2008 Audi A6 Airbags Problems

On August 3, 2026, a 2008 Audi A6 was traveling on the George Washington Parkway in Virginia when the driver encountered a large tree branch in the roadway and swerved to avoid it. The vehicle struck a curb, became airborne, rolled, and went down an embankment before coming to rest. The driver was wearing a seat belt. The driver’s frontal airbag in the steering wheel deployed, but none of the side or curtain airbags deployed during the crash. Given the severity and multiple-impact sequence of the accident, I am reporting the non-deployment so NHTSA can evaluate whether the side and curtain airbag systems operated as designed. The vehicle sustained significant damage and was declared a total loss. It remains intact and available for inspection, and we have requested that it be preserved.The vehicle has been in the same family since it was purchased new in 2008, with two owners within the family. It had never been involved in an accident before this crash, and to our knowledge there had been no previous airbag deployments or repairs to the airbag or restraint systems. There were no airbag warning lights, messages, or other indications of a problem before the crash.Police responded to the accident, and the vehicle has been inspected by the insurance company. It has not yet been inspected by Audi or an independent engineer specifically regarding the side and curtain airbag non-deployment. I understand a rollover alone does not necessarily require these airbags to deploy. My concern is that the driver’s frontal airbag deployed during a serious, multiple-impact crash while the side and curtain airbags did not, and I would like the non-deployment evaluated while the vehicle remains available for inspection. NHTSA previously conducted a Special Crash Investigation involving side-airbag non-deployment in another 2008 Audi A6 (NHTSA Publication 813261). NHTSA determined that vehicle’s airbags operated as intended. I am referencing it because it involved the same model year

NHTSA ID

11755588

Incident

Aug 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2008 Audi A6. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V427000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11638293

Incident

Jan 15, 2024

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V427000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AUDI FAIRFIELD (435 COMMERCE DR, FAIRFIELD, CT 06825, (203)-951-6570) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11182782

Incident

Jun 28, 2018

AUDI PERIODICALLY SENDS OUT A PROVOCATIVE SAFETY WARNING TO 'SCHEDULE YOUR REPAIR IMMEDIATELY' STATING THAT (MY) 'SAFETY AND SATISFACTION ARE THEIR TOP PRIORITIES'. WHEN I CALL A DEALER, I'M TOLD THAT I ALREADY HAVE THE (TEMPORARY AND ONLY) FIX (AS TAKATA WENT BANKRUPT). PLEASE ENCOURAGE CORP AUDI TO GET THEIR STORY STRAIT. THE ONLY FACT I KNOW FOR CERTAIN IS THAT NEITHER I OR ANYONE ONE I KNOW WILL EVER BUY ANOTHER AUDI.

NHTSA ID

11176190

Incident

Jan 7, 2019

TAKATA RECALL I HAVE CONTACTED THE AUDI DEALER AND AUDI USA SEVERAL TIMES TO GET A REPAIR SCHEDULED WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS. THIS HAS NOW BEEN GOING ON FOR MORE THAN 2 YEARS. EVERY TIME I GET THE SAME STORY. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PARTS, ONE TIME THEY TOLD ME THE REPAIR HAD JUST BEEN REVOKED AND THAT THEY WERE WAITING NEW INFORMATION. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE WITH THE SITUATION.

NHTSA ID

11165583

Incident

Jan 3, 2019

2008 AUDI A6 QUATTRO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO DEALERSHIP FAILING TO REPLACE FAULTY COMPONENTS IN A TIMELY MANNER; AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL NO. 69R7. *AS *JS

NHTSA ID

11143130

Incident

Oct 26, 2018

TAKATA RECALL - AIRBAG REPLACED PER RECALL BUT AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS LIT DUE TO FAULTY SEATBELT IN REAR CENTER PASSENGER SEAT. FAULTY SEAT BELT NEEDS TO BE PUT UNDER RECALL AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE IN THE AUDI.

