Volkswagen of America’s Audi unit is recalling more than 94,000 vehicles in the U.S. because the C-pillar padding may not absorb enough impact in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of head injury in passengers who are not wearing seat belts.
The recall affects certain Audi Q7 crossovers from the 2018-20 model years built between July 2017 and April 2020.
A spokesman from Audi told Automotive News that the recall was found through routine testing and the automaker it is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this defect.
In April, one Audi Q7 failed a conformity-of-production test with respect to the head injury criterion. The issue was corrected in production in April and the parts delivered from the supplier have been within specifications since, according to a NHTSA document.
Antolin Ebergassing GmbH of Austria is the component manufacturer listed on the NHTSA document.
Dealers and owners will be notified on or before Dec. 23 and the padding on the driver and passenger side C-pillar will be replaced free of charge.