Seat belts: rear/other: retractor; seat belts (Audi and Volkswagen)
Vehicle recall 21V-606. NHTSA received Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.’s report on Aug 5, 2021.
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The short answer
NHTSA received Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.’s report on Aug 5, 2021. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 28, 2026.
Every line below is in NHTSA’s own words, with its source beside it.
What’s wrong with it?
An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
(Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Sedan vehicles.
The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.
As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, “Occupant Crash Protection.”
NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.
- NHTSA’s part: Seat belts: rear/other: retractor.
- NHTSA’s part: Seat belts.
What should you do?
Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen’s numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).
NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.
- How to reach the firm: 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.nhtsa.gov.
- Check a vehicle by its VIN at NHTSA: the recalls still open on it are listed there.
Which ones are recalled?
NHTSA counts 45,496 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.
Each model year opens its own page: every recall naming it, its owner complaints and its crash ratings.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.
- Audi S52021
- Audi S5 Cabriolet2021
- Audi S82021
- Audi A62021
- Audi Q82021
- Audi A42021
- Audi A52021
- Audi Q32021
- Audi Q72021
- Audi S62021
- Audi S42021
- Audi RS 52021
- Volkswagen ID.42021
- Audi S72021
- Audi A72021
- Audi SQ72021
- Audi Q52021
- Audi S320222021
- Audi SQ82021
- Audi SQ52021
- Audi E-Tron2021
- Audi A82021
- Audi A6 Allroad2021
- Audi A5 Cabriolet2021
- Audi RS Q82021
- Audi RS 6 Avant2021
- Audi RS 72021
Who is recalling it?
- Made by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc..
NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.
What the record doesn’t say
- NHTSA’s recall file doesn’t say whether anyone was hurt. Owners’ complaints are counted on each vehicle’s page.
- Whether one vehicle or seat has been fixed: only its maker, or NHTSA’s lookup with a VIN, can say.
- How many have been returned or fixed isn’t in the notice.
Hearth Record wrote these lines.
Sources
-
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Recalls flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010).
Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
Vehicle, car seat, tire and vehicle equipment recalls, owner complaints and crash ratings are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Copied on Oct 28, 2026.