# NHTSA recall 16V079000

A recall listed here may apply to a vehicle of this year, make and model. Only the manufacturer can say whether it applies to one vehicle: check the VIN with the official lookups.

- Published by: NHTSA \(United States\)
- Campaign number: 16V079000
- Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- Reported: 2016\-02\-10
- Owners notified: 2017\-03\-10
- Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
- Units potentially affected: 151767

## What is wrong

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. \(Volkswagen\) is recalling certain model year 2006 Volkswagen Passat sedans and wagons, 2005\-2013 Audi A3, and 2006\-2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet vehicles.  Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.


## What can happen

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.


## The remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began March 2017.  Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1\-800\-893\-5298.  Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1\-800\-253\-2834.


## 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.


## Remedy progress the manufacturer reported

- Report: Quarterly report 6, for 2018 quarter 2
- Filed with NHTSA: 2018\-07\-30
- Vehicles in the campaign: 151767
- Reported remedied: 61266 \(40%\)
- Reported unreachable: 3950
- Reported removed: 115

These are the manufacturer's totals for the whole campaign at the end of 2018 quarter 2, as filed with NHTSA. They do not say whether one vehicle has been remedied: check the VIN with the official lookups. The reports are from data as of 2026\-10\-19.

## Vehicles this campaign lists

- 2005 AUDI A3
- [2006 AUDI A3](/makes/audi/a3/2006/recalls.md)
- [2007 AUDI A3](/makes/audi/a3/2007/recalls.md)
- [2008 AUDI A3](/makes/audi/a3/2008/recalls.md)
- [2009 AUDI A3](/makes/audi/a3/2009/recalls.md)
- [2010 AUDI A3](/makes/audi/a3/2010/recalls.md)
- [2011 AUDI A3](/makes/audi/a3/2011/recalls.md)
- [2012 AUDI A3](/makes/audi/a3/2012/recalls.md)
- [2013 AUDI A3](/makes/audi/a3/2013/recalls.md)
- 2006 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET
- 2007 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET
- 2008 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET
- 2009 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET
- [2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT](/makes/volkswagen/passat/2006/recalls.md)

## Investigated as EA15001

This recall followed 1 NHTSA investigation. An investigation is NHTSA looking into a possible defect. It is not a finding that a defect exists, and it does not say that any one vehicle is affected.

- EA15001: Engineering analysis, opened 2015\-02\-24. Air Bag Inflator Rupture. AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; AIR BAGS.

From NHTSA's investigation file, as of 2026-10-19. JSON: [/v1/recalls/nhtsa/16V079000/investigations](/v1/recalls/nhtsa/16V079000/investigations)

## Bulletins for the same vehicles and component

A bulletin is the manufacturer's note to its dealers. It is not part of this recall.

- [Campaign Parts B](/bulletins/10133405.md), 2018-04-16, Service bulletin
- [Campaign Parts B](/bulletins/10133404.md), 2018-04-16, Service bulletin
- [69N1 and 69N2 \-](/bulletins/10128310.md), 2018-02-05, Service bulletin
- [SA\-97U3\-A](/bulletins/10038595.md), 2011-06-23, Service bulletin

## Check a VIN

- [NHTSA recall lookup by VIN, United States](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls)
- [Transport Canada recall search, Canada](https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/7/VRDB-BDRV/search-recherche/menu.aspx?lang=eng)

JSON: [/v1/recalls/nhtsa/16V079000](/v1/recalls/nhtsa/16V079000)

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