5 Things to Know About the Audi Fuel Leak Recalls

1. Recall #1

The first recall issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration affects 143,214 Audi units. Of this recall, the NHTSA officially stated, "The filter housing of the fuel pump (part of the fuel cap flange) may develop fine cracks/fissures resulting in a fuel leak or fuel smell." The affected models are listed below.

• 2009-2012 Audi Q5
• 2007-2012 Audi Q7

2. Recall #2

The second recall issued by the NHTSA affects 28,249 units. The affected models, listed below, have a bad fuel pump hose that can degrade and thus potentially cause a fire due to a leak. 

• 2012-2013 Audi A6
• 2012-2013 Audi A7

3. Causes

So, what's caused these issues? For Recall #1, it's been suggested by the NHTSA that corroded flanges caused by liquid outside of the fuel pump are to blame for the leak and possible fuel smell. For Recall #2, the clear culprit is a fuel pump hose in the engine that's degrading over time. 

 >>Join the conversation about Audi fuel leak recalls right here in AudiWorld Forum! 

4. Fixes

For Recall #1, Audi doesn't have enough parts to fix all of the affected Q5s and Q7s that run on gas at this time, so they'll send out a preliminary notice and then a second notice once they have sourced the adequate parts. The fix involves cleaning the corroded flanges and providing better protection for the fuel pump by installing a butyl rubber band. 

For Recall #2, the fix is more straightforward. Audi will replace the faulty pump hose as well as the fuel pump under the hood. 

 >>Join the conversation about Audi fuel leak recalls right here in AudiWorld Forum! 

5. Next Steps for Owners

If you think you own an Audi that's been included in one or both of these recalls, then the next step is to wait until you receive a recall notice from Audi in the mail. If you don't want to wait, simply call Audi's customer service line, or you may call the NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline to inquire about your vehicle. Here are the details: 

Recall #1

• Dial 1-800-253-2834 and ask about recall #20W9. 
• Call the Vehicle Safety Hotline and ask about safety campaign #16V660000.

Recall #2

• Dial 1-800-253-2834 and ask about recall #24BZ. 
• Call the Vehicle Safety Hotline and ask about safety campaign ##16V646000.