Hearth Record

Seat belts: front: retractor (Audi and Volkswagen)

Vehicle recall 25V-638. NHTSA received Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.’s report on Sep 24, 2025.

NHTSA’s own record, on nhtsa.gov

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The short answer

NHTSA received Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.’s report on Sep 24, 2025. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 23, 2026.

Every line below is in NHTSA’s own words, with its source beside it.

What’s wrong with it?

In a crash, a damaged torsion bar in a retractor could fail. If this happens, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

(Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025 GTI, Golf R, Audi A5, A6 Sportback E-Tron, S5, S6 Sportback E-Tron, 2026 Q4 Sportback E-Tron, and Q4 E-Tron vehicles.

The torsion bar in one or both front seat belt retractors may have been damaged during production.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated daily.

  • NHTSA’s part: Seat belts: front: retractor.

What should you do?

Dealers will replace one or both front seat belts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 30, 2025, and October 31, 2025. Owners may contact Audi at 1-800-253-2834 or Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298. Audi’s number for this recall is 69UM; Volkswagen’s number for this recall is 694T. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 26, 2025.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated daily.

  • Check a vehicle by its VIN at NHTSA: the recalls still open on it are listed there.

Which ones are recalled?

NHTSA counts 1,042 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.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated daily.

  • Audi Q4 E-Tron2026
  • Audi A6 Sportback E-Tron2025
  • Audi S52025
  • Audi S6 Sportback E-Tron2025
  • Audi Q4 Sportback E-Tron2026
  • Audi A52025
  • Volkswagen Golf R2025
  • Volkswagen GTI2025

Who is recalling it?

  • Made by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc..
Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 23, 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.
Source:

Hearth Record wrote these lines.

Sources

  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Recalls flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010).

    Released Oct 23, 2026 and checked Oct 23, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

Source:

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 23, 2026.

How to read a record

Four things every record does, shown on an example record made up for this guide.

An example record, made up for this guide

An example nursing home

Made up for this guide: no real place is shown

Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

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Every fact names its source.

Who published it, when, and how often it changes sit beside each fact, with a link to the agency’s own file.

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