FaultScore

Audi A7 engine problems

30 of the 217 complaints filed about the Audi A7 are about the engine — 14% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2019.

30

Complaints

14%

Share of all complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

Engine & Cooling complaints by model year

2007 A7 1 3.3%

Median failure at 107,000 miles

2012 A7 5 16.7%

Median failure at 100,000 miles

2013 A7 5 16.7%

Median failure at 69,824 miles

2014 A7 2 6.7%

Median failure at 63,000 miles

2015 A7 1 3.3%

Median failure at 90,000 miles

2016 A7 2 6.7%
2017 A7 1 3.3%

Median failure at 2,300 miles

2019 A7 10 33.3%

Median failure at 22,650 miles

2021 A7 3 10.0%

What owners said

2021 Audi A7 Mendota Heights, MN

ENGINE

While driving on the freeway at approximately 65–70 mph, the engine suddenly stopped responding to all accelerator pedal inputs. The vehicle experienced an immediate, dangerous loss of motive power in active traffic. The dashboard displayed an amber check engine light alongside the central master warning light (an amber triangle with an exclamation point inside). I was forced to coast across active lanes of highway traffic to reach the right-hand shoulder. A State Trooper was on the shoulder and approached me, but there was no formal report. After turning the vehicle completely off and waiting, the system temporarily reset, and throttle response returned. The following day, the exact same sudden loss of accelerator response occurred while driving in local traffic, again creating a severe risk of a rear-end collision. The vehicle has been taken to an authorized Audi dealership for a diagnostic evaluation. No diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) have been provided by the dealer yet. There was no crash or injury, but the sudden, repetitive loss of propulsion on a high-speed roadway constitutes an extreme safety hazard. I am the original owner and have maintained all scheduled maintenance intervals.

NHTSA complaint #11754375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 Audi A7 at 50,000 miles Las Cruces, NM

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2019 Audi A7. The contact stated the engine had been overheating, and the contact had to pull over to add coolant to the coolant reservoir before continuing to drive. The failure became more persistent within the last 2 months. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that there was coolant leaking into the engine from the water pump, vacuum lines, and the cooling system was inoperable. The part was ordered to repair the vehicle. The contact researched online and discovered that there was a Class Action Lawsuit associated with the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

NHTSA complaint #11751748 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 Audi A7 Cypress, TX

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2019 Audi A7. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25-27 MPH, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and the message "Engine Malfunction" was displayed. The vehicle then restarted independently, but the message remained displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA complaint #11750102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2021 Audi A7 Granite bay, CA

ENGINE

The first time, while driving at 50-55mph, the engine decelerated suddenly. After about 10-15 seconds struggles with the gas pedal and brake pedal, the car accelerated normally. I pulled safely to side of the road to shut off the engine and start again. Things seemed to work like normal. The control panels did not show any warning signs. The second and third times (couple weeks later), while driving around 40-45mph, the engine decelerated suddenly again. After some struggles like I did the first time, the engine accelerated like normal. Like the first time, the control panels did not display any warning signs. I took the car to the Audi dealer garage and they couldn't identify the problems. They performed two "engine software updates" and said hopefully it should address the engine decelerate issue. I was charged $299 for the diagnostic tests. I am worried what would happen if I was driving on a busy and highspeed Freeway!

NHTSA complaint #11729313 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2021 Audi A7 Orange, CA

ENGINE

Water pump design failure caused a leak of coolant into vacuum lines preventing coolant from cooling engine and causing immediate overheating. Known issue previous class action lawsuit.

