NHTSA campaign 18V427000 · Manufacturer campaign 69R7
Audi Recall 18V-427: Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode
- Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation
NHTSA recall 18V427000 (Manufacturer campaign 69R7) was reported by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. on June 22, 2018, with 237,947 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Audi A6, Audi S4, Audi S6 and more for model years 2004–2011. Owners were notified on June 29, 2018, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 18V427000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Audi VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 18V427000 (also written 18V-427 or 18V427)
- Filed by
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- Manufacturer campaign number
- 69R7
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 237,947 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module
- Owners notified
Repair completion: 42.32% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated October 21, 2026)
NHTSA cautions against comparing completion rates across recalls or manufacturers. How try.vin reads them.
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 18V427000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
Audi
Audi A4
Audi A4 Cabriolet
Audi A6
Audi RS 4
Audi S4
Audi S6
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 18V427000.
Defect description
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan, 2007-2008 RS4 Sedan, 2004 RS4 Cabriolet, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2005-2011 A6 Sedan, 2006-2011 A6 Avant, and 2007-2011 S6 Sedan vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Safety consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Manufacturer remedy
Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag with an alternate remedy part, free of charge. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R7. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V382, 17V032 and 18V004 and includes vehicles that may have had their air bag previously replaced under one of those campaigns.
Notes
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.
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 18V427000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.