2017 Audi Q7 Electrical Problems

My 2017 Audi Q7 with the 3.0T engine has experienced repeated engine/ignition system failures. The vehicle displays a "System Malfunction" warning light accompanied by shaking and stalling. This same malfunction has occurred at least 3 separate times over the past few years. Each time, a repair shop diagnosed and replaced faulty ignition coils, and the vehicle ran normally for a period of time before the identical malfunction returned. The vehicle is currently inoperable due to the most recent occurrence. This creates a safety risk because the stalling and shaking can occur while driving, with no clear warning beyond the malfunction light appearing at the same time as the symptoms begin. A stall or loss of power while in motion, especially in traffic or on a highway, could lead to a collision. The problem has been confirmed and repaired multiple times by an independent European auto repair specialist, who stated this is a known, recurring issue with this engine/model. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer directly. Separately, the vehicle has also developed excessive oil consumption, requiring approximately 2 gallons of oil added roughly every 6 weeks, with the frequency increasing over the last 2 months. I am uncertain whether the oil consumption and the recurring coil/ignition failures share a common root cause, but both issues are ongoing and unresolved. The vehicle and its components are available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ID

11754079

Incident

Jul 6, 2026

Getting error message that the "Front Left Side Marker Light Defective". The light appears to be operational. Service shop looked to read the errors with ODB2 and both light modules (left and right) are not communicating any info. In same time the warning in dashboard is continuous and can impede gauges visibility during night. Audible warning noise can also activate at random times. Searched for this issue and Audi recalled some models for electrical software issue but many users outside the current recall report this same issue. Please expand the VIN numbers for the recall action for safety.

NHTSA ID

11722959

Incident

Jan 22, 2026

I am having issues with my vehicle ( Audi 2017 Q7)that matches Audi Recall 97CB NHTSA campaign Number 16V642000 regarding the side marker light software malfunction. While my VIN is not currently showing as open on a Recall my vehicle is experiencing the marker lights failure. My vehicles MFD date is 05/16 which is in the dates of the recall 97CB but is for some reason excluded from the recall. I have had the vehicle at the Audi dealer to check on the problem. They have had the vehicle two different times totaling 15 hours and are unable to find a problem.They refuse to provide the recall remedy because my VIN is not currently flagged. my Vin is [XXX] . I am requesting my VIN be added to the 97CB NHTSA# 16V64200 My case # with Audi is XXX Rep is Susan . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11719946

Incident

Feb 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side marker warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic with a failing driver's side marker. The contact was informed that the driver's side marker needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at night, the failure was a safety issue. In addition, the contact stated that the dinging from the sensor was a distraction. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V642000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

NHTSA ID

11694827

Incident

May 21, 2025

Mileage

96,000 mi

The contact owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Side Marker light Fault Detected" was displayed. The contact stated that after a visual inspection, the contact became aware that both side marker lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the side marker light assembly. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V642000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11660677

Incident

May 13, 2025

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID

11651230

Incident

Jul 24, 2023

The car caught fire and burnt to to the frame. The message that came on the dash board before it caught fire was camera. I told Audi and they disregard all of that. They told me they were going to check or do investigation and the only thing I was told after looking for answer was this! These people know my insurance was state minimum so everyone put aside our safety concerned… Thank you for your continued patience while allowing Volkswagen Group of America the opportunity to review the subject Audi Q7 bearing the Vehicle Identification Number, [XXX] . Inspection of the subject Audi Q7 was conducted on September 6, 2023 at Mac’s Towing in Dania Beach, FL. Our investigation found no sign or suggestion of any manufacturer defect or shortcoming present with the vehicle. While the root cause is unknown, we would see the damages as remaining an insurance matter in light of no sign or suggestion of any manufacturer defect or shortcoming being found. Should your insurance company believe that Volkswagen Group of America is responsible for any damages, they will contact us to subrogate the claim. Regards, [XXX] Single Incident Coordinator – Audi / Lamborghini Product Analysis Group Office of the General Counsel Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. 2200 Woodland Pointe Avenue Herndon, VA 20171 Phone : +1 248 754 3367 Cell : [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11648603

Incident

Jun 24, 2023

My vehicle is experiencing the same issues as described in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V642000, but my vin number isn't listed in the vehicles affected even thought the year make and model agree to the recall. Should the dealer be willing to correct this issue since it's a known safety hazard?

