Audi Seatbelts May Not Work With Child Seats

Audi drivers with children should be aware of malfunctioning seatbelts in their cars.

More than 27,000 Audi vehicles’ seatbelts may not properly lock when child seats are installed, according to Audi parent company Volkswagen. The company spotted the problem during an internal audit in September, VW told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“The automatic locking retractor (ALR) may fail to prevent the seatbelt webbing from being extended more than the allowable length after locking when a seatbelt is used to secure a child restraint seat,” Volkswagen said in a recall report. “If the seatbelt webbing is extended more than the allowable length when a seatbelt is used to secure a child restraint seat, there is an increased risk of injury to the occupant of the seat.”

The recall covers a range of models from 2025, including:

• SQ6 E-Tron 
• SQ6 Sportback E-Tron 
• Q6 Sportback E-Tron
• A6 
• A5 
• A6 Sportback E-Tron 
• Q6 E-Tron 
• S5 
• S6 Sportback E-Tron

Audi A5 sedans account for about half of the recall. 

Volkswagen said it planned to notify owners of recalled vehicles by mid-February. It is asking owners to bring their cars to authorized service providers for inspection and repair, which may include seatbelt assembly replacement. Owners can continue to use the latch method to secure car seats, but should refrain from using the seatbelt method until cars are inspected and repaired.

Volkswagen and Audi Safety Issues

The recall is a scary situation for Audi drivers who have been hauling kids in their vehicles, unaware that child seats may not work when needed. It highlights the ongoing struggle for Volkswagen and other global automakers to ensure that their vehicles are actually safe to hit the road.

Major car manufacturers call back millions of vehicles every year, citing a wide range of defects that put drivers, passengers, and everyone else on the road at risk. These recalls are routinely announced long after cars have left factory floors and dealership lots, sold to unsuspecting buyers.

Earlier this year, for instance, VW announced it was recalling some 500,000 Audi and Porsche vehicles because of problems with rearview cameras that the automaker acknowledged increased crash risks. The company also recently called back more than 40,000 Volkswagen ID.4 sport utility vehicles whose battery modules could overheat and cause fires.

The good news for car owners in California is that you do not need to wait around for a recall to get a defective or malfunctioning vehicle fixed. The California lemon law requires automakers to repair cars that are under warranty and cover the tab for related expenses. The law also empowers car owners to take action if manufacturers do not live up to their obligations.

Talk with a California Lemon Law Attorney

If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle, a California lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.  

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a California lemon law attorney.