NHTSA ID

11114794

Incident

Jul 30, 2018

I WAS INVOLVED IN A PASSENGER SIDE IMPACT ACCIDENT WHERE THE PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN DID NOT DEPLOY. THE IMPACTING VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOVE 35MPH WHEN IT STRUCK. THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS NOR ANY ATTEMPT TO SLOW THE VEHICLE BEFORE IMPACT. BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALED IN THE COLLISION. ALL PASSENGERS IN BOTH VEHICLES (1 DRIVER/ 1 PASSENGER) WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY LOCATED AT IAAI IN BALTIMORE. HTTPS://WWW.IAAI.COM​/VEHICLE?ITEMID=2884​8576&ROWNUMBER=16&LO​ADRECENT=TRUE

NHTSA ID

11113862

Incident

Jul 14, 2018

Mileage

134,000 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V427000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. PAUL MILLER AUDI (179 US-46, PARSIPPANY, NJ 07054, (973) 575-7750) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11113834

Incident

Jul 23, 2018

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V032000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (INTERNATIONAL MERCEDES-BENZ MILWAUKEE, 2400 S 108TH ST, MILWAUKEE, WI 53227, (866) 455-8708) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY AND THAT THERE WAS A PREPOSITION RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11102434

Incident

Jun 18, 2018

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V382000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. THE DEALER (AUDI COLUMBUS, 341 N HAMILTON ROAD, COLUMBUS, OHIO 43213) CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11101364

Incident

Jan 22, 2018

TAKATA RECALL I HAVE BEEN WAITING OVER A YEAR FOR THE AIRBAG FIX ON MY CAR. THIS AMOUNT OF TIME IS EXTREMELY CONCERNING GIVEN THIS IS A LIFE/SAFETY FIX. HOW MUCH LONGER WILL THIS TAKE?

NHTSA ID

11076402

Incident

Jan 7, 2017

" TAKATA RECALL " IN DECEMBER 2016 I PURCHASED A USED LOW MILE 2008 AUDI A6 FROM BOISE VOLKSWAGEN-AUDI IN BOISE IDAHO. IT HAS THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL ON IT. I BELIEVE AUDI NEW ABOUT THE RECALL BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THE DEALER HAS NOT FIXED IT BECAUSE THEY DON`T HAVE THE PARTS. THEIR SOLUTION IS DON`T LET ANYONE RIDE IN THE FRONT SEAT! REALLY? I HAVE TWO TEENAGE KIDS AND TWO ELDERLY PARENTS I TAKE CARE OF. I CAN`T OWN A CAR THAT I CANNOT USE OR SHOULD I HAVE TOO. THE RECALL SAYS THE METAL PARTS OF THE AIR BAG CAN COME APART AND CAN CAUSE FATAL INJURY, SO THAT PUTS EVERYONE IN THE CAR IN DANGER, NOT JUST THE PASSENGER! I THINK AUDI SHOULD BUY MY CAR BACK OR GIVE ME A LOANER CAR UNTIL THEY ARE ABLE TO FIX THE SAFETY ISSUE. I AM SUPER UNHAPPY WITH THIS AND AFRAID TO EVEN DRIVE THE CAR, BUT I HAVE TO BECAUSE ITS MY ONLY SOURCE OF TRANSPORTATION. WHAT CAN BE DONE?

NHTSA ID

11065710

Incident

Dec 16, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V032000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (AUDI MILWAUKEE, 10606 W ARTHUR AVE, MILWAUKEE, WI 53227) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11054232

Incident

Jan 11, 2017

TAKATA RECALL. AIRBAG HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT WITH THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE FATAL BODILY HARM IN THE EVENT THE PRODUCT DEPLOYS. SINCE 2016, MULTIPLE AUDI DEALERSHIPS HAVE NOT PROVIDED A SOLUTION REGARDING THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11047404

Incident

May 27, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V032000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (PRESTIGE AUDI, 9201 W COLIFAX AVE, LAKEWOOD, CO 80215) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11047006

Incident

Jan 11, 2017

TAKATA RECALL. I VISITED THE AUDI DEALERS SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST YEAR AND THEY SAID THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPLACE THE AIRBAGS AS THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PARTS IN STOCK AND WERE UNABLE TO GIVE ME A TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION

NHTSA ID

11045434

Incident

Nov 8, 2017

TAKATA RECALL RELATED - A NHTSA RECALL NUMBER HAS BEEN ISSUED - 17V032 AND A MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER HAS BEEN ISSUED - 69P6 NEARLY 11 MONTHS AGO BUT NO REMEDY HAS BEEN PROVIDED.