NHTSA ID

11647141

Incident

Feb 17, 2025

Front left and right marker lights show up as defective on the dashboard, intermittently, but the lights are working. Have seen on different forums that this is not uncommon with this vehicle. Many complaints. Tried working with Audi/USA and have followed their advice with needing a dealership assessments. I have done this on two occasions, but they said that they will not be responsible, but that the dealership will offer a labor discount of 10%. These quotes are over $7000 to replace the lights and modules (that are working), if you don’t want to keep listening to the dinging warning bells. And it forces the customer to fix it because you will never be able to sell the car even though the lights are working. Think at least Audi should pay for the parts on all complaints. There is such a term as “good will” and they should broaden the recall on this item. My vehicle had a recall on this that the dealership repaired before I even purchased the vehicle which was NEW. Audi informed them when it was on the lot, but they say it was for the same thing but they just had to do an update on it? How did they know that when the car only had maybe 10 miles on it when we took delivery. Hopefully, someone in your department has some clout and back Audi up against the wall and take responsibility. Thank you [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11646692

Incident

Oct 24, 2024

This issue closely resembles Audi recall campaign 97CB (NHTSA campaign ID 16V642000), with details available at [XXX] . In my case, the marker light itself is functioning properly, but the vehicle is displaying a false error message: "Front Right Side Marker Light Defective." This poses safety risks because the erroneous warning distracts drivers from the road and could lead to the system failing to alert the driver of an actual side marker light issue in the future. Many owners of the same model and year are disabling their side marker lights entirely to avoid the error, as evidenced in discussions such as those on [XXX] . Repairing this issue typically requires replacing the entire headlight assembly, with costs ranging from $2,400 to $5,300, making it prohibitively expensive for many. Although Audi initiated a recall (97CB) for a similar issue, it was limited to a specific subset of vehicles, and the widespread nature of this problem in other vehicles outside the recall’s VIN range suggests a broader defect. Given these safety risks, high repair costs, and the frequency of the issue, I urge the NHTSA to investigate whether this problem warrants a broader recall or corrective actions by the manufacturer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11636108

Incident

Jan 10, 2025

"Front left side market light defective" - When the vehicle turns on and the lights activate the side marker lights do not illuminate. There was a recall for this model and year but doesn't include my VIN#. This is happening to MANY 2017 Q7 models. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

NHTSA ID

11632882

Incident

Jan 17, 2024

The computer keeps showing that we have a malfunction in the side marker lights. They still work but we get the notice daily. Have taken it to the the dealer and they state that there is a recall but our vin number is not in the listing. There repair cost is over $4000. It's the same problem, my vehicle is in the 2017 Q7 range. Our number needs to be added to the recall of the same problem.

NHTSA ID

11630095

Incident

Oct 9, 2024

WE WERE DRIVING THE CAR AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A ERROR CAME THAT SAID "FRONT RIGHT SIDE MARKER LIGHT DEFECTIVE" MY LIGHTS ARE WORKING PERFECTLY FINE.THERE IS NO ISSUE WITH THE LIGHTS AT ALL. THIS IS A FALSE SENSOR ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND RECALLED.

NHTSA ID

11622642

Incident

Oct 30, 2024

Error warning "front right side marker defective" is displayed. Other 2017 Q7s are included on the recall list for this issue (recall #16V642000) but our VIN number is not included.

NHTSA ID

11612703

Incident

May 1, 2024

The contact's husband owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated while driving and activating the headlights, there was a message stating that the side marker lights were inoperable displayed. The contact stated that the failure recurred whenever the headlights were activated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V642000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting) and could not be repaired under the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.

