74 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Audi A4 cite air bags, 25% of all 298 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 3 recalls on this component.
“The contact owns a 2006 Audi A4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the wife crashed into the rear of a second vehicle. During the crash the front driver side air bag did not deploy, however, the passenger side airbag did deploy, and both the front and rear driver side and passenger side headrest restraints activated. The contact indicated that no passengers were present in the vehicle during the crash. No injuries were reported. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not contacted. The local dealer was notified. The failure mileage was 160,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Nov 8, 2021·Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11439731
“PURCHASED THE VEHICLE A FEW MONTHS AGO (JULY OF 2020). BEFORE BUYING IT I WAS TOLD THAT THE WARNING CHIME FOR THE SEATBELT HAD STOPPED WORKING , SO I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL GERMAN AUTO SHOP TO SEE WHAT WOULD NEEDED TO FIX IT. TO MY SURPRISE, IT'S A PART IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, BUT IT'S A COMMON ISSUE AS THESE CARS AGE FOR THE WARNING CHIME TO FAIL THEREFORE NOT NOTIFYING OR WARNING IF THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER BELT IS BUCKLED. WARNING CHIME DOES NOT WORK WHETHER STATIONARY, OR MOVING FOR ANY SEAT IN THE VEHICLE.”
“MY PERSONAL AUDI A4 WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION ON AN INNER-CITY ROAD DUE TO LOSS OF FRICTION ON FROZEN ICE. DESPITE THERE ONLY BEING A DRIVER PRESENT IN THE CAR, THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG FROM THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT ACTIVATE WHILE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DID. I HAD ALREADY PREVIOUSLY CHECKED THE TAKATA RECALL, WHICH AFFECT THE EXACT MODEL OF MY VEHICLE, YET WHEN I ENTERED THE VIN, IT DISPLAYED THAT NO RECALLS WERE PRESENT. THE COLLISION HAPPENED AT A SPEED OF LESS THAN 25 MPH, AND THE UNNEEDED DAMAGE COSTS PF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS ALONGSIDE THE HEALTH RISKS OF NOT HAVING AN AIRBAG DEPLOY FOR THE DRIVER HAS LED ME TO FILING THIS COMPLAINT AS IT WAS A VERY UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Aug 14, 2020·Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11349273
“ON 7/15/18 I HAD A MYSTERIOUS ACCIDENT IN OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN, WHERE I WAS KNOCKED OUT FOR SEVERAL HOURS AND I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION OFF ANYTHING AT LEAST A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. MY 2006 A6 QUATTRO 3.2 AVANT (STATION WAGON) WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE COUNTY POLICE RESCUED ME AND SENT ME TO THE HOLLAND HOSPITAL FOR A SERIES OF VERY COSTLY PROCEDURES. THE POLICE REPORT WROTE THAT THE AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED. AND BECAUSE IT WAS NOT IN A MAJOR INTERSECTION, A SIMPLE STOP SIGN AT THE US-31, FROM THE INFORMATION IN THE REPORT, I SUSPECT I HAD NOT FACED ANY IMPENDING CRASH TO HAVE HAD TO PUSH THE BREAKS HARD, AND MY VEHICLE ONLY STOPPED BECAUSE IT HIT A VALLEY SHAPED DITCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF RELATED TAKATA AIRBAG FAILURES ON THOSE TYPES OF CARS, BY THE, ON BOTH SIDES, I SUGGEST A THOUGHROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THE CASE. I WAS BLESSED OR LUCKY TO HAVE NOT LOST MY LIFE NOR BECAME SERIOUSLY INJURED, BUT MY FINANCIAL LOSSES AND LEGAL COMPLICATIONS AMOUNTED TO A LOT. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AT RISK OF NOT HAVING THEIR LIVES END BECAUSE OF AN UNNECESSARY MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE AUDI VEHICLES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Nov 6, 2018·Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11149802
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V032000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER (AUTHOHAUS LANCASTER, 1373 MANHEIM PIKE, LANCASTER, (717) 299-2801) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND THE WAIT TIME WAS SIX MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Oct 12, 2018·Air bagsODI 11139950
“CONTATING AUDI SHREWSBURY (508-581-5800) SINCE JANUARY 2018. TALKED TO EVAN AND AS OF TODAY THEY HAVE NOT ADVISE OF AN APPOINTMENT TO CHANGE THE TAKATA PASSENGER FRONTAL AIRBAG. ANYTIME I CALLED THEY ANSWER THAT HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE AIRBAG. 8 MONTHS????”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Sep 6, 2018·Air bagsODI 11124691
Showing 6 of 74 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
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.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."
Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Avant, A4 Sedan, A6 Sedan, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan vehicles, 2007-2008 A4 Cabriolet, RS4 Sedan, S4 Cabriolet and S6 Sedan vehicles, and 2006-2008 A6 Avant and 2008 RS4 Cabriolet vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
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 front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2011 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."
Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2008 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."
Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling model year 2004 Audi A4 vehicles originally sold, or registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.