Electrical system, suspension and powertrain issues among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
Three-row luxury SUVs aren’t hard to find, which is why every model needs to be on its best behavior. The 2019 Audi Q7 is supposed to be one of the best. Even the automaker claims that the new models produce “a lot to take in.” While the focus in that statement is on the size and features, they couldn’t know how right it would be. Owners are having trouble wrapping their heads around the faulty electrical system, dangerous suspension and malfunctioning powertrain.
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The Audi Q7 is not a cheap SUV. The materials should be high-end to make owners feel that the price is justified, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with the electrical system.
One Edmunds user states, “It started with a crack in the windshield that wasn’t caused by road debris. Not covered by Audi but I had glass insurance on my auto policy. Next came the GPS system getting lost. It took 12 days to fix due to parts.Then came warning lights coming on telling of steering malfunction and distance errors.That was caused by a loose wire to a sensor another few days in the shop.The latest is a drivetrain warning that is real. The whole car started vibrating.It goes back on Monday.This is all in the space of less than 9 months.Really poor quality!!!”
Of all the manufacturer communications, the electrical system-related concerns seem to be the most popular. Apparently, Audi has a lot to talk about in this department. One such Service Bulletin is #A9119122045020_4, which talks about how the night vision system can stop working, requiring the help of the service department. If owners were dealing with one simple glitch, it would be easy to stomach, but that’s not the case. All of the electrical issues are surely “a lot to take in.”
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Steering | |
| Suspension | |
| Electrical System | |
| Engine | |
| Power Train | |
| Electronic Stability Control | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Wheels |
When many people think of the suspension system, it doesn’t become obvious that the tires are a part of these components. When there’s a problem with the tires, drivers are at risk. Considering this is the only part of the car touching the road, there’s no room for error.
This Edmunds review states some serious concerns. “FATAL FLAW: TIRES-THERE IS NO SPARE TIRE AND TIRES ARE HARD TO FIND FOR THE 21″ I have gotten an amazing 5 flat/damaged tires in 1 year and discovered the hard way that a) there was no spare tire and b) run flats only work to limp you to a service facility. Try being stuck 5 states away with a screw in your tire on a family trip on a Sunday where the nearest tire that fits your car is another 5 states away and would take 2-3 days to get to the local dealer. I got the 21″ wheels which have made finding tires even harder-have YET to find an Audi dealer (my local or when have had issues while traveling) who has them in stock, much less local tire place. And every time it happens I’m looking at $700-900 between the tire cost ($300-400), mounting and balancing. Had no idea when I bought the car it didn’t have a spare as this is something I just assumed it did (and I have a ’16 S6 which has one).”
On top of the tire issues, there is a suspension-related recall worth mentioning. NHTSA Campaign Number 19V114000 talks about how some of the front shock absorbers can develop cracks, which allows them to loosen. When shock absorbers become loose, drivers can experience trouble steering, which could lead to an accident. Does this sound like a problem that should be occurring on a premium vehicle, such as the Q7? Apparently, creating reliable shock absorbers was too much for the company to take in.
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A look at this luxury SUV’s powertrain shows even more defects that should be addressed.
Here’s an NHTSA complaint pointing out the trouble. “My 2019 Audi Q7 has throttle delay problems that have resulted in near accidents more than once due to no response of accelerator until 3 or 4 seconds after depressing gas pedal when attempting to merge into traffic. The dealer could not duplicate this problem, which has occurred randomly over the past year of ownership.”
Waiting three to four seconds to merge into traffic must feel like a lifetime to the driver and the people behind the Q7 hoping to get out. Surely, there have been lots of horn beeps because of these incidents, as accidents have probably also abounded. Unfortunately, the automaker doesn’t have anything to say about what’s going on with powertrain. Instead, it wants owners to stay focused on everything there is to take in, but looking at it too hard might backfire and cause car buyers to look for a different brand.
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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