Ancient Audi, current airbag recall!
 

Hi all

Thought I'd mention this here, as I know Audi UK records of current ownership of older models that don't see the inside of a main dealer service department means some of you will not be aware of this....

My parents had a 1998 A4 2.4SE saloon up until about 2012/3, when the auto gearbox cried 'enough' and died in an expensive way (it'd previously suffered from mixing with coolant due to the stupid radiator design) and after many years use they decided to scrap it and buy something newer, as even good ones were only worth about a grand at that age.

All paperwork was correctly completed and reported to DVLA, however today my dad's had a letter from Audi UK saying that according to DVLA data the car is still registered to him and requires a recall action for a replacement airbag gas generator for the driver's airbag. Depending on which gov.uk resource you use to search for it, MOT history suggests it's sitting somewhere with no valid MOT since 2012, a tax check says 'no record found' so suggests correctly recorded as scrapped.

Also interesting is that if you search the VCA recall database based on the registration number, which uses the MOT data, it shows no valid MOT but also states there are NO outstanding recalls. There is clearly something not quite right there!

However, if you enter the vehicle details without quoting a specific registration, you get the following:

Of particular note to this forum is that number of affected models isn't just A4s of the B5 era. If you search for A8s of the same age, the same recall appears. Examples across the Audi range from 1997-2001 appear to be fitted with the suspect gas generators. I don't know if 2002 models changed supplier/spec for airbag modules, or if they aren't of sufficient age to be of concern yet, but worth noting.

Worth checking here:

https://www.check-vehicle-recalls.se...e/vehicle/make

I just got one for my '98 A4 track car. The one car in the fleet which doesn't have any airbags any more :ROFL:

Not sure about the PF. All FL1s I've seen have Takata airbags but FL2s are all TRW.

Take it to the dealer for the recall and see what happens +++ :ROFL:

According to that site there are 9,536 A8s affected.

Interesting result. Mine was manufactured September '01, so shouldn't that be a FL2. Not that I'm questioning MJs comment, heaven forbid! Maybe just general apathy from Audi and/or government and basically suspect every car until it's checked.

Their data will be based only on registrations, as DVSA won't know the actual build date. They'll prefer to capture more cars than they need to, then discount the ones that aren't in the right range. Both parties will have the VIN, so 'should' be able to filter out ones that aren't affected without more grief than a phone call to a dealer.

Thats just based on the ones I've seen and my own collection, so by no means definitive.

Generally the chunky FL1 sport wheel with the full-size tiptronic buttons and dots in a ring around the Audi badge has the Takata airbag. All my FL2s have the slimmer wheel with the half-size buttons and the chrome ring and TRW airbags. I've only seen FL2 4-spoke wheels and they have the TRW as well.

Put your reg into the London LEZ checker, FL1 fails, FL2 passes. ;)
Check Your Vehicle on this page: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-emission-zone

Great tip +++

Guess that makes me an FL2

Your vehicle
Black AUDI S8 4.2 QUATTRO AUTO
Country of registration
United Kingdom
Change vehicle
Congestion Charge
£15.00 to £17.50 a day
Where it operates:
Central London only - check a postcode or location

Charging times:
07:00-22:00, every day, including weekends and bank holidays. Except Christmas Day (25 December).

It was MJ (of course) who provided the explanation, a while back now. All to do with subtle revisions of the Bosch engine management software IIRC. The FL2 version has an extra .1 on the version that somehow, along with other changes, makes it "officially" (well enough for London) meets the Euro 4 standard, even though that didn't really arrive until 2005/6. :Confused:

Yes, lots of small updates on the FL2 - single piece foglight grilles for one, the introduction of the S-mode gearbox, and as far as I can tell the switch from Takata to TRW airbags although it sounds like there may be some overlap there. This is the change from Bosch ME7.1 to 7.1.1 which adds some software tweaks to how the secondary air and cam timing works plus close-coupled pre-cats to achieve Euro 4 for the A8

The FL2 S8 is actually still Euro 3 as it doesn't have the pre-cats (although does have ME7.1.1), but conveniently for those who might venture inside the M25, the way the DVLA registered the D2s means that the S8 is a sub-model of the A8 and therefore got classified as Euro 4 anyway :D

Got the letter for my 98 a4 but nothing for my 97 s8 even though it looks to be exactly the same wheel. Will ask the question at Audi when I eventually get round to taking it

As Sarg says, great tip, and I get the same as him. MJ's comment below confirms what I have.

