2014 Audi RS7

On March 29, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE 21-009) after the agency received 58 reports alleging engine stalling in 2013-2016MY Audi vehicle models A8, S6, S7, S8 & RS7 equipped with the 4.0L, twin-turbocharged engine. Complainants reported the vehicles would stall with no warning while driving at highway or city traffic speeds. Several of the complainants alleged an inability to restart. The complaints alleged the major contributing factor to the engine stalling was the failure of the turbochargers. The complaints cited the turbocharger failure was a result of oil starvation due to a clogged oil strainer in the turbocharger oil supply line.The location of the oil strainer in the turbocharger oil supply line is in the inner valley of the engine. It is not easily accessible, making servicing the component difficult. The oil strainer removes particles and carbon deposits from the oil before lubricating the turbochargers. Over time, if the debris is not removed from the oil strainer, it becomes clogged and prevents oil from flowing to the turbochargers. This causes the turbine bushings to run dry and overheat resulting in turbine shaft failure due to thermal stress.On April 04, 2022, PE21-009 was upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA22-001) to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the alleged defect. Volkswagen filed recall 22V-178 to replace the 30?m mesh oil strainer with a 90?m mesh oil strainer in the subject vehicles. VW introduced the larger mesh oil strainer into production in March of 2017 effecting the 2017-2018MY vehicles.ODI reviewed information from VW for vehicles that had the larger mesh installed in production. The data received showed, since the new oil strainer size of 90?m went into production for the 2017-2018MY, there has not been any reported incidents of turbocharger failures due to oil starvation or other failures that could be related to the larger screen mesh. In view of the recall being conducted by VW and lack of any detrimental side effect to the turbocharger caused by the larger mesh, ODI is closing this Engineering Analysis (EA). The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.11502847,11506565,11494663,11488813,11486393,11480926,11479882,11476289,11466761 11464663,11463254,11460580,11460496,11458973,11458804,11457556,11454753,11452668 11452589,11452584,11452383,11452175,11452111,11451724,11451724,11450995,11450988 11449661,11447092,11443657,11442867,11440536,11440052,11439959,11438691,11436461 11435619,11433925,11433733,11432336,11431661,11431421,11429704,11429584,11428128 11426929,11424203,11423603,11423337,11422431,11421084,11420626,11420342,11419693 11418884,11418437,11418433,11418135,11417635,11417351,11416095,11414578,11414235 11414064,11413359,11413285,11413214,11407510,11407450,11406897,11406821,11406637 11406460,11406416,11406291,11406287,11406277,11406273,11406263,11406256,11406251 11406229,11406222,11406208,11406204,11406197,11406182,11406015,11404665,11404426 11404348,11403823,11403430,11403268,11402684,11399435,11397821,11396241,11394763 11391037

On March 29, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 21-009 after the agency received 58 reports alleging engine stalling in 2013-2016MY Audi vehicle models A8, S6, S7, S8 & RS7. The subject vehicles are equipped with 4.0L, twin-turbocharged engine. Complainants reported that the vehicles stall suddenly with no warning while driving on the highway or in city traffic. Several of the complainants alleged an inability to restart. The complaints allege the major contributing factor to the engine stalling is the failure of the turbochargers. The complaints further allege the turbocharger failure is a result of oil starvation due to a clogged oil strainer.The location of the oil strainer in the turbocharger oil supply line is in the inner valley of the engine. It is not easily accessible, making regular service difficult. The oil strainer removes dirty particles and carbon deposits from the oil before flowing to lubricate the Turbochargers. Overtime if the debris are not removed from the oil strainer, it clogs the strainer and prevents free flow of oil to the turbochargers and makes the turbine bushings to run dry and overheat which causes the turbine shaft to break due to thermal stress. In VW's response to ODI's Information Request letter, VW provided approximately 611 warranty claims with unique VINs, 70 Field Reports and 45 Consumer complaints. These reports allege engine stalling due to turbocharger failure similar to the NHTSA reports described above. To date, NHTSA has received approximately 98 allegations of stall due to turbocharger failures. The total of 824 reports shown in the table above eliminates duplicate reports received by both ODI and the manufacturer.This Preliminary Evaluation is being upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA) to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the alleged defect of engine stalling due to turbocharger failureThe ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.NHTSA.gov under the following ODI identification numbers:11452589, 11452584, 11452383, 11450995, 11450988, 11449661, 11447092, 11442867 11440536, 11440052, 11439959, 11438691, 11436461, 11435619, 11431661, 11429704 11429584, 11426929, 11424203, 11423603, 11423337, 11421084, 11420626, 11420342 11418884, 11418437, 11418433, 11417635, 11417351, 11416095, 11414235, 11413359 11413214, 11413285, 11413133, 11407510, 11407450, 11407289, 11406821, 11406416 11406291, 11406277, 11406273, 11406256, 11406251, 11406229, 11406222, 11406204 11406197, 11406182, 11404665, 11404426, 11404348, 11403430, 11403268, 11399435 11397821, 11396241, 11394763, 11391037, 11388662, 11387166, 11377446, 11363283 11354107, 11344193, 11342497, 11342360, 11340302, 11325065, 11324163, 11322168, 11321144, 11318477, 11306754, 11279429, 11268109, 11256706, 11252723, 11246579 11234853, 11234714, 11231582, 11231013, 11230589, 11229484, 11222281, 11218822 11218749, 11217604, 11209168, 11209142, 11197149, 11191243, 11175842, 11170776 11164032, 11152418.