NHTSA complaint #11704951 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 Audi A7 Woodbridge, VA

ENGINE

2019 Audi A7 VIN: [XXX] Mileage: 53336 Fuel Pump and Starter Battery Failure Car stalls during operation. Confirmed by Tyson Audi Dealer wants to charge me for the repair of the said parts. Warning light appeared, then went off. Vehicle was taken to dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11672007 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2014 Audi A7 South Daytona, FL

ENGINE

Below is the system failed/malfunction. Speedometer reads inaccurate reading while driving. Steering column is off alignment, potentially at risk of accidental collision. Control Units: 29 Fault count: 33 Control Units: 09 Central Electrics System description: BCM1 2.0 Software number: 4H0907063CG Software version: 0130 Hardware number: 4H0907063 Hardware version: H12 Faults: U011500 - Lost Communication With ECM/PCM "B" static Priority - 2 Malfunction frequency counter - 1 Unlearning counter - 208 km-Mileage - 216932 km Voltage terminal 30 - 14.1 V Voltage terminal 15 - 14.1 V Control module temperature - 36 °C System status - Terminal 15 on Terminal 15 status - On Terminal 15 status via CAN - On IN ZAS Kl X - On Engine running - On IN ESP Stillstandsflag - standstill detected Datenfeld - 0 date - 2025-04-10 21:36:10

NHTSA complaint #11664174 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 Audi A7 Las Cruces, NM

ENGINE

2019 Audi A7: Water Pump failed. Audi Dealership diagnosed and replaced the Water Pump. Car overheated - warning light came on - and I drove it to the nearest Audi Dealership. I was on a road trip and 800 miles from home when water pump failed. Repairs cost $1950 and took 5 days to complete costing another $1000 in hotel and food expenses plus ruined the road trip.

NHTSA complaint #11613821 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 Audi A7 Columbus, OH

ENGINE

Component/System Malfunction: The engine control unit fails, causing the engine to shut off unexpectedly while driving. This component is available for inspection. Safety Risk: The sudden shutdown poses severe risks. It happened on local roads and highways at speeds over 65 mph, creating immediate danger. Reproduction and Confirmation: The problem has been reproduced but not resolved by Audi Columbus. Inspection: Inspected multiple times by Audi Columbus, but not by police or insurance. Warning Lamps/Symptoms: No warning lamps or messages before the engine shuts off; the failure is sudden. Detailed Timeline of Incidents: •[XXX]: First incident; the engine shut off on a local road. Paid $1,500 for repairs, but the issue persisted. •[XXX]: Engine shut off again, preventing going to office due to lack of loaner vehicles. •[XXX]: Engine shut off on the highway, causing extreme fear and distress. Vehicle towed to the service center. The engine shut off in a high-crime area. Restarted vehicle message came on, Vehicle towed from work place. Service Center Issues: •Shutdowns prevent work due to no loaners. •Service advisor Ellis declined services without permission and acting like he has no idea why the vehicle is there even though he is the same service advisor dealing with the constant issue. •No effective resolution despite multiple visits. Impact: The repeated issues severely affect my mental health and safety. Request for Resolution: I seek either a replacement vehicle or a full refund. I urge NHTSA to investigate this defect to prevent accidents. Supporting Evidence: I can provide once contacted Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. I look forward to your response. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11603833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 Audi A7 Washington, DC

ENGINE

Internal engine oil leak

NHTSA complaint #11581472 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2014 Audi A7 at 63,000 miles Winter Park, CO

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2014 Audi A7. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer for routine maintenance and was informed that the motor mounts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

NHTSA complaint #11524888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 Audi A7 Greensboro, NC

ENGINE

Multiple warnings indicating to contact dealer (Lane departure, adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance, etc) then 1 minute later transmission failure and engine failure imminent.... pull over immediately and contact dealer. while driving a few minutes later my center MMI went blank then my electronic dash went blank, transmission went into neutral and the engine died all within a few seconds. Fortunately I was able to coast to a stop and unable to restart the vehicle. towed to dealer who assessed that starter/generator needed to be replaced.

