— An Audi Q7 recall has been issued for more than 94,000 SUVs because the padding on the C-pillars may not absorb enough impact in crashes.
Audi discovered the problem during a test concerning requirements for head injury prevention as required by federal safety regulations. The supplier opened an investigation, and Audi engineers looked into the issue.
However, the automaker realized a field study could take a lot of time due to COVID-19 and Audi decided to order the recall "out of an abundance of caution."
"Theoretically there could be an increased risk if an unbelted passenger´s head would hit the C-pillar in case of a crash. However, the vehicles are equipped with curtain airbags and Audi believes that these would adequately protect the passengers in such a case." - Audi
Not All Q7 SUVs Are Recalled
The affected Q7 vehicles were built between July 2017 and April 2020, and Audi says some of the SUVs were repaired before leaving the factory or the ports. Any vehicles not included in the recall are already equipped with deformation elements that meet specifications.
The Audi Q7 recall is expected to begin December 23, 2020, when dealerships will replace the deformation elements on the C-pillars.
Q7 owners may contact Audi at 800-253-2834 and refer to recall number 70H8.