NHTSA ID

11044737

Incident

Nov 8, 2017

TAKATA AIRBAGS I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER (LARSON AUDI IN TACOMA, WA) AND THE AUDI HEADQUARTERS IN THE US. AUDI IS UNCONCERNED THAT I HAVE AN UNSAFE CAR AS VERIFIED BY TAKATA ON THEIR WEBSITE AIRBAGRECALL,COM. THE ONLY THING I AM ABLE TO DO IS NOT DRIVE THE CAR. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO GET IT REPAIRED? THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE LAST JANUARY.

NHTSA ID

11044235

Incident

Aug 19, 2007

TAKATA RECALL, NHTSA: 17V032, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM AUDI IN MARCH 2017 INFORMING ME OF THE RECALL. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL AUDI DEALER EVERY MONTH SINCE TRYING TO SCHEDULE THE TAKATA AIRBAG REPAIR. AFTER OVER SIX MONTHS AUDI IS STILL NOT ABLE TO SCHEDULE OR COMPLETE THE REPAIR. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE SINCE IT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT SAFETY CONCERN. THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ANY WAY TO MOVE FORWARD AND AUDI DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN THE REPAIR WILL BE AVAILABLE. I BELIEVE THIS IS TAKING MUCH TOO LONG TO COMPLETE. ANY HELP IN THE MATTER WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. BEST, [XXX] 'INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11039902

Incident

Mar 1, 2017

TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL I RECEIVED NOTICE IN MARCH ABOUT THIS RECALL AND IT'S NOW ALMOST OCTOBER AND I HAVE NOTE RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION ABOUT A REPAIR. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM AND AM UNSURE WHAT ELSE I CAN DO. THERE IS ZERO INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN A FIX WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR MY CAR AND AUDI HAS NOT OFFERED ANY TYPE OF ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION UNTIL THE CAR CAN BE FIXED.

NHTSA ID

11030077

Incident

Mar 2, 2017

2008 AUDI A6. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO REPLACEMENT PARTS NOT AVAILABLE TO REPAIR FRONTAL AIRBAG INFLATOR RECALL NOTICE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL REPAIR WOULD TAKE TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS TO BE FULLY COMPLETED. THE CONSUMER STATED THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE DUE TO THE NEAREST DEALER BEING 3.5 HOURS AWAY. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS. UPDATED 09/11/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

11021989

Incident

May 1, 2017

TAKATA RECALL - FOR OVER A YEAR, THE AUDI DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH I BOUGHT MY CAR IN CHICAGO HAS SAID ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS - THE LAST APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS AGO - THEY DON'T HAVE THE REPLACEMENT FOR IT YET. HOWEVER, I JUST READ ON YOUR SITE THAT THE INTERIM REPAIR IS REPLACEMENT WITH A NEW TAKATA INSULFLATOR, WHICH SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE. MY CAR IS 9 YEARS OLD AND I ALSO READ ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT THE RISK OF DETONATION INCREASES WITH AGE. MY CAR SHOULD BE A PRIORITY.

NHTSA ID

11016466

Incident

Mar 9, 2017

TAKATA RECALL, I HAVE NOT HAD ANY NOTICE FROM MY AUDI DEALER.

NHTSA ID

11011683

Incident

Jul 10, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V382000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED (AUDI BROOKLINE IN BROOKLINE, MA) AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11001676

Incident

May 27, 2016