2021 Audi E-Tron Electrical Problems

I own a 2021 Audi e-tron with approximately 58000 miles. Beginning in March 2026, the vehicle developed intermittent Virtual Cockpit/instrument-cluster problems with blank display. I reported the condition to Audi dealer of Princeton NJ. The vehicle subsequently experienced two dead 12-volt battery incidents and became inoperable. The second 12 volt battery was new. Following the most recent incident, the Audi dealer diagnosed the Virtual Cockpit/instrument cluster as causing a drain on the 12-volt battery and recommended replacement at a cost of approximately $3,500. The replacement part is unavailable, and Audi has provided no estimated delivery date. The vehicle has remained out of service since July 03rd 2026. This condition presents a potential safety concern because failure of the instrument cluster may prevent the driver from reliably viewing speed, warning indicators, vehicle status, range, and other safety-related information. The recurring 12-volt battery discharge may also leave the vehicle unexpectedly disabled. The vehicle is additionally showing an indicated range of only approximately 160 miles at 100% charge. Audi has not established whether this is related to the instrument-cluster failure, high-voltage battery condition, battery-management system, software, or another electrical defect. Audi has not provided documentation of a comprehensive high-voltage battery health and capacity evaluation. Audi issued a recall or service campaign affecting other 2021 Audi vehicles for substantially similar Virtual Cockpit/display problems. However, Audi states that my VIN is excluded and has not provided a technical explanation identifying a different component, part number, software version, supplier, or failure mechanism. I request that NHTSA evaluate whether the recurring instrument-cluster failure and 12-volt battery discharge constitute a broader safety defect and whether the existing Audi recall or service-campaign population should include this car.

NHTSA ID

11752046

Incident

Mar 26, 2026

Moisture build-up in the high-voltage electrical system through a faulty seal on the charging socket, which can cause a short circuit and significantly increase the risk of a vehicle fire. If you get a warning light saying "electrical system: fault," you should stop driving immediately, park outdoors away from structures, and not charge the vehicle. Braking problems caused by sub-standard welding within the ABS rotor and shaft. High-voltage battery modules that may overheat, also increasing the risk of fire. An infotainment unit that can become internally damaged when the vehicle is shut off, resulting in an inoperative rearview camera display a federal safety standard violation. This clearly shows the vehicle was badly manufactured, during a chip shortage in 2020. This vehicle is a complete failure by Audi and puts so many innocent peoples lives at risk.

NHTSA ID

11738208

Incident

Apr 7, 2026

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - While on highway the vehicle loosed all Power indicating Electrical Malfunction How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? It happened on I-35 Freeway twice putting me in danger of 18 wheelers around me. I am afraid to be in the vehicle even if they return it to me. Based on records this issue has been present on the car since it rolled off manufacturing. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes and Dealer has reproduced it and has the car with them for 5 Plus months. Have replaced many components and are not able to resolve it. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? South Austin Audi Dealer has been working with Audi Corporate Technical team and have replaced 5 parts to no resolution. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Electrical Malfunction - Red light flashing to pull the care over to the emergency lane but there is no acceleration - you are left to depend on whatever momentum is left on the car. Based on records this issue has been present on the car since it rolled off manufacturing. Based on records this issue has been present on the car since it rolled off manufacturing.

NHTSA ID

11731663

Incident

Nov 25, 2025

Audi dealership charged fee for a repair that they the,selves acknowledged is under a technical service bulletin and despite my having extended warranty that is supposed to cover such repairs. This is for the main media interface going blank repeatedly every ~5 minutes or so while driving. Audi charged me for a repair that is a known safetyissue and is covered under warranty.

NHTSA ID

11728247

Incident

Mar 14, 2026

Tied with NHTSA Recall 25V900 - Review Camera Software. Dealer was unable to complete the recall due to internal malfunction of USB Interface on vehicle. Dealer quoted a non itemized Repair Estimate of $1,045.50 to replace the interface in order to be able to complete the open recall. No visible user caused damage to interface and prior Technical Support Bulletin (2066315) for issues with USB covering specific vehicle. Given the dependence on software within our vehicles, the USB interface used to perform required recall work should be covered when failure is internal to the interface module.

NHTSA ID

11718481

Incident

Feb 13, 2026

The vehicle's central locking system does not properly communicate with the keyfob resulting in the doors not unlocking as intended. I have had my child in the car seat in the back and if i accidentantly touch the handle the wrong way the doors will lock and I am unable to use the unlock feature to get my kid out. This could be a serious safety issue if someone becomes trapped in the rear seat and the central locking system does not allow unlocking of the doors.

