2016 Audi S7: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
15 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
44,959 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 8 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 15 complaints (73.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 20.0% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 20.0% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 13.3% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 6.7% |
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 | 11 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Power Train | 3 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 1 |
| Steering | 1 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 |
Engine: 11; Electrical System: 3; Power Train: 3; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Service Brakes: 1; Steering: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1; Vehicle Speed Control: 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 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 7 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 |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2018: 1; 2020: 2; 2021: 7; 2022: 3; 2024: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 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 11164032 · 2018-12-29 (December 29, 2018)
BITURBO FAILURE CAUSED ENGINE TO TURN OFF WITHOUT WARNING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NO POWER. I HAD TO MERGE THROUGH TWO LANES TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT POWER. CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THAT SOME HAVE BEEN ON FIRE. NEED TO REPLACE THE TURBO. INTERNET SAYS AT LEAST $14,000.00, THOUGH I AM COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11164032 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11339046 · 2020-07-13 (July 13, 2020)
ACCELERATED FROM A STOP TO ABOUT 20 MPH, WHEN IT WENT INTO 2ND GEAR THE ENGINE REVVED AND SKIPPED INTO 3RD GEAR. WARNING STATED "TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION. NO REVERSE GEAR. YOU CAN CONTINUE DRIVING." REVERSE NO LONGER WORKS. ENGINE REVS TO 5000 RPM WHEN DRIVING 20-25 MPH.
Owner-reported narrative. 130,740 miles reported. Look up ODI 11339046 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11377446 · 2020-12-02 (December 2, 2020)
BOTH TURBOCHARGERS FAILED DUE TO OIL STARVATION AT JUST OVER 45000 MILES. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AND REQUIRED THE VEHICLE TO BE TRANSPORTED DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER AS A MAJOR FAILURE.
Owner-reported narrative. 45,118 miles reported. Look up ODI 11377446 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11403430 · 2021-03-17 (March 17, 2021)
AS I WAS PULLING OFF THE INTERSTATE TO USE THE RESTROOM, MY ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. I LOST CONTROL OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WHILE IN MOTION. I WAS ABLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT THE STOP SIGN. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR TEMPORARILY AND ENOUGH TO PULL INTO THE GAS STATION RIGHT OFF THE INTERSTATE. I DID NOT THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG AND WENT TO USE THE BATHROOM. WHEN I CAME BACK OUTSIDE TO THE CAR IT WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO USE MY INSURANCE COMPANY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO AN AUDI DEALERSHIP. THE AUDI S…
Owner-reported narrative. 44,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11403430 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11404348 · 2021-03-22 (March 22, 2021)
AT 74000 MILES, THE TURBOCHARGERS FAILED. I WAS IN TRAFFIC ON A BUSY THOROUGHFARE AND ENGINE QUIT WORKING. COULD NOT DRIVE, OR TURN CAR. I WAS STOPPED.. THANKFULLY POLICE CAME QUICKLY. THIS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR THAT AUDI IS AWARE OF.
Owner-reported narrative. 74,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11404348 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11406204 · 2021-04-03 (April 3, 2021)
TURBO FAILURE. FIRST START UP OF THE DAY, VEHICLE WOULD CUT OFF AND DIE. TOOK IT TO THE AUDI DEALER AND IT WAS DIAGNOSE WITH TURBO FAILURE.
Owner-reported narrative. 50,223 miles reported. Look up ODI 11406204 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11406821 · 2021-04-07 (April 7, 2021)
EXPERIENCED TURBOCHARGER FAILURE WHEN COMING TO A STOP AFTER GETTING OFF THE INTERSTATE AFTER APPROXIMATE 2.5 HOURS OF DRIVING. ENGINE DIED AS CAR SLOWED DOWN SO SUSPECT THE TURBOS FAILED WHILE DRIVING BUT RAM AIR FROM INTERSTATE SPEEDS WAS ADEQUATE TO MAINTAIN THE ENGINE UNTIL IT SLOWED DOWN. THE EXTENDED RUN TIME WITH FAILED TURBOS RESULTED IN METAL FRAGMENTS IN THE OIL SO AFTER INSPECTION, THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH A USED ENGINE. THIS ENGINE HAS APPROXIMATELY 58K MILES ON IT AND I THINK THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE HA…
Owner-reported narrative. 58 miles reported. Look up ODI 11406821 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11414578 · 2021-04-30 (April 30, 2021)
AT 40K MILES, I'VE BEEN NOTICING THE SYMPTOMS OF A DYING MECH UNIT (BANG/JERK TO STOP, SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE), ETC. THOSE SYMPTOMS HAPPENED WHEN I PULL UP FROM STATIONARY, PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE. CAR WILL ALSO THROW TRANSMISSION ERROR CODE ON DASHBOARD AND PUT IN "LIMP MODE" FROM TIME TO TIME. SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AUDI QUOTED ME $5800 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE MECHATRONIC UNIT. MANY THREADS ON THE AUDI FORUM CONFIRM THE ISSUE WAS DUE TO QUALITY CONTROL ON AUDI'S PART, AND AUDI REFUSED TO ISSUE A CALLBACK OR PAY FOR THE EXPEN…
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11414578 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
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 ↗