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Audi Seat Belt Recalls Affect Occupant Restraint and Child Seats
Audi’s seat belt notices repeatedly address crash restraint and child-seat securing, with 2025 models appearing across several distinct defects. The 2021 notice describes rear automatic locking retractors deactivating early across numerous Audi lines, plus 2021–2022 S3 Sedan vehicles. Recall 69D8 describes retractors failing to engage in specified 2025 models, including Q6 E-Tron variants. Front restraint problems include damaged retractor torsion bars under 69UM, missing buckle rivets on certain 2025 Q7, Q8, RS Q8, and SQ8 vehicles under 692K, and incorrectly manufactured belts on 2025 Q5/SQ5 variants under 69GT. The December 2016 notice separately covers pretensioner activation on specified 2017 models and the 2018 Q5.
Warning signs to watch for
- August 2021 rear belt recall: Automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, preventing a child restraint from securing properly.
- 69D8: The automatic locking retractor may fail to engage when a child seat is installed using the seat belt.
Can you keep driving? What the notices say
None of these six notices carries a stop-driving or park-outside instruction. The December 2016 pretensioner notice, August 2021 rear belt notice, and recalls 69UM, 692K, 69D8, and 69GT do not tell owners to stop driving. Their stated risks concern occupants being improperly restrained during a crash or child restraints being inadequately secured. The absence of a stop-driving instruction does not establish driving safety, and these notices do not provide a common interim driving instruction for this group.
What the free repair involves
The notices specify free dealer remedies. The 2016 notice replaces affected pretensioners and air bags; the 2021 notice inspects middle-rear belt assemblies, replacing as necessary. Recall 69UM replaces one or both front belts; 692K replaces both front buckles. Recall 69D8 inspects and replaces rear assemblies as necessary; 69GT replaces driver and front passenger belts as necessary.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| high | 6 |
Models affected most
Where owners report seat belts problems most
NHTSA owner complaints filed under seat belts for the Audi models and years in this guide. Complaints are unverified reports and are not limited to the recalled defects.
| Vehicle | Seat belts complaints |
|---|---|
| 2021 Audi Q3 | 2 |
| 2021 Audi SQ5 | 1 |
| 2025 Audi Q7 | 1 |
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 24, 2026 | Audi Q5, SQ5 Seat Belts May Not Restrain | high |
| Dec 19, 2025 | Audi E-Tron Models: Rear Seat Belt May Not Lock | high |
| Nov 12, 2025 | Audi Q7 and Q8 Seat Belt Buckle Missing Rivet | high |
| Sep 24, 2025 | Audi S6 Sportback Seat Belts May Fail | high |
| Aug 5, 2021 | Audi and VW rear belts may not secure child seats | high |
| Dec 29, 2016 | Audi Q5 Seat Belt Pretensioner May Not Activate | high |
Common questions
Which Audi seat belt recalls concern securing a child seat?
The August 2021 notice describes rear automatic locking retractors deactivating early, while 69D8 describes failure to engage during belt-installed child-seat use. Their remedies differ: the former addresses middle-rear assemblies, and 69D8 addresses right and left rear assemblies.
Does the Q7 and Q8 buckle recall replace the front belts?
Recall 692K specifies replacing both front seat belt buckles free of charge. It covers certain 2025 Q7, Q8, RS Q8, and SQ8 vehicles whose driver or front passenger buckle may lack a rivet securing it to the stalk.
What is the repair for the 2025 Q5 and SQ5 belts?
Recall 69GT covers certain 2025 Q5, Q5 Sportback, SQ5, and SQ5 Sportback vehicles. The front belts may have been manufactured incorrectly and may fail to restrain occupants properly. Dealers replace driver and front passenger belts as necessary, free of charge.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.