In conjunction with the New Mexico DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 389 Audi owners in the State of New Mexico on March 13, 2023.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Audi A6 airbags problems
moderate 17 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
17
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
When does it fail?
Of the 17 airbags complaints filed for the 2009 Audi A6, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
In conjunction with the Massachusetts DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 2,907 Audi owners in the State of Massachusetts on March 13, 2023.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗In conjunction with the Colorado DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 2,174 Audi owners in the State of Colorado on February 13, 2023.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Takata recall and 3G turndown
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗In conjunction with the New York DMV, Audi will be sending Takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 5,165 Audi owners in the State of New York on October 17, 2022.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2009 Audi A6s received multiple Takata airbag recall notifications (campaigns 16V382000, 17V032000, 18V427000) alerting them that passenger frontal airbag inflators could rupture during a crash due to propellant degradation from long-term heat and humidity exposure. A rupture could allow metal fragments to tear through the airbag cushion and injure or kill occupants.
The critical problem: replacement inflators were unavailable. Multiple owners visited Audi dealerships only to be told parts were not in stock. When they contacted the manufacturer, Audi could not provide a timeline for when parts would arrive. Some owners reported waiting over a year after requesting the recall repair. A few were never contacted by Audi despite the recalls being issued. One owner noted he received the recall notice in July 2016 but found no parts available by December of that year, forcing him to restrict passenger use of his vehicle. Another found Audi's airbagrecall.com website non-functional for scheduling. Owners felt the long delays exposed them and their passengers to a known, unresolved safety risk while Takata faced bankruptcy proceedings.
Same Audi A6 airbags reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2008 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012
Failure modes owners describe
Takata passenger frontal airbag inflator rupture hazard
Takata passenger frontal airbag inflators subject to propellant degradation after long-term exposure to high humidity and temperature cycling. Inflator rupture during a crash deployment could allow metal fragments to tear through the airbag cushion material, potentially causing serious injury or death to vehicle occupants.
When: Upon crash-triggered airbag deployment, degradation occurs progressively with age and environmental exposure
Symptoms owners cite: No symptoms until deployment event; hazard is latent degradation of inflator propellant
Repairs/costs cited: Recall repair requires replacement of passenger frontal airbag inflator
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 16V382000, 17V032000, 18V427000 (Takata recall). Owners report parts unavailable across multiple dealerships and multiple recall campaigns; manufacturer unable to provide timeline for part availability.
Recall remedy parts unavailability and delayed remediation
Multiple owners received Takata airbag recall notifications (campaigns 16V382000, 17V032000, 18V427000) but were unable to have repairs completed because replacement inflators were not in stock and manufacturer could not confirm arrival dates. Delays spanned months to over a year from recall notice to complaint filing, leaving vehicles with known hazardous components unremedied.
When: Recall notices issued July 2016 (campaign 16V382000/17V032000); complaints filed months to years later with repairs still incomplete
Symptoms owners cite: Recall notice received but parts unavailable at dealership; Manufacturer contacted and unable to provide parts availability date; VIN tool/airbagrecall.com shows 'recall incomplete, remedy not yet available'; Owners unable to complete recall service at multiple dealerships
Codes mentioned: NHTSA Campaign 16V382000, NHTSA Campaign 17V032000, NHTSA Campaign 18V427000
Repairs/costs cited: Dealerships confirmed parts not available for recall remedy. Owners report requests placed over a year prior with no completion. Some owners were not contacted by Audi at all despite registered recalls.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Audi/Takata recall campaigns issued but remedy parts remained unavailable; manufacturer acknowledged issue but could not confirm delivery dates. Bankruptcy of Takata added uncertainty.
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 16 most recent
Takata recall. I received recall notice in july 2016 that the passenger airbag needed to be replaced and it is now december with no replacement available. I cannot in good conscience have passengers in the front seat for fear of injury to them should there be an accident. This means I can't use my car unless I am the only occupant of the vehicle which severely limits my use of my car. Do I have…
Takata recall has been issued but still shows "recall incomplete remedy not yet available"
Takata recall
Takata recall notice
Takata has reported that the passenger frontal airbag inflator could potentially rupture (due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute high humidity and temperature cycling) if the vehicle is involved in a crash where the frontal airbags are designed to deploy. In the event of an inflator rupture, metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material,…
Takata recall. Audi has not contacted me to have the airbag replaced as they have indicated they would do. Now that bankruptcy is forthcoming, I need the airbag replaced asap. The long delay by Audi has placed me in jeopardy of injury (or death). The local Audi dealership is Audi eatontown, 95 nj-36, eatontown, nj 07724.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Audi a6. The contact stated that NHTSA campaign number: 17v032000 (air bags) exceeded a reasonable amount of time for repair. The contact received the recall notification in july of 2016. The dealer (morong falmouth Audi, 187 us toute one, falmout, me, 04105) stated that the parts were unavailable for the repair. The manufacturer confirmed that the parts…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Audi a6. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v382000 (air bags). The part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not…
This recall had started from 2016 and I haven't received any note for recall service.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Audi a6. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 18v427000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer (Audi fairfield, 435 commerce dr, fairfield, ct 06825) was contacted and confirmed that the parts…
Had airbags trouble with your 2009 Audi A6?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2009 Audi A6?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 17 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 17 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 106,000 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Audi/A6.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.