Electrical system, vehicle speed control and powertrain issues among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
The 2019 Audi A7 claims to provide exceptional beauty and sleek styling. Even the automaker labeled the newer models as “iconic since day one,” but owners think it will be known for its defects more than anything else. From the glitchy electrical system to the defective powertrain and issues with the vehicle speed control, this company has a lot to answer for.
Today’s luxury cars are constructed with sophisticated electrical systems that run just about everything. However, when something goes wrong, it becomes a real nuisance.
That’s precisely what this Edmunds review discusses. “Our two month old 2019 Audi A7 had to be towed to the dealer leaving us stranded 200 miles from home. Had low tire pressure warning several times — dealer checked it out and said everything was fine. The check engine light had been on for a couple of weeks, which the dealer said could wait till we got back from our trip. Had a brief message about some system failing, had very slow acceleration, which we understand was a turbo problem. Closing the sunroof takes multiple attempts — just before closing the sunroof keeps retracting.”
One of the most popular areas for service bulletins on this vehicle is the electrical system. In fact, there are already 80 bulletins, including #A9419142056219_1, which discusses the need to repair a wiring harness that is causing DTCs to set on cars without a suspension control module. From the crazy warning messages to sunroofs with a mind of their own, this car is one major malfunction and not worth the additional expense to owners that drive it. Even a cheap Chevy or Ford would function better than this luxury model.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Power Train | |
| Engine | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Steering | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Structure:body | |
| Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera |
When it comes to the powertrain, the main component is the transmission. This part is responsible for creating a smooth-shifting experience, which should be a given with a luxury brand such as Audi, but it’s not.
Look at this NHTSA complaint. “I got this brand new car. However, it has major defects pertaining to Drive Shift, Auto Shut, sensors, speedometer and the virtual cockpit. I was driving on Freeway 5 southbound when I shifted the gear from ‘D’ to ‘S’ and it went into Neutral and it lost power. There were cars behind me who were honking and scared for my life. The car was brand new when I got it; I got the car on 11/29/2019. I drove it for only three weeks before I started to have issues with the virtual cockpit, where it blacks out. The speedometer blacks out completely and I wouldn’t even know the speed of my car. Upon these issues and the other related issues related to Virtual Cockpit, I took the car back to the dealership. The dealership kept the car for two and returned the car back to me on 1/18/2020. I started experiencing issues with the auto/shut as when the car gets stopped at a signal. It doesn’t start and have to restart the car and later I had issues with Drive Shift going into Neutral when I shift from ‘D’ Drive Mode to ‘S’ Sports Mode on freeway.”
This owner doesn’t know what to do with the overpriced paperweight sitting in his driveway. Sadly, it turns out that there are even larger powertrain issues than even what’s been shown through the complaint. Audi issued Service Bulletin #A3019252053597_3, which states that there could be a leak that needs to be repaired coming from the lower bellhousing. These are just not issues that should be occurring on a new vehicle, especially one that’s supposed to be made with premium parts. It appears that this model is going to go down in history as an iconic failure.
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With today’s modern equipment, there should be no trouble getting a vehicle to travel at the speed intended, but this A7 really seems to struggle.
One more Edmunds review states, “I purchased the 2019 A7 premium plus. In the four months since ownership, the vehicle had a few issues. Upon entering the highway from a stop, the vehicle rolled backwards and the rear view camera turned on. On another occasion, the vehicle braked unexpectedly. There were also warning lights and error messages that would come on, but when you restart the vehicle, the messages would go away.”
Again, Audi has issued plenty of documentation, showcasing multiple concerns. One such communication, Service Bulletin #A911930 2053776 states that some cars are equipped with adaptive driving assistance that can’t be activated or isn’t available at all. It turns out that the technicians have to perform a software update in order to get it running correctly. At this point, it would appear that this Audi model has a mind of its own, but it’s leading owners astray and putting them at risk for an accident. It won’t be long before these models are taking up space at the local junkyards.
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Audi pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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