Car Problem DataNHTSA records

1990 Audi 90

Routine

Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags › frontal › sensor/control module. It has been recalled 3 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery1
000
Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery1
000
Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module1
000

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module-inactive97V172000
Filed Oct 6, 199754,800 vehiclesVolkswagen Of America,inc

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME AIR BAG SENSORS DO NOT COMPLY WITH AUDI'S DURABILITY STANDARDS OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE.

Risk. IN THE EVENT THE SENSOR SHOULD MALFUNCTION, THE AIR BAG RESTRAINT SYSTEM CAN INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY. DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG RESTRAINT SYSTEM WITHOUT WARNING COULD CAUSE A DRIVER TO LOSE VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG SENSOR CONTROL MODULE.

Power Train › Axle Assembly93V006000
Filed Jan 11, 1993152,000 vehiclesVolkswagen Of America,inc

Defect. THE DIFFERENTIAL OIL OF THE TRANSAXLE IS LOST OVER TIME DUE TO EVAPORATION. LOW OIL LEVELS CAUSE PREMATURE BEARING AND GEAR WEAR AND EVENTUAL FAILURE OF THE DIFFERENTIAL.

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF FAILURE, THE VEHICLE'S DRIVE WHEELS COULDLOSE POWER. IN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES, THE FRONT WHEELS LOCK, CAUSING RAPIDDECELERATION RESULTING IN POSSIBLE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy. DRAIN AND REPLACE THE DIFFERENTIAL GEAR OIL WITH OIL HAVING HIGHER PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS.

Steering › Column Locking › Anti-theft Device90V070000
Filed Apr 10, 19906,600 vehiclesVolkswagen Of America,inc

Defect. IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED STEERING LOCK BOLTS COULD BREAK IF DRIVER APPLIES EXCESSIVE FORCE TO A LOCKED STEERING WHEEL IN AN ATTEMPT TO DISENGAGE THE STEERING LOCK.

Risk. BOLT BREAKAGE WOULD CAUSE STEERING WHEEL TO REMAIN LOCKED EVEN AFTER THE DRIVER TURNS THE IGNITION KEY AND ATTEMPTS TO MOVE THE CAR; THIS TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy. REPLACE COMPLETE STEERING LOCK ASSEMBLY, INCLUDING A MODIFIED LOCK BOLT.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery
Filed Jan 11, 2001MA

HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE SPRANG LEAK UNDER CAR NEAR FIREWALL

Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module
Filed Nov 2, 1999NV

RECALL REPAIR NOT COMPLETED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS (97V-172). MJS

Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery
Filed May 11, 1995CA

BATTERY EXPLODED, AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE IGNITION COIL HAD A CRACK. TT

3 of 3 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1995
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
19970100Routine
19960200Routine
199518300Routine
199410200Routine
199316220Routine
19920100Routine
19913210Routine
1990 — this page3300Routine

Compare every 90 year →

Other Audi models

All Audi models →
A4 2,893A6 1,656Q5 1,333Q7 1,037A3 727S4 588A5 325TT 319A8 252A4 Allroad 251

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Oct 6, 1997. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.