Airbag recall

[JCUK]

Took my car to Audi for an airbag recall, was told in advance that they wanted it all day. When I got there they informed me it was just to check the gas canister to see what type it was, as some might shatter when activated. I was later informed that I needed a replacement which would be supplied and fitted free of charge.

When I got home I spotted some minor damage and changes to the setup, when I reported this I was informed that the check was purely visual and therefore nothing could have been changed or damaged.

My question is how do they do this visual check and why did they require the vehicle?

[Jim Haseltine]

I was informed that the check was purely visual and therefore nothing could have been changed or damaged.

Bullsh*t. A visual check of the air bag unit can't be performed without first removing the glovebox and CD player/MMI unit (if fitted). And with that I'm assuming that the air bag serial number/data label is visible from below without dropping the bag from it's mounting point - if it isn't then there's an isolation process that includes disconnecting the battery.

I'm planning to take a look at my airbag and if possible go into the dealers armed with any serial numbers I can find before I agree to them touching the car.

[JCUK]

Thank you, your opinion is similar to mine; however it is the trim next to the passenger air vent which is cracked, I was wondering if the airbag or gas canister can be identified from there?

[Jim Haseltine]

The answer is that the trim fits against a solid piece of the fascia so removing it wouldn't help. It might be possible to see some of the ignitor labelling if the passenger air vent was removed but that doesn't appear to be too easy - I tried and discovered that the chrome bezel unclipped quite easily but probably because it revealed a piece of double-sided foam tape and some broken pieces of the air vent casing which suggests to me that along with losing a number of fastenings the cowboys who fitted a Mickey Mouse Cobra alarm/tracker for the car's first owner also broke more trim than I was aware of. I doubt that removing the vent is a goer though as the ignitor serial number label is to the right end of the unit - I stuck a camera under there set on macro and managed to get a mostly readable shot of it.
As far as I can make out (with ? being the only character I can't identify), it has:
?06058799-AD
2008 130 0053
4F2 880 204 F
*671 TAKTCPEEW5R*

4F2 880 204 F is obvious..... then I'd take a guess at 2008 130 0053 being a date & index stamp - year 2008, day 130 (around May 10 assuming their years starts January 1) and 0053 being the 53rd unit created that day but that's pushing things even with just-in-time deliveries as my car was registered with DVLA on June 28.

[JCUK]

*671 TAKTCPEEW5R*

The recall is for Takata airbags so it looks as if your car is also affected.

Unfortunately this does not explain how my trim was damaged unless the mechanic did not know what he was doing.
My suspension settings was changed from dynamic to sport ( too hard with a bad back and loads of potholes) so it also looks as if someone took it for a drive.