2012–2013 Audi A6, 2012–2013 Audi A7 Recall: In vehicles with heated and cooled seats, the Passenger Occupant Detection…
NHTSA campaign 15V823000 · Air Bags · filed Dec 8, 2015 · verified Jul 30, 2026
The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Audi A6 vehicles manufactured March 28, 2011, to March 25, 2013, and 2012-2013 Audi A7 vehicles manufactured January 25, 2011, to March 19, 2013. In vehicles with heated and cooled seats, the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS), used to enable the front passenger air bags, may malfunction and prevent the passenger-side air bags from deploying in a crash.
The risk
An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of occupant injury in a crash.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →The fix — what to do
Volkswagen will notify owners, and Audi dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D1.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Affected vehicles
Related recalls
More Audi A6 recalls
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- 2019–2025 Audi A6 and 17 other models — Please see the recall report for a complete list of models
- 2025 Audi A5 and 8 other models — Automatic locking retractor may fail to engage when a child…
- 2021 Audi A6 and 13 other models — Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may…
- 2019–2021 Audi A6 and 6 other models — An incorrectly labeled brake fluid cap may have been…
Other campaigns involving Audi vehicles
Source: NHTSA recall database, campaign 15V823000 (manufacturer number 74D1). Data last verified Jul 30, 2026.