NHTSA complaint #11504805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 Audi A7 Arcadia, CA

ENGINE

Received an electrical malfunction - please call service warning icon on dash display. In less than one mile, I received cascading sequential warnings - including transmission and steering warnings - please pull over now. I attempted to exit the freeway on the next ramp, on the I10 Freeway in Claremont, CA on the Monte Vista Exit - but the car completely lost all power and electric (dash and all screens were dark) blocking a traffic lane. Was stranded there for over 45 Minutes until AAA/Highway Patrol were able to obtain a tow truck. Car was towed to dealer and found out it is a known issue with the 48V Alternator System in 2019 Model Year Audis. Found out alternator is unavailable due to supply chain issues and car will be out of service for at least 4 weeks! Per research on Audi Forms, this is a known issue and Audi should be recalling these vehicles and performing the KNOWN software update (TSB Software Update 27-22-45 - Version 527) on all 2019-2020 Audi vehicles with this system. I was in fear of being rear-ended and injured - and to find out this should not have happened is very disappointing. Please require Audi to recall these vehicles and update the software so others are NOT put in this same life threatening situation - and then forced to wait until the vehicle can be fixed - currently at least 4 weeks! It has happened to MANY others - just check the Audi Owner Forums on the internet. Thank you for your consideration.

NHTSA complaint #11503807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 Audi A7 Indianapolis, IN

ENGINE

I am reaching out to update complaint number 11503265. Back in October of 2022, my vehicle turned off on me one time at the gas station and would not start until I waited 5 minutes. The vehicle did the same thing about 15 minutes later after I arrived at a friends' house. Following that incident later on that night it happened again. I have also had some issues with the vehicle not accelerating.

NHTSA complaint #11503879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 Audi A7 at 45,000 miles Indianapolis, IN

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2019 Audi A7. The contact stated that while driving at an undetermined speed, the vehicle was shuddering and failed to accelerate as needed. The contact stated that the oil warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V155000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11503265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 Audi A7 Montgomery, AL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

Oil system. A quart of oil has to be added every day. Dealership says its crank case breather. Which the supercharge cause the oil to burn more. Also the antifreeze is burning more because the engine is so hot from the oil burning rapidly. Audi is aware and fails to do anything about this known issue.

NHTSA complaint #11488899 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 Audi A7 Shoreline, WA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Around 36k miles the vehicle had some dried coolant residue and required coolant topups every 2-3k miles. Two different dealerships performed comprehensive inspections between then and now and did not notify me of any problems. The residue was explained away in a service bulletin stating that it was normal for the water pump to weep some coolant. Now at 44k miles, I brought the car in when I saw dried coolant residue and it seemed to require coolant more frequently. Dealer notified me that the engine water pump has failed and requires replacement.

NHTSA complaint #11478185 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 Audi A7 at 75,338 miles Bogart, GA

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A7. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS REFERRED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE THE REPAIR FOR A LACK PARTS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED AUDI DEALER FOR SERVICE. THE MANUFACTURER DECLINED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NEAREST DEALER WAS NEARLY TWO HOURS AWAY AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE SERVICED AT THE TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,338.*BF

NHTSA complaint #11377117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 Audi A7 at 105,000 miles Lansing, MI

ENGINE

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 CONTROL UNIT, AND THE HARNESS / ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS. AUDI HAS A HISTORY OF COOLANT PUMP DEFECTS AND HAS ACTIVE RECALLS FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE FOR OTHER MODELS. THIS MODEL, THE 2012 A7 SHOULD BE ADDED TO THAT LIST AS IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS WERE SENT TO THE DEALERS.

NHTSA complaint #11319324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 Audi A7 at 67,648 miles Beaufort, SC

ENGINE

WHILE STATIONARY AND DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS ALONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND EPC LIGHT WHICH STATES, "TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION. CAN CONTINUE TO DRIVE". DRIVES SLUGGISH AND "SPUTTERS" ABOVE 4000 RPM. MY WIFE (PREGNANT AT THE TIME) WAS DRIVING WHEN IT SPUTTERED AND HAD DIFFICULTY EXITING OUR SUBDIVISION ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I TOOK IT TO THE AUDI DEALER IN HARDEEVILLE, SC AND CONCERN WAS VERIFIED AS COOLANT IN ENGINE/TRANSMISSION HARNESS. (SEE UPLOADS) I'VE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH TO SEE IF THIS WAS COMMON AND I FOUND A RECALL ON THE A8 FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM. ADDITIONALLY, I WAS ABLE TO FIND SB-10053889-6593 WHICH OUTLINES THE EXACT ISSUE; SO AUDI IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #11289667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Audi A7 problems