NHTSA ID

11702257

Incident

Jul 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Audi E-Tron. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V867000 (Electrical System). The part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the battery module had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, and a case was opened. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID

11689755

Incident

Sep 25, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Audi E-Tron. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V867000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11627497

Incident

Nov 26, 2024

My Audi E-tron has a consistant problem with the MMI (Multi Media Interface, the main computer for the car). When I am driving, all the screens will go blank, I cannot see my speed, I have no HVAC controls, I am basically driving blind. To fix the issue, I have to pull over, turn off the ignition, open the driver door, close the driver door, put my foot on the brake, start the car again. Sometimes this happens in the first few minutes of driving, othertimes it happens when I am on the highway which poses a huge safety risk. This saftey issue has presented itself at least 5 times in the last 12 months. I have told Audi about this issue several times and they completely deny it exists. This is my 3rd Audi in 15 years and like every other Audi issue I have had, Audi will completely deny there is a problem until there is a recall forced on the company. It happened with the brakes of my last 2017 q7 and Audi kept telling me there was no issue, it finally got settled with a recall on the vehicle. The MMI has been an issue on this car since day 1. The MMI shutting off and putting everyones lives at risk has been going on for the last 12-18 months.

NHTSA ID

11625675

Incident

Nov 11, 2024

The vehicle's charging system keeps failing and turning off the charger. The rear doors do not open from the inside of the vehicle (intermittently).

NHTSA ID

11606580

Incident

Dec 11, 2023

See attached document for complaint

NHTSA ID

11582613

Incident

Feb 19, 2024

Charger overheats Charger trips breaker Charging damaged burned wall outlet Charging damaged breaker

NHTSA ID

11576151

Incident

Nov 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2021 Audi E-Tron. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a message displayed reading "Electrical System Malfunction: Safely Stop the Vehicle," after which the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V867000 (Electrical System) and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 26,000.

NHTSA ID

11572096

Incident

Feb 7, 2024

Mileage

26,000 mi

There are 2 active/open recalls for my 2021 Audi etron vehicle. The recalls were initiated by the manufacturer 2 months ago and there currently are no repairs available for either recall. Both recalls present a severe safety risk to consumers and present risks to their homes. Dec 20, 2023 Manufacturer Recall Number. 93V2 NHTSA Recall Number 23V867 A potentially critical self-discharge condition exists in certain high-voltage battery modules that, in some instances, may lead to thermal overload, possibly resulting in smoke or a fire. A high-voltage battery overheating increases the risk of a fire. Affected high-voltage batteries may experience a loss of range and/or performance as an early indication. Safety Risk A high-voltage battery overheating increases the risk of a fire. Dec 19, 2023 Manufacturer Recall Number 93U6 NHTSA Recall Number 23V842 If a 220V/240V wall plug becomes overburdened when the compact/portable charging system cable is being used to charge the high-voltage batteries in your vehicle, the home wiring can become overheated. If this happens, overheating of the home infrastructure can eventually cause permanent damage to the house socket and charging cable, increasing the risk of a fire. Safety Risk Overheating of the home infrastructure can eventually cause permanent damage to the house socket and charging cable, increasing the risk of a fire.

NHTSA ID

11571567

Incident

Feb 12, 2024

This issue occurred with my Audi a year after purchasing it and the vehicle had 19,282 miles on it at the time. I received an "Electrical System Malfunction - Please contact service" error message (in yellow) on my 2021 Audi etron vehicle display. The message was displayed for a few minutes as I was traveling home from work and then disappeared. The following day, I was on my commute into work on the highway, traveling 70 mph, and received an "Electrical System Malfunction - Safety stop vehicle" error message. The vehicle immediately started displaying other error messages and the motor turned off, while the vehicle was in motion. Luckily, I was able to move to the shoulder of the highway safely. The experience was frightening as I was traveling 70 mph and experienced a complete vehicle shut down with little to no warning. The Audi etron had to be towed to the dealership to be repaired. The dealership had my vehicle for 3.5 weeks while they repaired the car. They inspected the vehicle and determined it was a front motor failure and it had to be replaced. I am extremely concerned about the safety issues the Audi etron has created for me and others, especially given that it is a newer vehicle with low mileage.

NHTSA ID

11569181

Incident

Jul 10, 2023

The contact owns a 2021 Audi E-Tron. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V867000 (Electrical System) and 23V842000 (Electrical System) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11567324

Incident

Dec 19, 2023

Twice in the span of 3 months my 2021 Audi eTron with less than 25K miles shutdown while driving with an error message "Electrical system: malfunction! Safely stop vehicle." At this point the drive train is completely disengaged and all that can be done is coast to a stop with limited ability to steer or control the vehicle. The vehicle must then be towed to a dealership. If this had happened on a busy multi-lane highway, there is a high probability of an accident occurring putting occupants of the car and other cars at risk. In both cases there was no prior warning of any problem with the vehicle. The first repair in July required Audi to replace the master controller located in the battery pack and replace the front engine due to a fluid leak. This took 6+ weeks to complete. I had the car back 5 weeks after the first repair when it happened again. I am still waiting diagnosis on second repair.

