2019 Audi E-Tron Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2019 Audi E-Tron, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical3334.0%
- Fuel system1414.4%
- Driver assistance1111.3%
- Engine1010.3%
- Visibility66.2%
- Transmission66.2%
- Brakes55.2%
- Powertrain (other)33.1%
- Exterior lighting22.1%
- Body & structure22.1%
- Airbags22.1%
- Tires & wheels11.0%
- Suspension11.0%
- Steering11.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
My 2019 Audi e-tron will not charge. The charging indicator turns red after a few seconds and charging stops. The issue happens with both my home charger and Electrify America public chargers. The vehicle does not make the normal charging connection/clicking sound. This appears to be a charging system or high-voltage electrical issue. I am concerned about a potential safety defect because the vehicle cannot reliably charge and may leave the vehicle unusable. We have had a lot of heavy rain recently, and I am concerned that moisture or water intrusion may be related to the charging failure. The vehicle will not charge and the charging light turns red after a few seconds. The issue occurs with both my home charger and Electrify America chargers.
am writing to file a formal complaint regarding my recent experience with the service department at Audi of Cherry Hill concerning my Audi e-tron. My vehicle remained at your dealership for approximately four weeks, during which time no repairs or meaningful progress were made. Instead, I was informed that I would need to approve approximately $13,000 in diagnostic fees before the vehicle would even be inspected or touched. I find this completely unreasonable and unacceptable, particularly given that my vehicle sat idle at your facility for an extended period without any justification. In addition, I am extremely dissatisfied with the customer service and conduct of an employee named Khern. He explicitly identified himself to me as a manager; however, after speaking with other staff members, I discovered he is not a member of management and works at the service intake desk. Furthermore, when I requested to speak with the actual service manager or another member of leadership to discuss my concerns, Khern actively refused to contact them or allow me to escalate the matter. As a customer, I expect honesty, transparency, and the ability to speak with management when a situation cannot be resolved at the front desk. Instead, I was misled, ignored, and left without assistance while my vehicle sat unrepaired for weeks. I request the following actions in response to this letter: A written explanation as to why my vehicle remained at the dealership for four weeks without any diagnostic progress or work being performed. A detailed, line-item justification for the approximately $13,000 diagnostic estimate presented to me before repairs would begin. An explanation regarding why frontline staff denied my explicit requests to speak with a dealership manager. A direct response from the actual Service Manager or General Manager addressing these concerns and outlining how this matter will be resolved.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
I had 93u9 criteria 04 recall done in February. As of March 6, I had a no power supply message. Without being able to charge it went to the dealer. They said it was the charge port assembly but not from the recall since that was software. Once that was fixed they charged the car and it immediately had the fault electrical malfunction. Now they say i need to replace the rear drive motor. Then thy called again and said the 12v battery needs to be replaced as well. This all happened while still at the dealer. I didn’t have those faults prior, yet they want to say none of its related. This appears all related. After I got the car back from the recall, I had two times the charging didn’t want to start, then I had ghost wiping with the rear wiper and the infotainment system rebooted several times while driving. Safety had gotten much worse and now there are cascading failures. Audi does not want to admit the recall was the cause, but the car had no issues prior and now a month later had $17000 in repairs. Audi has had the error code reports requested by me, but they have not provided them including the corporate office. I feel this recall caused a catastrophic failure of my battery and electrical system.
Vehicle experienced a sudden and total loss of propulsion while driving due to an internal failure of the rear electric motor. The dealer diagnosed it as 'coolant intrusion' into the motor unit. This is a known manufacturing defect in the 2019 e-tron (TSB 2073858/2) where internal seals fail, allowing coolant to destroy the motor. This created a high safety risk on the highway. Audi is refusing to honor the 8-year/100,000-mile High Voltage System Warranty, citing a lack of routine maintenance, even though the motor is a sealed unit with no user-serviceable internal seals
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
The car stayed for 4 weeks at the dealership and he didn’t able to do the recall
Airbag detection system continues to malfunction. When driving at random times it states the detection system is currently unavailable as well as all the function buttons on the steering wheel.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
am writing to file a formal complaint regarding my recent experience with the service department at Audi of Cherry Hill concerning my Audi e-tron. My vehicle remained at your dealership for approximately four weeks, during which time no repairs or meaningful progress were made. Instead, I was informed that I would need to approve approximately $13,000 in diagnostic fees before the vehicle would even be inspected or touched. I find this completely unreasonable and unacceptable, particularly given that my vehicle sat idle at your facility for an extended period without any justification. In addition, I am extremely dissatisfied with the customer service and conduct of an employee named Khern. He explicitly identified himself to me as a manager; however, after speaking with other staff members, I discovered he is not a member of management and works at the service intake desk. Furthermore, when I requested to speak with the actual service manager or another member of leadership to discuss my concerns, Khern actively refused to contact them or allow me to escalate the matter. As a customer, I expect honesty, transparency, and the ability to speak with management when a situation cannot be resolved at the front desk. Instead, I was misled, ignored, and left without assistance while my vehicle sat unrepaired for weeks. I request the following actions in response to this letter: A written explanation as to why my vehicle remained at the dealership for four weeks without any diagnostic progress or work being performed. A detailed, line-item justification for the approximately $13,000 diagnostic estimate presented to me before repairs would begin. An explanation regarding why frontline staff denied my explicit requests to speak with a dealership manager. A direct response from the actual Service Manager or General Manager addressing these concerns and outlining how this matter will be resolved.
