10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 28,500 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
On 3/6/2020, Audi norwell, MA diagnosed my 2013 Audi A6 with a passenger occupant detection system (pods) malfunction and alerted of a pods system problem by illumination of the airbag monitoring light and by the status of the passenger airbag off indicator light. I was quoted $1,389.81 to replace/repair, but asked if there is a recall on this 'airbag' related issue, since it has been well publicized on these Audi models. Upon looking up my VIN# in the recall database, we discovered the VIN# for this vehicle was not listed as an impacted vehicle. However, it is a 100% match to saftey recall codes: 74D5 or 74D1 (see below). I filed a recall case with Audi manufacturing on 4/21/2020, but they responded back on 4/24/2020 that there was nothing they could do if the VIN# is not on the list. Thus filing my complaint with NHTSA. Recall code: 74D5 subject: Passenger occupant detection system (pods) affected vehicles: 2013 A6 description: The passenger occupant detection system (pods) can malfunction due to stress/wear factors affecting an internal connector or contact resistance increase at body-sensing mat in the seat. In this situation, a front passenger seat occupant risks injury in a crash because a malfunctioning pods may not make the correct airbag deployment decision for the type of occupant seated there. Recall code: 74D1 subject: Passenger occupant detection system (pods) affected vehicles: 2013 Audi A6 description: In affected vehicles with climate control seats (heated/cooled), the passenger occupant detection system (pods) control module can malfunction due to stress/wear factors affecting an internal connector and/or a body-sensing mat in the seat. Should a malfunction occur, vehicle occupants will be alerted of a pods system problem by illumination of the airbag monitoring light and by the status of the passenger airbag off indicator light.
- Hanover, MA, USA
Takata recall - my Audi dealership still does not have the parts to repair this defect. It's been five months. This is unacceptable.
- Tampa, FL, USA
Takata recall. While stationary, & still in park, with an adult in the front passenger seat, the airbag monitoring light comes on to alert me that the passenger seat airbag is "off". safety recall notice recd. July 2018. I have not been able to use the front passenger seat since then due to safety reasons. Audi usa still tells me today, 4 months later, that they have no solution for this issue, & no expected date to fix this problem.
- Stroudsburg, PA, USA
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2013 Audi A6. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated and remained lit for months. Audi chandler (7460 w orchid ln, chandler, AZ 85226, (480) 470-7367) inspected the vehicle and provided a diagnostic invoice with a cost estimate, but had not specified a part name and part number. The dealer made no mention of any recalls issued for this year, make, and model vehicle pertaining to the air bags. The vehicle was later included in NHTSA campaign number: 18V370000 (air bags). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.
- Phoenix, AZ, USA
Air bag light is on and pods system fails to detect a passenger. Dealer did not fix this problem. No parts available.
- Laytonsville, MD, USA
My 2012 A6 has been recalled for the front passenger seat airbag sensor. Audi has no date that they will have the parts, their only answer is to not have anyone sit in the front seat. This is unacceptable as I can't even fit my family anymore.
- Centreville, VA, USA
The passenger airbag sensor goes off and on while I'm driving, even when the seat is empty. I know there is a recall on this, but the dealership is telling me my car isn't covered. I fall under the year and make of the recall, why isn't my car covered?
- Cape Canaveral, FL, USA
The passenger seat belt and passenger airbag constantly beeps - the passenger airbag and seat belt beeps when the vehicle is in motion as well as if the vehicle is stationary. It beeps when I'm on the streets, highway as well as turning it's a constant beeping sound and it lights up with an orange color.
- Joliet, IL, USA
Takata recall. It looks like there is an open recall for the 2013 Audi A6 AWD "passenger seat occupant detection system may fail" I looked up my VIN and for my car vihicle is not listed but mine just failed. I would like to get this taken care and get listed part of the recall.
- Santa Maria, CA, USA
Advised that my 2013 Audi A6 requires passenger occupant detection system (pods). This exact part was recalled via recall #74D1. Audi has advised that my VIN was not included in the recall. However, the Audi service technician at Audi North american advised me that the pods part in my car is the exact same part number in the recall notice. The difference is that the recall had for heated and cooling sets, while my VIN has only heated seats. As a result, Audi North America is not extending the recall to my vehicle. This is preventing the passenger airbag from being operational. Again, main point is that the exact same part number that has been recalled, is the same part number that in my vehicle that I am being told is the issue and needs to be replace. The dealer tried to "reset" it pods system, but it immediately stopped working one day later. I expect that as this is an extreme important safety issue, and by law manufacturers must remedy faulty part, the Audi North american needs to remedy. These are not two different version of the part, mine is the same as was found to be defective and required by the NHTSA to replace. The car was service by Audi in February, but I have been in discussions with them several time over the last two months, with no resolution.
- Alpharetta, GA, USA
The contact owns a 2013 Audi A6. While operating the vehicle, the air bag sensor indicator remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer (mission viejo Audi, 28451 marguerite pkwy, mission, ca) where it was diagnosed that the passenger occupant detection system was faulty and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was informed by the dealer that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V823000 (air bags). The contact indicated that the vehicle experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 66,000. Vehicle was repaired and paid for by owner in April 2018.
- Foot Hill Ranch, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2013 Audi A6. The contact stated that the passenger side air bag sensor periodically disengaged and the air bag warning indicator dimmed when the passenger seat was occupied. The vehicle was taken to Audi shrewsbury (780 boston turnpike, shrewsbury, MA 01545, phone number: (888) 699-9619) where it was diagnosed that the front passenger seat needed to be removed to install a new seat sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer stated that the contact would have to pay out of pocket for the repair. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
- Grafton, MA, USA
I was tiring to trade my Audi A6 2013 in on another vehicle. I learned from a dealer that there was a recall #74D1 pods system on my Audi. To my knowledge I have not received a notice from the manufacturer nor has there been a fix offered or available. No accident has happened to me, my podsystem seems to work fine for now, however the value of my vehicle is much lower and I' M unable to trade this car.
- Canyon, TX, USA
Audi replaced pods module in front passenger's seat, which monitors if there is an occupant in the seat and this triggers the airbag activation. After this replacement my front passenger seat sensor started malfunctioning. It seems to be working fine when my husband sits there (about 170 lb.), but it would not function when I was occupying the seat (about 128 lb.). the dealer made two more attempts to correct the issue. They finally asked me to try the seat without wearing my long coat in which case the sensor seemed to work correctly. The final conclusion was that in order for the airbag sensor to activate, lighter passengers need to take their long coats off. This is a laughable suggestion that airbag function is contingent on the type of coat the passenger is wearing. I contacted Audi usa customer service. They in turn contacted the dealership and came back to me with the same conclusion that the seat performs up to manufacturer's standards. I asked where in the owner's manual there is a note that the passengers must not wear long coats in order for crucial safety feature such as airbag to function correctly. I also asked repeatedly to explain to me why this problem only presented itself after the recalled part was replaced, to no avail. At this point Audi refuses to take necessary steps to fix the problem which they created. Audi should be held liable for abandoning the customer when there is a potentially serious safety issue involved.
- Elgin, IL, USA
I was entering my garage and the car kept accelerating. I slammed into any front wall doing lots of damage to the structures in and out as well as to my body. My car was totaled. My first accident ever and the scariest moment of my life. I have had prior acceleration/deceleration issues with this car. On at least 6 occasions, I was going downhill approaching a stop sign and the car seemed to stop responding (steering, braking, engine) and yet the RPM's were gong higher and the engine was racing. Very frightening since you did not know what would happen next!!!
- Danbury, CT, USA
- New Market, NH, USA