NHTSA safety recall National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Volkswagen recall: The driver and front passenger seat belts may have been manufactured

Recall published 6 months ago

The driver and front passenger seat belts may have been manufactured incorrectly, and fail to properly restrain occupants during a crash.

The hazard: Seat belt or seat defect

The recall concerns occupant restraint. Many of these are compliance failures against a federal standard rather than reports of injury, which makes them easy to postpone and still worth doing.

What the notice says: Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash.

Why it matters: A seat belt, buckle, anchorage or seat frame may not restrain an occupant properly in a crash. The fault is invisible in normal driving because the part is never loaded until it is needed.

Recall details

Recall number
26V266000
Published
April 24, 2026
Risk level
NHTSA safety recall
Status
Open safety recall
Issued by
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Brand
Volkswagen
Product type
Seat Belts
Distribution
Nationwide
Vehicles
Audi Q5 · Audi SQ5
Lot / code info
NHTSA campaign number 26V266000

Products covered by this recall

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2025 Q5, Q5 Sportback, SQ5, and SQ5 Sportback vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat belts may have been manufactured incorrectly, and fail to properly restrain occupants during a crash.

Vehicles in this campaign

Check your product

The notice names 4 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

Vehicle

Match this against the make and model on your registration.

  • Q5
  • Q5 Sportback
  • SQ5
  • and SQ5 Sportback

Codes are lifted verbatim from the NHTSA — Vehicle safety recalls notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Seat belt

Volkswagen — The recall concerns occupant restraint. Many of these are compliance failures against a federal standard rather than reports of injury, which makes them easy to postpone and still worth doing.

  1. Check every belt and seat in the vehicle for the symptom the notice describes, including the ones nobody usually sits in.
  2. If a child seat is installed on an affected anchorage, ask the dealer whether to move it to another position in the meantime.
  3. Keep the repair order the dealer hands you. It is your proof the campaign was closed out, and it matters at resale.
  4. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you do anything else. A campaign covers a build range, not every car of that model year, and the VIN lookup is the only thing that confirms yours is included.

Getting the repair booked and paid for

The money side of a vehicle recall is simple. The scheduling side is where people lose weeks.

  • Ask whether the parts are physically in stock before you accept a date. A booking without parts is a wasted morning.
  • Where the manufacturer has issued an interim measure — park outside, do not drive, a software limiter — follow it until the full remedy is done.
  • Reimbursement claims for earlier out-of-pocket repairs go to the manufacturer, not the dealer, and need the original itemised invoice.
  • If you get nowhere, file at nhtsa.gov. Complaints tied to an open campaign number carry weight.

Remedy named in the notice: Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 29, 2026. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69GT.

Company contact: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the NHTSA — Vehicle safety recalls record National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Volkswagen seat belts recalled?

The driver and front passenger seat belts may have been manufactured incorrectly, and fail to properly restrain occupants during a crash. Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

The notice does not publish package codes for this recall. Compare the product name, size and the purchase window against the official NHTSA — Vehicle safety recalls record, and contact the company if you are unsure.

What should I do with it right now?

Check every belt and seat in the vehicle for the symptom the notice describes, including the ones nobody usually sits in.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 29, 2026. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69GT.

Does the repair cost me anything?

No. Safety recall repairs are performed free of charge at a franchised dealer for as long as the campaign is open, whether or not the vehicle is still under warranty.

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