2016 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.

The front driver and passenger windows started delaminating. Rear side glass is fine. Audi of Van Nuys took pictures. Audi paid for the glass but charged me $1100 for labor.

NHTSA ID

11491165

Incident

Dec 1, 2021

turbo failure

NHTSA ID

11433513

Incident

Sep 1, 2021

AS I WOULD COME DRIVE ON THE CITY ROADS AND COME TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP OR MAKE A SIGNAL TURN THE AUTO STOP WOULD COME ON BEFORE MAKING A COMPLETE STOP AND SHUTS THE CAR OFF WHILE STILL IN MOTION. CAUSING THE WHEEL TO LOCK AND I WOULD HAVE TO STOP THE CAR PUT IT IN PARK AND PUSH THE START/STOP BUTTON TO ACTIVATE THE VEHICLE AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11374799

Incident

Nov 4, 2020

Mileage

78,588 mi

IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET, BUT MY CONCERN IS GROWING AS AUDI HAS FAILED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. PER AUDI TSB 2044640 AND BENTLEY TSB 20520851 VOLKSWAGON GROUP IS AWARE OF TURBOS FAILING ON THEIR 4.0T ENGINES. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE OIL SCREEN RUNNING TO THE TURBOCHARGER'S (CLOGGING), AS WELL AS THE OIL SEPARATOR FAILING/CRACKING. I'M CONCERNED FOR MY OWN SAFETY AS I LIVE IN A STATE WITH SPEED LIMITS OF 80 MPH - IF MY TURBO BLOWS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND I HAVE A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AT 80 MPH I DON'T KNOW HOW THE CAR IS GOING TO REACT. NOT ONLY THAT BUT A FAILED TURBO IMPELLER CAN BE FED BACK INTO THE ENGINE CAUSING PERMANENT ENGINE DAMAGE, AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS COULD BE A DISASTER. AGAIN, MY FAILURE HASN'T HAPPENED YET BUT I'M CONCERNED FOR MY PERSONAL SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS.

NHTSA ID

11218437

Incident

Jun 7, 2019

Mileage

33,000 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 AUDI RS7. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V370000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (AUDI MEMPHIS, 1825 COVINGTON PIKE, MEMPHIS, TN 38128, (888) 482-5202) WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE MANUFACTURER WOULD PROVIDE THE PART BEYOND A REASONABLE TIME FRAME. THERE WAS NO MENTION OF AN OPTION FOR A LOANER VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11123301

Incident

Jun 11, 2018

CPSC: 2016 AUDI RS7 QUATTRO - ISSUE WITH THE SEATBELTS IN THE REAR PASSENGER SEATS. THEY WOULD NOT PLUG INTO AND STAY FULLY CLICKED IN - THEY WOULD GO IN BUT NOT LOCK - HAD TO PUSH REALLY HARD HAD TO PUSH REALLY HARD AND THEY FINALLY LATCHED, BUT THEN COULDN'T GET IT TO RELEASE. THIS OCCURRED ON ALL OF THE SEATBELTS. UPDATED 04/14/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

10971289

Incident

Nov 9, 2016

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 informatoinw hent here are scratches or a coating on the cover of the instrument cluster, or particles inside of the housing.

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 is increased oil consumption; >0.5ltr/1000 km.

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.