Audi is recalling 4,117 of its compact cars as a result of a defect that could cause the front passenger airbag to tear upon expansion. The problem affects the 2022 A3, S3, and the high performance RS3.
The problem was first noticed on March 4 when, in the process of conducting serial monitoring and conformity tests for the instrument panel, it was discovered that the front passenger airbag in the test vehicle was torn after deployment.
In April, Audi decided to conduct tests looking specifically for the fault on eight additional vehicles, but no tears were discovered. It, therefore, expanded the test to look at 120 airbags that had already been produced, and the automaker found deviations in how the airbags were folded.
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Through May and July, Audi ran tests on airbags that were deliberately misfolded to study how they reacted, and, following the results of this investigation, Audi decided to run a voluntary recall campaign. Naturally, if an airbag tears during deployment, its effectiveness could be compromised, increasing the risk of an injury.
Fortunately, Audi is not aware of any warranty or customer claims as a result of this issue, which affects 3,681 A3 sedans made between July 26, 2021, and April 26, 2022, 420 S3 sedans built between July 8, 2021, and March 22, 2022, and 16 RS3 sedans built between March 23 and April 28, 2022.
All units built after April 28 were fitted with an airbag module assembled using an additional monitoring step during the folding process. They should, therefore, be safe. As for those built before that date, Audi plans to get in touch with owners starting on October 28. They will be asked to return to a nearby dealership in order to have the front passenger airbag module replaced.
