Audi A7 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
138 owner complaints analyzed
24 distinct recall campaigns
34,145 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2007 to 2025 model years. Data snapshot: . 72 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 43 of 138 complaints (31.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 23 | 16.7% |
| Steering behavior | 20 | 14.5% |
| Braking behavior | 17 | 12.3% |
| Engine operation | 13 | 9.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 11 | 8.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 3.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 43 |
| Engine | 27 |
| Air Bags | 18 |
| Steering | 18 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 16 |
| Power Train | 16 |
| Unknown Or Other | 16 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 |
Electrical System: 43; Engine: 27; Air Bags: 18; Steering: 18; Fuel/Propulsion System: 16; Power Train: 16; Unknown Or Other: 16; Vehicle Speed Control: 11
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 32 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 10 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 11 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 7 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 11 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 32; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (32). 66 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 22 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 15 |
| 2023 | 22 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 | 10 |
2013: 1; 2014: 7; 2015: 1; 2017: 14; 2018: 14; 2019: 22; 2020: 9; 2021: 9; 2022: 15; 2023: 22; 2024: 8; 2025: 6; 2026: 10
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 23 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 20 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 17 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10983509 · 2017-05-04 (May 4, 2017)
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE "COOLANT VALVE LEAKED INTO THE WIRING HARNESS AND SHORTED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. MAY HAVE CAUSE AN UNEXPECTED STALL OF THE VEHICLE."
Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10983509 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11030207 · 2017-09-27 (September 27, 2017)
I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT WHICH WOULD NOT GO OUT IS BECAUSE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING HARNESS (WHICH EVEN THE DEALERSHIP THINKS IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM THOUGH I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY TOLD THAT TO AUDI) TO FIX THIS, AND ASSURE THAT MY AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY, THEY WANT OVER 18 THOUSAND DOLLARS. AUDI HAS DISCLAIMED ANY LIABILITY FOR THIS ISSUE AND MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WON'T COVER IT BECAUSE ITS AN AIRBAG ISSUE.
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11030207 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10578872 · 2014-04-10 (April 10, 2014)
OCTOBER 18, 2013. VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOST POWER STEERING AND ACCELERATION WHILE TRAVELING IN THE LEFT HAND LANE ON THE AT 72 MILES PER HOUR JUST IN FRONT OF A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. I WAS FORCED TO CROSS INTO THE RIGHT HAND LANE WITH NO ACCELERATION OR POWER STEERING AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO A HALT APPROXIMATELY 150 YARDS BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE BEGAN AS THE RIGHT LANE WAS CLOSING. I WAS ACCOMPANIED BY MY GIRLFRIEND. THE RIGHT LANE WAS CLOSING WITH CONCRETE K RAILS ON BOTH SIDES. THIS COULD HAVE KILLED US BOTH. ONCE AT A FULL STOP AND IN PARK I …
Owner-reported narrative. 23,537 miles reported. Look up ODI 10578872 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11015046 · 2017-08-14 (August 14, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A7. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WARNING INDICATOR FLASHED RANDOMLY. THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND POWER EACH TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, WHICH RESET THE CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD A RECALL AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE VEHICLE BE SERVICED BY A DEALER. THE DEALER (AUDI CONSHOHOCKEN, [phone removed]) AND THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE DIAGNOSED TO DETERMINE T…
Owner-reported narrative. 128,941 miles reported. Look up ODI 11015046 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11118698 · 2018-08-09 (August 9, 2018)
WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 AUDI A7 ON THE HIGHWAY, RECEIVED NUMEROUS ERROR MESSAGES WITHOUT WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CAR BEGAN TO LURCH, STALL, AND DRIVE ERRATICALLY WITH LIMITED DRIVING AND BRAKING CONTROL. SITUATION WAS VERY UNSAFE AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING. AUDI DEALERSHIP STATED THAT A COOLANT MIGRATION DEFECT OCCURRED. THE COOLANT PUMP VALVE FAILED INTERNALLY AND LEAKED COOLANT ONTO THE WIRING HARNESS. THE COOLANT TRAVELED ALONG THE HARNESS AND DAMAGED OR DESTROYED MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS INCLUDING THE ECM, TRANSMISSION CONTR…
Owner-reported narrative. 105,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11118698 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11316133 · 2020-03-04 (March 4, 2020)
CAR COMES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL AND AUTO-BRAKING. SYSTEMS RECENTLY WERE DISABLED, AND ARE THROWING ERROR. "0161 - VIDEO CABLE FOR IMAGE PROCESSING " UNABLE TO USE CRUISE CONTROL, AND ASSUME THAT AUTO-BRAKING IS DISABLED UNTIL THIS IS RECTIFIED.
Owner-reported narrative. 99,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11316133 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11269822 · 2019-10-21 (October 21, 2019)
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. UPON INSPECTION BY THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED THAT A COOLANT VALVE CONNECTED TO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE HAD FAILED. THIS RESULTED IN COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE MODULE AND THEREBY DAMAGING IT. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN A SIMILAR VEHICLE OF THE SAME YEAR.
Owner-reported narrative. 70,142 miles reported. Look up ODI 11269822 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11181487 · 2019-02-20 (February 20, 2019)
FUEL TANK LEAK
Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 11181487 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11034277 · 2017-10-18 (October 18, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 AUDI A7. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS PARKING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF A NEIGHBOR'S HOME, A "FUEL TAKE INOPERABLE SEE DEALER" MESSAGE APPEARED. AFTER LEAVING FOR WORK, THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED BY HIS NEIGHBOR THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT FUEL WAS SPRAYING FROM THE FUEL PUMP AS THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO EXTINGUISH AND IT WAS CAUSED BY A MECHANICAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT…
Owner-reported narrative. 102,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11034277 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 11 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2009: 0; 2012: 5; 2013: 5; 2014: 2; 2015: 3; 2016: 3; 2017: 4; 2018: 2; 2019: 6; 2020: 8; 2021: 11; 2022: 6; 2023: 1; 2024: 1; 2025: 1