Both my 96 A8s show the recall. Guess I'll have to tow them to an Audi dealer! :ROFL:

I guess the removal of said secondary air valves is never mentioned;)

i had this info 3 years ago
and scapped 2 airbags cos of it

It was only launched in September this year - it’s a different issue to the previous one (although similar effect)

cricky thats some airbag issues Adrian
wonder if my A6,s are a problem

Just received my recall letter today. Mine is a 2000 FL1, I guess I'll have to try and arrange a visit to have it fixed. Says it should only take an hour but they may need the car longer.

I just found an FL2 airbag made by Takata :mad: Looks like none of us are safe then.

So how can we easily check out whether we have or have not the Takata airbags?:Confused:

The only way is to take the airbag off the steering wheel and look for the sticker. I'll get a photo tomorrow. Two T30 screws in the back of the wheel. Keep the ignition off and its safe to handle.

Is Audi actually fixing the airbags for the B5's etc over there?

Here, we have BMW replacing all E46 airbags, and Mercedes replacing all W202/3 airbags.
As for Audi: "we'll buy your car off you for fair market value, or you can sign this waiver..."

+++

The letter I have says they're going to replace the gas cylinder or something. Should take about an hour, no mention of buying the car off me.

My letter just arrived. New airbag in a 24 year old car…crazy times. Having to take a day off work for it fitting which is a waste of a damn holiday day. Old girl won’t have seen the inside of a main dealer in at least 2 decades. They happily asked when booking if they could remind me of MoT and servicing….noooooo. Thanks anyway. They would also like to give it a safety check. Also noooooo. Just do what you gotta and I’ll be on my way, sooner the better. If I have to take a day off, I want as much of it for the list I got of things to do, and having Audi flog me stuff isn’t one of them!

I'm at Bristol Audi now waiting for the recall to be complete. Nearly went with a loan car but decided to wait, they're going to wash and vac after too which will be nice.

Attachment 27653

I bet thats the first time some of the techs have even seen a D2!

It'll be interesting to hear what they actually do - I presume they are simply replacing the bag, rather than the whole steering wheel centre.

I have lots of recall letters, but all the 8's they pertain to are in bits so I haven't got any of my own to take :rolleyes:

I'm sure it is. It was getting some looks from the techs and I could hear them enjoying the engine sound as it came in. I had to laugh though as the tech first couldn't work out how to open the boot, he was feeling for a release button above the number plate, finally found the button in the driver's door pillar though. Then he took a while trying to find the battery in the boot and started looking by the spare wheel before going away and then looking in the correct place!

Not sure what they will actually replace, I've not asked but the letter suggests it's the gas generator but can this be replaced on it's own or is it part of a larger assembly.

Gas generator that's it. I'm fairly sure that can be unbolted from the back of the airbag assembly and they are mostly the same, so it should be a fairly simple job and not require all the different colours and shapes of steering wheel centres :)

Last time I let an Audi dealer "wash and vac" my S8, they ended up having to pay out about £100 to have the deep scratch marks removed from the boot by my detailer, after they let a trainee loose on "polishing" it without supervision :angry2: . Hopefully your dealer is better than that.

No issues that I can see, I had a good look around after. Looks like they just ran it through a car wash they have fitted (would never do that myself).

Attachment 27654

I can confirm the steering wheel centre is the same. Feel for the tech though, when doing the free inspection he was looking display the service schedule, pressed the 'Check' button and then thought there were lots of errors for a moment! I heard a comment of 'proper old school' when watching the dash-cam back.:ROFL: the car might be older than the tech working on it

If any of mine go in they will be getting the 'Do not wash' sign from Pro Detailer hung on the rear view mirror and I shall have eyes on them at all times!

Or I might just take in a loose steering wheel with a V5 and see how they respond :ROFL:

If you don't ask you don't get ;). It's the part, not the car, that's faulty. :rolleyes:

Did you stand around just to watch their confusion in order to get some sadistic satisfaction? :ROFL:

Just paying it forward from the sadists at Ingolstadt :D

:ROFL: You'd think so, I was watching from the waiting area which was a floor up overlooking the workshop. Nice coffee and a comfy seat so I could 'work from home' while I wait.

i think i still have a D2 steering wheel , ill check it , sadly no V5 thou
lol