The car stayed for 4 weeks at the dealership and he didn’t able to do the recall
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
I had the recall done about a week ago on my Audi 2019 etron. The recall was the software for the rear camera. Now I have noticed that when I am driving and water splashes on the windshield the auto wipers do a single wipe like normal, however the next time after that when I come to a complete stop, like at a light, the rear wiper then goes off once. It had happened multiple times, and that is the only thing that is consistent when it does happen. Today it happened once in the morning when I came to a stop light and then again tonight at a stop sign. It didn’t happen at any other point and I drive over an hour in each commute. Both times the wipers had auto activated to wipe the front windshield at a point between two stops. It doesn’t do it until I come to a complete stop. I wanted to report this since it never happened in the past.
The contact owns a 2019 Audi E-Tron. The contact stated that during rainy weather, there was water entering the vehicle through the roof, and water was leaking onto the infotainment system, the shifter, and other electronics. Additionally, the contact stated that there was water accumulating in the footwell. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that water was leaking through the fully closed sunroof. The contact related the failure to TSB Number: AWA-23-09 (Sunroof Limited Warranty Extension) that stated that the dealer would address a condition of leakage and water ingress into the interior of the vehicle from the sunroof while in the fully closed position and would address consequential damages as a direct result of the water ingress. However, the dealer informed the contact that there was another TSB with the same TSB Number that overrode the bulletin information. The contact was informed that only 60 percent of the cost of the sunroof repair would be covered, and the contact would be responsible for the cost of the repair of the water damage. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that only the TSB that fully covered the cost of the repairs was found, and no other TSB was found. A case was filed. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
The suv has an issue where when you are in drive or reverse, the vehicle can roll backwards of forwards when the accelerator is released and the vehicle is not at a complete stop. For example, coming up an inclined driveway, if you come to a near stop to wait for the garage door to open, but release the accelerator pedal the vehicle will roll backwards rapidly even though it is in drive. The same happens in reverse. The car has brake hold, but it only works when you come to a complete stop and hold the brake pedal for more than a second. If you press the accelerator pedal briefly, the brake hold will release and the car will start to roll backwards or forwards depending on the incline. The gear selection (reverse/drive) does not matter, the vehicle will roll as if in neutral.
Vehicle brake hold does not function as expected, the car will roll in either direction regardless of what gear is selected. If you don't pay attention and are on an incline, the vehicle will roll freely backwards even though you are in drive! Audi does have a brake hold function but it only works when you fully depress the brake pedal and come to a stop. As soon as you press the accelerator to move forward, the car will begin to roll backwards if you are not constantly on the accelerator. Very dangerous!