NHTSA ID

11608656

Incident

Jul 4, 2024

Mileage

64,000 mi

System malfunction regarding the "right side marker light being defective. There was a NHTSA recall campaign #16v642000 that covered some but not all of the Audi Q7 vehicles. The recall should include ALL Q7 vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11607257

Incident

Aug 6, 2024

The left front marker light is not working and a warning shows up on the dashboard. It's a safety issue as the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash. I took my vehicle to an Audi dealership. The person helping me knew immediately what the issue was as he has seen it many times. When I looked up the issue online, I saw many other Audi owners (not only Q7 either) have the same issue of a side maker light not illuminating. I also saw that there was a recall for side marker lights, however, it seems my VIN was not included in the recall. Audi should be responsible for fixing this known issue that occurs in many of its cars. The dealership told me it would be $5K-$6K to replace the small light bulb! Truly outrageous!

NHTSA ID

11603331

Incident

Jul 5, 2024

“Front right side marker light defective” meanwhile all light still work

NHTSA ID

11594718

Incident

Jun 17, 2024

there is side marker lights issue. it happened 2 years ago in my case, both cases left side. .Audi has previously address this recall, but did not include my VIN, and it states the SAME issue. I found that old model has same issue with recall. I searched audi owner web site, and saw there were so many owner had same problem. however, audi did not declare 2017 Q7.

NHTSA ID

11585440

Incident

Apr 10, 2022

Side marker light warning is illuminated even though light is working. Warning comes on when the lights come on.

NHTSA ID

11574789

Incident

Feb 12, 2024

You have a safety recall #16V-642 for this model and the dealer did not put my vin# in the recall but yet my vehicle is saying the the left and right side marker lights are defective and the dealer will not correct it, instead they are trying to make me pay to replace the entire light harness for both head light assembly for $4,000, my next stop is with a class action law suit to get this taken up. I am wondering how many people with these cars have paid to replace their lights when apparently it’s just a software update but you cannot get the dealers to do it because in their computers Audi did not enter all the vin numbers affected by this recall. I am asking for your help in this situation since you have the recall.

NHTSA ID

11573070

Incident

Feb 21, 2024

I was driving on the freeway at 60 MPH when pushing on the gas pedal, the Audi Q7 2017 started to de-accelerate from 60 - 30 and then went lower. The gas pedal then locked while still on a lane on the freeway and luckily I was able to quickly move to the shoulder of the freeway. From there my car proceeded to not start and kept flashing low battery, telling me to put it into drive. I could not put it into drive to start the car. There were NO WARNINGS as the car lost speed on the freeway and a mechanic has determined it is the fuel pump. This was a very scary incident as my two young children and dog were in the car and if I hadn't been able to move to the side quickly, we would have been stopped in the middle of a busy city freeway. Additionally, it took a tow truck two hours to reach us. I keep my car well maintained with service.

NHTSA ID

11567261

Incident

Jan 19, 2024

I purchased a used 2017 Audi Q7 Premium on 11/16/2023 from a Volkswagen. Since it showed the message "Brake pads: wear limit reached. You can continue driving. Please contact Service", the agreed to repair it. I didn't receive my vehicle until 2 weeks later. They said that the work was done but after driving it for a couple of days the message is still showing. After driving it off the lot, minutes later I get a message "Front left side marker light defective. See owner's manual". After examining the side markers it doesn't look the neither side is out and there is no way showing on how to clear the message. I haven't taken it to an Audi dealership as of yet. But worried on if I made the right purchase.

NHTSA ID

11558623

Incident

Nov 30, 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated that the passenger’s side front marker light defective message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V642000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting). The contact was informed that the repair would not be covered under warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle remained in the dealer's possession and was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

NHTSA ID

11545586

Incident

Sep 6, 2023

Mileage

75,000 mi

The contact owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated while driving 55-60 MPH, a message regarding the exterior passenger’s side marker light was displayed. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and hesitated upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The message "Malfunction System. Contact Service" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that an unknown software needed to be updated; however, the dealer later informed the contact that the front passenger's side headlight assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V642000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11542904

Incident

Jul 23, 2023

Mileage

80,000 mi