Audi Australia initiates Takata recall
Audi Australia today announced the start of the first Audi vehicles to be recalled under the mandatory safety recall of certain vehicles with frontal Takata airbag inflators.
The mandatory safety recall, which was issued by the Australian Government earlier this year, requires that all affected Takata frontal airbags in Australia be replaced by 31 December 2020.
"Our customers are our first priority, and, as a result of the Australian Government's mandatory recall of certain vehicles with frontal Takata airbag inflators, we will be conducting a staged recall of the affected vehicles between now and the end of 2020.
We will contact owners to let them know when they should visit a dealer to have their Takata airbag inflator replaced, free of charge," said Audi spokesperson, Shaun Cleary.
The first group of Audi vehicles to be under active recall from 13 July 2018 include:
- Audi Q5 (8R), model years 2009-2012 installed with driver side Takata airbag inflators;
By the end of July 2018, the following additional models will be under active recall:
- Audi A5 Sportback (8T), model years 2009-2012 installed with driver side Takata airbag inflators;
- Audi A5 Cabriolet (8F), model years 2010-2011 installed with driver side Takata airbag inflators;
- Audi A3 (8P), model years 2006-2013 installed with driver side Takata airbag inflators.
Audi currently expects to have initiated a recall of all Audi vehicles with affected Takata airbags by the end of 2018.
Owners of these vehicles will be contacted directly on an individual basis.
Anyone wishing to determine whether their vehicle is affected by the mandatory safety recall and, if so, the specific date from which their vehicle will be recalled, can use the VIN check tool available on the Audi website. The website also contains Audi's approved Recall Initiation Schedule, which outlines more generally when each make, model and model year of affected Audi vehicles is scheduled to be recalled.
No Audi vehicles imported to Australia are equipped with "Alpha" airbags, which have been identified as posing the highest safety risk of all the recalled Takata airbags and must be recalled by manufacturers of vehicles containing those airbags immediately.
For non-alpha Takata airbags of the kind installed in affected Audi vehicles, according to the Australian Government, as the faulty Takata airbag ages and/or is exposed to high temperatures and humidity, the PSAN propellant is exposed to moisture and degrades.
If a vehicle is involved in a collision, the airbag can go off with too much explosive force, rupturing the airbag inflator housing, causing sharp metal fragments to shoot out and kill or seriously injure people in the vehicle.
According to the Australian Government, the risk of a defective Takata airbag rupturing may arise between 6 and 25 years after it is installed in a vehicle. In areas of high heat and humidity, the risk of rupture may arise between 6 and 9 years.
This is why, for vehicles such as the affected Audi vehicles that do not have Alpha airbags, the recall will be conducted in a staged process between now and the end of 2020 having regard to the location (areas with high humidity will be given priority) and age of the vehicle (oldest first), in accordance with the approved Recall Initiation Schedules published on the Audi website.
Audi owners can find their nearest dealer by visiting:
http://www.audi.com.au/au/web/en.html#layer=/au/web/en/shopping-tools/find-a-dealer.html
And can obtain more information about the recall by visiting our Takata recall webpage:
http://www.audi.com.au/au/web/en/owners/Takata-Airbag-Safety-Recall.html
Owners can also obtain more information about the recall by contacting Audi's toll-free Audi Takata Information Line on 1800 856 770, between 8.00am and 6.00pm Monday to Friday (AEST).