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
Dear Audi Product Safety Division and NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, I am writing to formally document a safety defect in my 2019 Audi e-tron Prestige (VIN [XXX] ), which exhibits the same brake-system failure described in Audi’s brake-booster recall – Campaign 46P6 / NHTSA Recall 24V-621, despite Audi’s system not listing my VIN as covered. Vehicle Details Make/Model: 2019 Audi e-tron Prestige VIN: [XXX] Build Date: 05/19 (per manufacturer label) Mileage: [insert current mileage] Primary Location: Lynwood, Illinois Defect Summary My vehicle repeatedly displays: “Parking Brake Malfunction” and “Brake System Fault” warnings. A clicking noise or resistance when pressing/releasing the brake pedal. The brake pedal occasionally fails to return fully to its normal position. On one occasion, the vehicle rolled slightly while parked. These symptoms match those described in Audi’s recall 46P6, which involves improper assembly of the bolt connection between the brake-pedal input rod and brake-booster actuator rod. Interaction with Audi Corporate On [insert date], I contacted Audi of America Customer Experience (1-800-253-2834) to report this as a safety issue. During multiple calls, including one with a supervisor, I: Requested that Audi open a Safety Concern / Product Technical Case for review by Product Safety Engineering. Explained that my vehicle’s May 2019 build date places it within the recall’s production range. Was informed that no process exists to document or escalate a VIN for review. When the conversation became confrontational, I ended the call after stating that I would involve legal counsel. Additional Note on Call Conduct During that final conversation, the Audi supervisor asked if I “wanted to argue with him.” I responded that I was not arguing, that I can disagree while stating facts and federal law, and clarified that he was also arguing against the factual information I provided. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)
Going about 50-55mph on dark road I have driven on for last six months in all conditions. Last night was normal dry conditions. I had cruise control and audi presense set to early detection. Suddenly the brakes engaged hard for a split second and then stopped. While this happened the cockpit display said "Audi pre sense" with a red circle icon below. After this the vehicle continued to drive without further incident. This is a common problem in various Audi models that would present various dangers. In particular I can't imagine what would happen if my pregnant wife was buckled in and the brakes suddenly slammed hard.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
I had 93u9 criteria 04 recall done in February. As of March 6, I had a no power supply message. Without being able to charge it went to the dealer. They said it was the charge port assembly but not from the recall since that was software. Once that was fixed they charged the car and it immediately had the fault electrical malfunction. Now they say i need to replace the rear drive motor. Then thy called again and said the 12v battery needs to be replaced as well. This all happened while still at the dealer. I didn’t have those faults prior, yet they want to say none of its related. This appears all related. After I got the car back from the recall, I had two times the charging didn’t want to start, then I had ghost wiping with the rear wiper and the infotainment system rebooted several times while driving. Safety had gotten much worse and now there are cascading failures. Audi does not want to admit the recall was the cause, but the car had no issues prior and now a month later had $17000 in repairs. Audi has had the error code reports requested by me, but they have not provided them including the corporate office. I feel this recall caused a catastrophic failure of my battery and electrical system.
Vehicle experienced a sudden and total loss of propulsion while driving due to an internal failure of the rear electric motor. The dealer diagnosed it as 'coolant intrusion' into the motor unit. This is a known manufacturing defect in the 2019 e-tron (TSB 2073858/2) where internal seals fail, allowing coolant to destroy the motor. This created a high safety risk on the highway. Audi is refusing to honor the 8-year/100,000-mile High Voltage System Warranty, citing a lack of routine maintenance, even though the motor is a sealed unit with no user-serviceable internal seals
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
am writing to file a formal complaint regarding my recent experience with the service department at Audi of Cherry Hill concerning my Audi e-tron. My vehicle remained at your dealership for approximately four weeks, during which time no repairs or meaningful progress were made. Instead, I was informed that I would need to approve approximately $13,000 in diagnostic fees before the vehicle would even be inspected or touched. I find this completely unreasonable and unacceptable, particularly given that my vehicle sat idle at your facility for an extended period without any justification. In addition, I am extremely dissatisfied with the customer service and conduct of an employee named Khern. He explicitly identified himself to me as a manager; however, after speaking with other staff members, I discovered he is not a member of management and works at the service intake desk. Furthermore, when I requested to speak with the actual service manager or another member of leadership to discuss my concerns, Khern actively refused to contact them or allow me to escalate the matter. As a customer, I expect honesty, transparency, and the ability to speak with management when a situation cannot be resolved at the front desk. Instead, I was misled, ignored, and left without assistance while my vehicle sat unrepaired for weeks. I request the following actions in response to this letter: A written explanation as to why my vehicle remained at the dealership for four weeks without any diagnostic progress or work being performed. A detailed, line-item justification for the approximately $13,000 diagnostic estimate presented to me before repairs would begin. An explanation regarding why frontline staff denied my explicit requests to speak with a dealership manager. A direct response from the actual Service Manager or General Manager addressing these concerns and outlining how this matter will be resolved.
Brake lights become faulty due to moisture intrusion from car washes. The part is available for inspection if requested Audi has issued a technical service bulletin on this issue already. This should be handled through a recall, not a TSB.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
I have a 2019 Audi eTron. The worse incident was when on the freeway, I had a warning signal then thankfully, I exited and was on feeder when he was completely stopped, towed to dealership and was told a major component engine equivalent or battery had to be repaired or replaced. There are records at Audi dominion. Regarding current complaint, I have reached out to Audi for maybe two l+ years? Trying to get safety recall for high voltage battery but they kept saying they have not received software part to remedy this.
