2013 Audi S7: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
16 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
72,566 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 12 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 14 of 16 complaints (87.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 4 | 25.0% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 6.3% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 14 |
| Electrical System:Instrument Panel:Speedometer/Odometer | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger | 1 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 |
| Suspension | 1 |
Engine: 14; Electrical System:Instrument Panel:Speedometer/Odometer: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger: 1; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Suspension: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 6 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 6; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 4 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 |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2019: 5; 2020: 1; 2021: 5; 2022: 3; 2023: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 4 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11209142 · 2019-05-21 (May 21, 2019)
FAILURE OF BOTH TURBOS WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A RURAL SECTION OF TOWN. VERY ROUGH IDLE AND SUBSEQUENT STALL OF ENGINE WHILE IN TRAFFIC. UNABLE TO RE-START OR DRIVE WITHOUT KEEPING THE GAS PEDAL DEPRESSED MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO REGULATE SPEED AND NEGOTIATE TRAFFIC. LATER FOUND OUT THE TURBO FAILURE IS DUE TO DEFECTIVE OIL FEED DESIGN FROM THE MANUFACTURER.
Owner-reported narrative. 92,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11209142 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11209458 · 2019-05-23 (May 23, 2019)
BOUGHT MY CAR WITH 77,000 MILES ON IT AND WHEN I REACHED 81,000 MILES MY TURBO CHARGER FAILED. THIS SEEMS TO BE COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR VEHICLE, SO COMMON IN FACT, THAT THERE'S BELIEF THERE MAY BE A DESIGN FLAW IN THE CAR. BELOW IS A DESCRIPTION OF THE ISSUE. WHILE GOING COMING BACK FROM THE GROCERY STORE (DRIVING NORMALLY ON A SATURDAY) I NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. THE CAR CONTINUED TO DRIVE OK SO I WENT AHEAD AND DROVE HOME AND PARKED IT. THE FOLLOWING MONDAY I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, HOWEVER WHILE ON THE WAY TO THE D…
Owner-reported narrative. 81,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11209458 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11229484 · 2019-07-04 (July 4, 2019)
BLOWN TURBOS RESULTED IN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. I HAD TO PAY LABOR OF $10,500 AND WARRANTY PAID FOR NEW ENGINE. HAPPENED AT APPROXIMATELY 72,000 MILES. VEHICLE IN GEAR WITH FOOT ON BRAKE AT A FAST FOOD DRIVE THROUGH.
Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11229484 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11230589 · 2019-07-09 (July 9, 2019)
TURBOS FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 82,000 MILES DUE TO A CLOGGED OIL FEED SCREEN. TURBOS WERE STARVED OF OIL CAUSING ONE COMPRESSOR SHAFT TO BREAK IN HALF AND THE OTHER TO HAVE EXCESSIVE SHAFT PLAY. THIS CAUSED A NO-RUN ISSUE AND RESULTED IN BOTH TURBOS HAVING TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE OIL SCREEN. THE VEHICLE BEGAN RUNNING POORLY AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND WHEN IT CAME TO A STOP, STALLED AT A BUSY FREEWAY INTERCHANGE. AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS, THE CAR WAS ABLE TO START AND LIMP OFF THE ROAD WHERE IT WAS TOWED FROM AND DIAGNOSED AT A MECHANIC
Owner-reported narrative. 82,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11230589 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11268109 · 2019-10-12 (October 12, 2019)
WITH 68033 MILES ON MY AUDI S7 THE TURBOS FAILED AND REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED. THE FIRST INDICATION OF THE PROBLEM WAS WHEN THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN IN TRAFFIC AND I HAD A HARD TIME STARTING IT WHILE STOPPED IN A BUSY CITY TRAFFIC LANE. IT TOOK 3 ATTEMPTS TO GET THE ENGINE STARTED BUT IT IDLED VERY ROUGHLY ALMOST QUIT RUNNING AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP THE CAR HOME, BUT WAS NOT SURE OF THE ENGINE WOULD QUIT AGAIN IF I LET IT IDLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 68,033 miles reported. Look up ODI 11268109 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11318477 · 2020-03-17 (March 17, 2020)
I EXITED THE HIGHWAY, MERGED ONTO A 4 LANE HIGHWAY, AND MOVED TO THE CENTER LANE TO TURN LEFT. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND WHEN RESTARTING WOULD SHUT OFF AGAIN AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS. THIS MADE IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN LEFT OFF THE HIGHWAY. THERE WERE MULTIPLE VEHICLES APPROACHING AT 50 MPH. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TURBOS FAILED AT 69,000 MILES. I CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME 4.0 TWIN TURBO ENGINE HAD THIS FAILURE. MY OPINION IS THIS FAILURE IS PREMATURE, DANGEROUS, AND SHO…
Owner-reported narrative. 69,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11318477 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11403268 · 2021-03-16 (March 16, 2021)
THE TURBOS BLEW AT 71074 MILES, RENDERING THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE NEARLY 500 MILES FROM HOME.
Owner-reported narrative. 71,074 miles reported. Look up ODI 11403268 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11406263 · 2021-04-03 (April 3, 2021)
I HEARD A POP SOUND WHEN ACCELERATING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOSS A LOT OF POWER. I CALLED THE AUDI DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT IN. I LEFT IT WITH THEN AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE ISSUE AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS. I WENT TO PICK IT UP AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. I WENT BACK AND GRABBED A SERVICE TECH AND WE DROVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK TOGETHER. HE ASKED THAT I ACCELERATE AT WHICH POINT WHITE SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT OF THE BACK. WE DROVE IT BACK. THEY DIAGNOSED IT LATER AS BEING A BLOWN TURBO. I HAD T…
Owner-reported narrative. 45,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 11406263 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
13V450000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
Reported: 2013-09-23 (September 23, 2013)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Audi S6 and S7 vehicles equipped with 4.0L engines. Due to manufacturing tolerance issues, a fuel line may leak fuel.
Consequence: A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, may result in a fire.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line, free of charge. The safety recall is planned to begin in late October 2013. Owners may contact Audi of America at 1-800-822-2834. Volkswagen's number for this campaign is 20U6/L8.
NHTSA campaign record ↗18V370000 · Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification
Reported: 2018-06-04 (June 4, 2018)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Audi S6 and S7, 2012-2018 A7 and A6 Sedan, and 2014-2018 RS7 vehicles equipped with basic seats (with or without heating). Stress or wear of the body-sensing mat within the front passenger seat may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) control module to malfunction.
Consequence: If the PODS module malfunctions, the front passenger air bag may not deploy properly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D5.
NHTSA campaign record ↗22V178000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger
Reported: 2022-03-23 (March 23, 2022)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2013-2017 A8, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, and 2014-2017 RS7 vehicles. The turbocharger oil supply strainer can become blocked, causing wear to the bearings due to lack of lubrication.
Consequence: Worn bearings can cause the turbine wheel to contact the turbocharger housing or cause the shaft to break, causing an engine stall and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the oil strainer and perform an oil change, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 4, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 21H7.
NHTSA campaign record ↗