05:10 01-05-2026

Audi Recalls 2025 Q5, SQ5 Models Due to Front Seat Belt Defect

Audi recalls 7,425 2025 Q5, Q5 Sportback, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback SUVs over front seat belt pretensioner that may fail in crash. Free repairs starting June 2026.

Audi is recalling 2025 model year Q5, Q5 Sportback, SQ5, and SQ5 Sportback SUVs in the U.S. after discovering a safety issue with the front seat belts. Documents reviewed by regulators reveal that 7,425 vehicles may have belts that fail to perform as expected in a crash. This isn't a minor glitch: the pretensioner, which directly affects how well an occupant is held in place during a collision, could malfunction.

According to the NHTSA, the problem affects the driver and front passenger belts. In an accident, when the pretensioner activates, the belt might not maintain proper tension, leaving slack that reduces restraint effectiveness. For owners, this means the belt may be buckled but won't provide the intended level of protection under certain conditions. The documents explicitly state that inadequately restrained occupants face a higher risk of injury in a crash.

The bulk of the recall involves 5,344 Audi Q5 units built between July 13 and December 14, 2025. Also included are 769 Q5 Sportback models (July 10 to December 3, 2025), 1,041 SQ5 units (July 15 to December 14, 2025), and 271 SQ5 Sportback models (July 15 to December 9, 2025). Audi estimates that roughly 5 percent of the recalled vehicles actually have the defect.

The root cause isn't electronic or software-related; it's a manufacturing issue. Audi points to deviations in the production process at supplier Safety Autoparts Mexico, which may have hindered the belt's locking function after the pretensioner fires. The affected front seat belt part numbers are 8MA 857 705 L and 8MA 857 706 L.

The defect came to light in November 2025, when a production compliance check revealed abnormal locking behavior despite correct pretensioner activation. In December, the supplier ran internal tests and began sorting and reworking parts. By January 2026, analyses showed that the pyrotechnic pretensioner's locking effectiveness could drop under certain test and crash conditions. On February 24, 2026, the supplier introduced an alternative ball-lock design, and on April 17, Audi's product safety committee approved a recall. Importantly, Audi says it has no reports of crashes, fires, injuries, deaths, or complaints linked to this defect.

Repairs will be free for owners. Dealers will replace one or both front seat belts (driver and/or passenger) as needed. Dealer notifications are set for May 1, 2026, with the same date for VIN checks to go live. Owner notification letters will be sent no later than June 23, 2026.