Your BMW, Skoda or Audi requires a visit to the workshop because the airbag can project shards

Several alerts have recently been issued regarding Takata airbags , which continue to cause problems years after installation. These passive safety devices are present in approximately 370,000 cars in France, including Audi, Skoda and BMW models .

Their possible deterioration over time could lead to the projection of shrapnel on the occupants of the car in the event of an accident, thus compromising their safety. Although these airbags are not defective in the same way as those implicated in the previous scandal, their impact on passenger safety remains equally concerning.

Some 370,000 cars affected, although it could be more

More specifically, there is a security vulnerability associated with airbags manufactured by Takata , which are fitted to the affected cars as well as many other models from various brands. Over time, the bag and its release system can degrade, especially in vehicles six to twelve years old .

This deterioration can lead to excessive internal pressure when the airbag is triggered, causing the inflator to explode and flying metal fragments through the airbag cushion, putting the occupants at risk.

The consumer organization has collected information indicating that virtually the entire range of BMW , as well as a large part of Skoda and Audi models manufactured between 2004 and 2017 , are affected by this vulnerability. Specific models vary depending on their date of manufacture.

Audi :

• Audi A4, S4, A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, RS4, RS4 Cabriolet, Audi A6, S6, A6 Allroad Quattro and RS6, manufactured between February 23,  2004 and August 2011.
• Audi A5, Q5, Q5 Hybrid, SQ5 TDI and SQ5 TDI plus, produced between  September 13, 2008 and November 26, 2012  . The European alert, here.
• Coupe TTS, Coupe TT, Roadster TTS, Roadster TT, Coupe TT RS, Roadster TT RS, Coupe R8, R8 Spyder built between  September 3, 2014 and February 11, 2017.

Skoda:  Citigo, Roomster, Fabia II, Fabia (3rd generation), Rapid, Yeti, Kodiaq, Octavia (3rd generation) and Superb (2nd and 3rd generation) models, manufactured between June 1, 2012 and December 15,  2017  . The European alert, here  .

BMW:  1 Series, 2 Series, 2 Series Active Tourer/Gran Tourer, 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, BMW X1, X3, X4, X5, X6 and BMW M2 , M3, M4, X5M: produced between  February 2012 and December 28, 2014  . The European alert, here.

But also Series 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, in addition to X1, X3, X4, X5, X6 and M2, M3, M4, X5M, X6M, manufactured between January 4 and December 30, 2015  . The European alert, here  .

Are all cars in France affected by the recall? The consumer organization estimates it could affect around 370,000 cars , but we have contacted all three brands to find out the exact number of units that need to be recalled. We are awaiting their response at this time.

However, it is possible to check if your car is affected by entering the chassis number on the BMW, Audi and Skoda websites .

The consumer association also points out that other manufacturers could have the same problem, as Takata airbags are present in many cars.

Owners of affected cars are usually notified by mail and asked to schedule a workshop appointment to resolve the issue. Skoda has already started sending these communications .

What is the nature of the repair? According to a circular that Skoda sent and to which BlaBlaStore had access, the repair will consist of replacing the driver's airbag with a new one. Although the car shop indicates that it may take more than 30 minutes due to organizational problems, the estimated time for the repair is approximately 30 minutes.

Does this involve any fees? No, these types of service reminders are always free , even if the car is out of warranty.