2018 Audi Q7 Driver assistance Problems

Twice, without logically-relevant symptom or warning, when the vehicle attempted to accelerate from a low speed in the middle of a busy intersection, the AEB incorrectly activated, suddenly stopped the vehicle, startled the drivers, and nearly caused accidents. Turned out, this was known behavior caused by a design defect software bug in the "door control modules" for which a software update had been released but never publicly announced. Audi charged us $315 for the software update, but since it is a manufacturing defect causing a critical safety issue, it should be covered by a safety recall, all owners of Audi vehicles with the affected "door control modules" should be proactively notified of the software update and should receive it without cost.

NHTSA ID

11648378

Incident

Mar 6, 2025

Rear coil spring broke without any load on the vehicle. This condition causes some of the safety features to not work such as adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking.

NHTSA ID

11558157

Incident

Oct 14, 2023

coolant leaking @ 50K miles and also their warning system is not as effective. I got into a fender bender 2 months in owning the car as brand new.

NHTSA ID

11544218

Incident

Oct 31, 2018

1.Interior color light bars: These light bars developed inconsistency. Audi repaired the inconsistency however now the light bars only display pink (not white) during start up. The dealership tried telling me it’s not pink, then claims to be color blind. I have artiest friends who maintain the color is pink. 2.Engine start-stop: Dealership confirms the Q7 will shut down as part of the start-stop feature before the vehicle has stopped. I explained to the dealership that the Q7 speedo claims moving 1 to 2 mph faster than it is moving. Therefore, during slow speed braking, stop sign, the Q7 will shut down before it stops moving. Without the engine on, the Q7 will lurch to a stop or and forcing the transmission to turn. 3. Low oil light comes on between oil changes sometimes.

NHTSA ID

11470061

Incident

Jun 20, 2022

Icy road, pulling up to stop sign, at 5-8 MPH , had just pulled out of parking space, touched brakes to slow down, brakes locked up, tried to pump to release brakes with no response, car stopped brakes released.

NHTSA ID

11445258

Incident

Dec 27, 2021

THE DRIVER ASSIST SYSTEM ON THE CAR HAS BEEN COMPLETELY MALFUNCTIONING. IT WILL SLAM ON THE BRAKES WHEN TURNING, AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR A TOTAL OF MORE THAN A MONTH WITH NO RESOLUTION

NHTSA ID

11257430

Incident

Sep 12, 2019

Mileage

16,000 mi

I WAS TAKING A U-TURN UNDER A FREEWAY IN MY 10 MONTH OLD AUDI Q7. AS I WAS FINISHING THE U-TURN A STABILIZATION ERROR MESSAGE APPEARED AND MY BRAKES WENT OUT. I WAS FINISHING MY UTURN AND COULDN'T SLOW DOWN SOI ENDED UP RUNNING INTO THE CEMENT BARRIER WITH MY RIGHT BACK WHEEL AND WENT ONTO THE FEEDER. LUCKILY IT WAS AT 5AM SO NO OTHER CARS WERE ON THE ROAD. HITTING THE BARRIER SLOWED BY CAR DOWN TO 5 MPH. AS I STRAIGHTENED OUT MY CAR, THE BRAKES STARTED WORKING AGAIN. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP SAID AUDI OF AMERICA HAD TO LOOK AT IT. THE ENGINEER FINALLY CAME TO LOOK AT IT ON JAN 3RD (3 WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT). HE SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T TEST DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THE CONTROL ARM WAS BROKEN BUT THE TESTS THEY RAN SHOWED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR AND TOLD ME TO CALL MY INSURANCE. I ASKED HOW THEY KNEW NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THEY SAID TESTS WERE RUN. I ASKED HOW THEY EXPLAINED THE ERROR MESSAGES (STABILIZATION ERROR AND SAFETY ERROR). THEY SAID THOSE CAME UP AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THEY DON'T THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT SO HOW DO THEY KNOW THIS?. I TOOK PICTURES OF THE ERROR MESSAGES AND KNOW THE TIMING OF THAT. I ASKED FOR A PRINT OUT OF THEIR FINDINGS 3 TIMES. IT HAS BEEN 10 DAYS AND I STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANYTHING FROM THEM. THE CAR IS STILL SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ID

11170252

Incident

Dec 13, 2018

Mileage

12,000 mi

THE 2018 AUDI Q7 HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE THREE TIMES SINCE I LEASED THE CAR ON 9/11/2017. MY INITIAL INQUIRY RELATED TO TECHNOLOGY ISSUES WAS BACK ON DECEMBER 22, 2017 THAT WAS SHORTLY FOLLOWED UP BY A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. AFTER YOUR TEAM ASSESSED THE ISSUE AND ALLEGEDLY RESET THE SYSTEM, I CHECKED OUT OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, ONLY TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME TECHNOLOGY ISSUE AS I WAS DRIVING OFF THE LOT. YOUR TEAM PROCEEDED TO CHECK THE VEHICLE BACK IN FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. ASIDE FROM CONTINUED REBOOTS OF THE AUDI COMPUTER SYSTEM OR MMI SYSTEM, THE CAR WOULD FLAG AUDI PRE SENSE WARNINGS AND FORCE THE CAR TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS, MID TURN. ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS ESTIMATED AT 150 YARDS FROM THE INTERSECTION WHEN THE CAR JAMMED TO A STOP. THE SENSORS APPEAR TO STOP THE CAR AFTER IDENTIFYING A FALSE READ. THE CAR IS THEN STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION CAUSING SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK. AUDI REPLACED THE MMI SYSTEM AND THE FUEL TANK AFTER IDENTIFYING A FAULTY VALVE. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. AUDI WAS NOT ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE ISSUE AND CLAIMED THAT THE PRE SENSE SYSTEM SENSORS WERE SET TO A HIGH SENSITIVITY. THEY ALSO CLAIMED THAT A POTHOLE OR A BIRD COULD SET OFF THE SENSORS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. BY THE WAY, I WAS DRIVING A LOANER CAR FOR OVER THREE MONTHS WHILE THEY ATTEMPTED TO FIX MY VEHICLE AND FALSE PRE SENSE WARNINGS ARE COMMON.

NHTSA ID

11084005

Incident

Apr 9, 2018

Mileage

2,600 mi