The trunk has one of those built in sensors underneath so that you can close it by waving your foot under the trunk. This can end up being very dangerous, especially since the trunk is deep. On several occasions, as I have been reaching deep into the trunk to grab some stuff, but foot ends up tripping the sensor under the car to start the trunk hatch closing, while I'm in the middle of the closing area! If I didn't quickly move, the trunk would have closed on my body. In other instances, the trunk door has hit me on the head.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
Airbag detection system continues to malfunction. When driving at random times it states the detection system is currently unavailable as well as all the function buttons on the steering wheel.
DUE TO AN ACCIDENT, FRONT AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED CAUSING A DEEP LACERATION AND A THUMB DISLOCATION TO MY RIGHT HAND ( ACCIDENT WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE AND DIDN'T HIT DRIVER DOOR ) BLOOD STAIN WAS ON THE STEERING WHEEL, ESCALATED THE ISSUE TO AUDI USA STATING THAT THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSED A SERIOUS INJURY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL BUT THEY SAID THAT AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED AS DESIGNED
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
Component: Tires (Front Left) Continental Cross Contact LX 265/45 R21 Incident Description: Driving at highway speed, the front left tire suffered a catastrophic tread delamination. The flailing tread tore the fender and charging cover off of the vehicle. No impact or road hazard occured due to smart manuvering and proximity to the shoulder to pull over. However, this could have been deadly with a family with young children in the car and others on the road. This could have been a near fatal event. The car is currently being looked at by the autobody shop and insurance. There were no warnings or other symptoms prior that would have indicated any issue.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE AUDI DRIVE SELECT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED FOR MULTIPLE HOURS. DURING THIS TIME THE VEHICLE'S AIR SUSPENSION SET ITSELF TO THE LOWEST POSSIBLE SETTING (LOWER THAN THE DRIVE SELECT MODES ALLOW) FOR THIS DURATION. THE AUDI DRIVE SELECT SYSTEM DISPLAYED A SCREEN THAT WAS BLANK WITHOUT ANY SELECTABLE OPTIONS. THE AUDI DRIVE SELECT SYSTEM WAS UNRESPONSIVE TO PUSHING THE PHYSICAL BUTTONS ON THE CONSOLE WHEN TRYING TO SELECT THE AUDI DRIVE SELECT MODE. WHEN I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND TRIED TO RESET IT, MULTIPLE UNRELATED ERRORS OCCURRED. THESE INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO "PREDICTIVE EFFICIENCY: ASSIST UNAVAILABLE", "REAR CROSS TRAFFIC ASSIST: CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE", "ALL WHEEL DRIVE MALFUNCTION! LIMITED STABILITY", AMONG OTHERS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE VEHICLE PULLS TO ONE SIDE AND DESTABILIZES THE VEHICLE MOVEMENT BOTH ON THE HIGHWAY AS WELL AS LOCAL ROADS. THE AUDI DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT IT IS DUE TO A HIGHLY SENSITIVE LANE DEPARTURE SYSTEM THAT CAN NOT BE EITHER DISABLED OR ADJUSTED. THIS IS RESULTING IN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION AS VEHICLE TRIES TO STEER ITSELF WHENEVER IT IS CLOSER TO THE LANE DIVIDER LINE OR EVEN WHEN IT ENCOUNTERS A MINOR DIP ON THE PAVED SURFACE. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING APPEARS TO GET STICKY AND LOCKED WHENEVER THE CONDITION IS ENCOUNTERED. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL SITUATIONS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE GOT UNBALANCED WHILE CHANGING THE LANES. I AM CONCERNED THAT SOMEDAY IT WILL LEAD TO A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I REPORTED IT TO AUDI AS WELL AS THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP TESTED IT AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE SIDEWAYS PULL BUT FAILED TO ADDRESS THE FLAW. IT FEELS EERILY SIMILAR TO THE BOEING 737 MAX ISSUE WHERE APPARENTLY THE SOFTWARE WAS DESIGNED TO CORRECT THE AIRCRAFT PITCH AND THERE WAS NO EASY WAY TO DISABLE THE SYSTEM. THIS APPEARS TO BE A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW WHICH AUDI IS TRYING TO OVERLOOK AND IGNORE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .