to look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA's tool will tell you if VIN-by-VIN this exact recall applies.
How long do I have to get a recall repair done?
There is no expiration on most federal safety recalls. Even if your vehicle is years old and you bought it used, the manufacturer is required to perform the repair at no cost.
Where does the data on this page come from?
All information on this page is sourced directly from the U.S. Department of Transportation public dataset for NHTSA recalls. Last refreshed: 2026-05-22. For the most current official notice, visit nhtsa.gov/recalls.