Audi Recalls 2011-2017 Q5 Vehicles Due to Side Air Bag Corrosion Risk
Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 2011-2017 Audi Q5 vehicles because water in the sunroof drainage system may corrode side air bag inflators, posing a risk of serious injury.
What this means for you
Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).
The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.
Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly states that the defect can result in 'serious injury or death' from metal fragments, which aligns with the rubric criterion for Severe (4) involving significant injury reports or high-risk structural defects.
Plain-English summary
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. is recalling certain 2011-2017 Audi Q5 vehicles. The recall addresses a defect in the sunroof drainage system that may allow water to soak into the foam surrounding the side head air bag inflator canister. This moisture can cause the canister to corrode, which may weaken the component.
If the canister weakens, the inflator could fracture without the air bag deploying. This rupture may propel metal fragments into the passenger compartment, striking occupants and causing serious injury or death. The recall is expected to begin in March 2017.
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator and either coat it or replace it, as necessary, after removing the surrounding foam, free of charge. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
The recalled product
- Product
- AUDI Q5
- Brand
- AUDI
- Manufacturer
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- Category
- Vehicle — Air Bags
- Affected units
- 234,057
Is your product affected?
Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.
Model numbers (1)
- Q5
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
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