I CONTACTED MULTIPLE AUDI DEALERSHIPS REGARDING CONCERNS ABOUT MY CAR CONSUMING LARGE QUANTITIES OF OIL IN-BETWEEN OIL CHANGES AND THAT THE OIL CAP HAD AN INCREASED AMOUNT OF SUCTION WHICH MY AUDI CERTIFIED MECHANIC SAID WAS AN INDICATION OF THE PCV VALVE FAILING. I ASKED THEM TO LOOK AT REPLACING THE PCV VALVE BEFORE IT WENT BAD AND RISKED TAKING OUT MY TURBOS AND ENGINE, WHICH HAPPENED TO A PREVIOUS AUDI S7 I OWNED, AND THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T LOOK AT IT AGAIN UNLESS IT WAS MAKING A WHISTLING SOUND. AUDI KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART. INSTEAD OF FIXING THE ISSUE TO PREVENT BIGGER PROBLEMS FROM HAPPENING, THEY ARE MAKING THE CONSUMER ROLL THE DICE AND HOPE THEIR CARS DON'T BLOW UP. I PAID MONEY OUT OF MY OWN POCKET TO FIX THIS BEFORE BIGGER PROBLEMS OCCUR. AUDI SHOULD BE COVERING THESE COSTS.

NHTSA ID

11406411

Incident

Jul 9, 2019

Mileage

45,000 mi

I HAD TO REMOVE THE RESTRICTIVE TURBO OIL SCREEN TO PREVENT THE COMMON FAILURE OF LOSING OIL FLOW TO THE TURBOS RESULTING IN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THAT COULD RUIN THE ENTIRE ENGINE.

NHTSA ID

11406201

Incident

Dec 8, 2020

Mileage

38,000 mi

THIS VEHICLE SUFFERED SERIOUS MECHANICAL DAMAGE AFTER EXPERIENCING A CLOGGED TURBO SCREEN. THIS REQUIRED BOTH TURBOS TO DO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE NEW SCREEN FOR THE TURBO LUBRICATION SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW PCV UNIT. THIS REMAINS A MAJOR FAULT IN THESE ENGINES. CONTINUED OIL CHANGES AT THE RECOMMENDED MANUFACTURER INTERVAL WILL WORSEN AND INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF THIS FAULT. HOW DO YOU RECOMMEND OIL CHANGES AT 10,000 MILE INTERVALS. REDUCING THE OIL CHANGE INTERVAL TO 5000 MILES INCREASES THE RELIABILITY AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO OIL SCREEN CLOGGING. THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN VARIED BETWEEN STANDARD CITY DRIVING AND HIGHWAY DRIVING. THE OIL CHANGES WERE CONDUCTED AND STANDARD MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURE RECOMMENDATIONS. WHEN HIS FAULT IS DETECTED, THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO START AND FEELS TO RUN. EARLY DIAGNOSIS PREVENTS CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

11406184

Incident

Sep 1, 2020

Mileage

65,000 mi

TURBOS OIL SCREEN CLOGGED CAUSING THE TURBOS TO STARVE OF OIL, IN TURN CAUSING THEM TO FAIL, CAR SHUT OFF AT A STOP SIGN AND WOULD NOT MOVE

NHTSA ID

11344193

Incident

Aug 6, 2020

Mileage

77,000 mi

BOTH TURBOS BECAME STARVED OF OIL AND DISINTEGRATED. ACCORDING TO SERVICE PERSONNEL, THE CAUSE WAS DUE TO A CLOGGED OIL SCREEN FILTERING OIL TO THE TURBOS. THE CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND PRECISELY PER AUDI FACTORY SCHEDULE. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN IT LOST POWER AND STALLED WHILE TURNING ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC FROM US 202 SOUTH. NO COLLISION OCCURRED. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE CAR WAS FLATBEDDED TO AUDI WILLOW GROVE. BOTH TURBOS WERE REPLACED AS WELL AS A CHECK VALVE AND THE COMPLETELY CLOGGED OIL SCREEN WHICH WAS CHANGED TO A REVISED VERSION THAT APPARENTLY REDUCES THE CHANCE OF CLOGGING AND STARVING THE TURBOS OF OIL. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON SAFETY ISSUE PER NUMEROUS REPORTS RELATED TO 4.0L TWIN TURBO ENGINES AFFECTING AUDI S7, RS7 AND S8 UNITS.

NHTSA ID

11218822

Incident

May 13, 2018

Mileage

39,000 mi

This bulletin provides a statement regarding the bottleneck of supply for VW approved oil types VW 504.00 and VW 507.00.

This bulletin provides information when there is a film/visible rings on the clear glass cover of the headlight when the dipped beam is switched on.

This bulletin provides information when there are noises in the overrun ( e.g. whirring, howling) - vehicles with 0BC.

This bulletin provides informaiton when the transmission warning message appears in the cluster; P074100 stored in the TCM.

This bulletin provides informationwhen noises/vibration are detected from front of vehicle in dynamic mode.

This bulletin provides information when there are noises from the area around the instrument cluster.