NHTSA ID

11544436

Incident

Sep 2, 2023

Electrical malfunction system and car can stop while driving without warning

NHTSA ID

11533832

Incident

Jun 22, 2023

CHARGEPOINT, INC manufacturers defective electric motor vehicle chargers for residential use. Chargepoint's initially worked upon delivery and installation by a certified/license electrician. However, after several months the charger became defective and was replaced by Chargepoint with another identical charger. The second charger did not work upon arrival despite customer service assistance. Chargepoint refused to refund me the cost of purchase and replacement. Chargepoint would like to have the defective chargers returned without reimbursement of all expenses.

NHTSA ID

11508949

Incident

Oct 1, 2022

My vehicle has 13,090 miles on it. I have had two electrical issues that affected the A/C button not working on the panel display, which were both fixed by the dealership. Last week, after dropping my children off at school, a warning sign came on my display that said "Electrical system malfunction - Safely Stop the Vehicle." I wasn't in a spot to stop the vehicle safely so I started to drive to a parking lot where I could. While trying to take off at an intersection after the red light turned green, the car completely stopped with the nose of my car sticking out into the crosswalk/intersection. The accelerator would not respond and I could not move. I had to ask some people standing by to help me push my car off into a parking lot where I had the vehicle towed to the dealership. After being at the dealership for 6 days, they let me know that it has been verified that a motor is going to need to be replaced and they put an order in for it. They said they aren't sure on when the vehicle will be ready for me to pick it up.

NHTSA ID

11485657

Incident

Sep 16, 2022

Had multiple instances as I approached intersection stops of the vehicle suddenly jerking and the drive train becoming disengaged. The car maintained electrical power and had working steering and braking as I coasted to a stop. This occurred 5 times over the course of 3 miles as I attempted to make my way home, and I would estimate that each occurrence happened at a speed under 10 mph. The car was near full battery charge level when this occurred. With each occurrence, the vehicle would generate a series of warning messages (indicating failures of one system after another, ranging from electrical system, to drive train, to collision avoidance, to tire pressure monitor, etc.) and would indicate the car was disabled, should be pulled over safely, and that I should call the dealer for support. For about 30 seconds, the car could not be put back into "drive" mode, but after that time I could restart the car and was able to resume driving. Fortunately, this all occurred when I was driving on neighborhood streets during a non-busy period, and I was able to carefully make my way back home. But having a car suddenly and randomly disabled while in motion could obviously be a significant safety issue. The following day I had the car towed to my local Audi dealer and at this point have received no indication of what the problem might be or even when it might be assigned to a technician for diagnosis. In looking online at Audi owner forums, it's clear that others have experienced the same problem I experienced, along with an array of other significant electrical failures. I've spoken to the Audi Customer Experience support desk and they say the problem I experienced is not one they've been made aware of.

NHTSA ID

11447317

Incident

Jan 9, 2022

Vehicle traveling when electrical systems malfunction message came on. Said pull over safely and call for service. After car was slowed to a stop, the vehicle was disabled with no forward or reverse drive possible. The car was stranded close to the middle right of the street. Car had to be towed to the nearest dealership around midnight. Problem has been confirmed with the dealer and they are still looking into the problem. Prior warnings messages of headlamp malfunction, Audi emergency assist unavailable, high beam headlight faulty were present about a month prior but did not disable the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11444100

Incident

Dec 11, 2021

While operating the vehicle the air conditioning system failed. The vehicle was brought to dealer for diagnosis which confirmed the failure and was out of service for 30 days due to parts availability being SOP. The dealer provided a loaner and fuel reimbursement due my car being electric but refused to reimburse the lease payment for the 30 days out of service. The parts replaced were 4M0-959-609 SENSOR, 87571950 HIGH PRESSURE SWITCH & REFRIGERANT.

NHTSA ID

11442709

Incident

Dec 5, 2021

While I was on vacation a couple states away, I drove the Audi Etron Sportback for the first time since three days before when I drove to the vacation destination. After several minutes driving I got an "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION - PLEASE CONTACT SERVICE" notification. Several minutes later I got very large red alert that said "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION - STOP VEHICLE". I immediately pulled over to the side of the road into a parking lot just before the electric motors shut down completely. This put myself and my dog in danger. Car was towed to local Audi Dealership and they informed me that coolant had infiltrated the front motor and needed to be replaced. Then other hoses and parts had to be replaced. I am at 4 weeks without my vehicle. The car had 9800 miles on it and was roughly 9.5 months old. Upon searching the internet, there's MANY complaints of coolant infiltrating the motors after a long road trip or after many miles. This kills the motor and some owners report horror stories of having no electrical power in the middle of traffic and in the middle of streets. This is apparent that it is a not a stray issue - but it is a routine issue with the Audi Etron Sportback. And with two motors, and each one costing about $15,000 each - it is likely a very serious and expensive problem that Audi doesn't want to be known. Loss of drive ability (along with other systems) in an EV in traffic or highways is an extremely dangerous and terrible activity, especially for first responders and hazard workers that assist an owner in a vehicle that is very difficult to move when in this state.

NHTSA ID

11439557

Incident

Oct 13, 2021