2019 AUDI Q8 Complaints

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, Q8 WILL NOT ACCELERATE WHEN GAS PEDAL APPLIED FOR ROUGHLY 1-3 SECONDS WHEN COASTING TO A STOP OR IMMEDIATELY COMING OUT OF A STOP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO REMAIN STATIONARY ALTHOUGH GAS PEDAL IS APPLIED. ONCE THE VEHICLE RESPONDS TO THE DEPRESSED ACCELERATOR, AFTER A DELAY, THEN THE AUTO CAN ACCELERATE BEYOND THE REQUESTED ACCELERATION. IT FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE IS TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO RESPOND TO THE DEPRESSED ACCELERATOR, LEAVING THE VEHICLE VULNERABLE IF TRYING TO CROSS TRAFFIC, ACCELERATE FROM A STOP SIGN, OR TURN LEFT BETWEEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE PROBLEM FEELS INTERMITTENT ALTHOUGH IT FEELS LIKE ITS BECOMING MORE COMMON. VEHICLE RESPONDS THIS WAY WHETHER OR NOT THE AUTO STOP FEATURE IS ENGAGED OR NOT.

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS VEHICLE ENTERS AN INTERSECTION OR CROSS TRAFFIC WHILE STARTING A TURN AND ACCELERATION LAGS FOR A 1-3 SECONDS. WHEN APPLYING MORE AND MORE GAS PEDAL, IT EVENTUALLY WILL ENGAGE ALMOST CATAPULTING YOU. HAVE COME VERY CLOSE TO GETTING HIT IN THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE LACK OF ANY RESPONSE FOR ACCELERATION. CLEARLY THERE IS A MECHANICAL FLAW IN THE WAY THE VEHICLE OPERATES AND IT LEAVES THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AT GREAT RISK OF INJURY BECAUSE YOU CAN NOT GET OUT OF THE WAY. SEEMS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT DOWNSHIFTING TO FIRST GEAR AND BY STAYING IN 3RD GEAR OR MORE, IT CAN NOT RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATION. IT DOES NOT DOWNSHIFT FAST ENOUGH TO ALLEVIATE THE LAG. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM BY THE DRIVERS OF THIS VEHICLE BUT NO MANUFACTURER RECOGNITION OF THE SAFETY HAZARD; OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO AVOID LIABILITY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INJURED (IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY).

THIS VEHICLE HAS INCONSISTENT ACCELERATION THAT IS DANGEROUS. WHEN ACCELERATING, PARTICULARLY FROM A ROLLING STOP OR SLOW SPEED BELOW 10MPH, THERE WILL BE A DELAY IN ACCELERATION. WHEN THE ENGINE DOES ENGAGE IT TAKES OFF 'LIKE A ROCKET'. IT DOES NOT ALWAYS DO THIS, WHICH MAKES IT SO DANGEROUS. HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING INCONSISTENTLY FOR 9 MONTHS AND MORE THAN 20,000 MILES AND IT CONTINUES.

THERE IS A HUGE (SEVERAL SECONDS) AND DANGEROUS LAG WHEN THE CAR SLOWS DOWN TO THE POINT THE START/STOP SYSTEM KICKS IN (AND STOPS THE ENGINE) AND ACCELERATION IS IMMEDIATELY NEEDED (E.G. THE CARD DOES NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP.) IN THAT SITUATION, PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR WILL RESULT IN THE ENGINE STARTING AGAIN IMMEDIATELY (AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO) BUT THE CARD WILL NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL NO EFFECT FOR UP TO 3 SECONDS AND THEN IT WILL SUDDENLY START MOVING TOO FAST WITH A JOLT (DEPENDING ON HOW HARD YOU WERE PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR) THIS SITUATION HAPPENS VERY FREQUENTLY (DAILY FOR ME), INCLUDING IN THE CONTEXT OF LEFT TURNS WHERE CARS ARE COMING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, MAKING IT A SEVERE SECURITY ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT CAUSED BY TURBO LAG. IT IS MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY THE SOFTWARE FAILING TO DOWNSHIFT BECAUSE IT BELIEVES THE CAR IS COASTING. THIS ISSUE IS NOT ISOLATED AND HAS BEEN REPORTED BY PLENTY OF OTHER AUDI Q8 USERS. THERE IS A LONG THREAD ONLINE DISCUSSING IT: HTTPS://WWW.AUDIWORLD.COM/FORUMS/AUDI-Q8-227/INTRO-AUTO-START-MAJOR-THROTTLE-LAG-ISSUE-2966888/PAGE2/

THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT LAG IN THE POWER TRAIN OF THE Q8 AFTER BREAKING TO A COASTING SPEED AND THEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. THE GAS PEDAL IS COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE FOR 3-4 SECONDS DURING THIS TIME. THIS POSES A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD IN SITUATIONS WHERE YOU ARE COASTING WITH THE EXPECTATION TO CROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE ISSUE IN COMFORT MODE. SIMPLY APPLY THE BREAK IN ORDER TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN WITHOUT COMPLETELY STOPPING. WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE, THE GAS PEDAL DOES NOTHING. AFTER THE LAG PERIOD, THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO ACCELERATE. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPRODUCE THIS PROBLEM IF I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THEN PROCEED. I RAISED THIS AS A CONCERN TO MY LOCAL AUDI DEALER BUT WAS ADVISED THAT THERE ARE NO SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. MY SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED TO THE LATEST VERSION DURING A RECENT SERVICE APPOINTMENT, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM PERSISTS.

DANGEROUS LAG/PAUSE IN THROTTLE RESPONSE WHEN ACCELERATION IS NEEDED. WHEN COMING TO A ROLLING OR ALMOST COMPLETE STOP, THE AUTO START/STOP SYSTEM IS ENABLED. IF I GO TO TURN/ACCELERATE THERE CAN BE SEVERAL SECONDS OF TIME LAG BETWEEN PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR AND ANY THROTTLE RESPONSE. IT IS DANGEROUS AT TIMES WHEN PULLING ONTO A STREET AND THE CAR WILL NOT RESPOND AFTER A FEW SECONDS. ADDITIONAL THROTTLE PRESSURE DOES NOT INDUCE A THROTTLE RESPONSE, AND SUDDENLY THE CAR WILL SURGE AHEAD. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND AND SEEMS RELATED TO TRANSMISSION PROGRAMMING WHEN THE AUTO STOP/START SYSTEM IS ENGAGED, WHICH IT IS BY DEFAULT. THE DEALER SAYS THE CAR IS WORKING AS DESIGNED. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN MAKING CROSS-TRAFFIC LEFT TURNS BECAUSE OF THE UNPREDICTABLE DELAY. THE DATE NOTED BELOW IS JUST TODAY'S DATE, SINCE THIS SITUATION MAY (AND DOES) OCCUR)ANYTIME UNDER THE SPECIFIED CIRCUMSTANCES/CONDITIONS.

THERE IS A NOTICEABLE THROTTLE LAG (HESITATION) WHEN THE AUTO START/STOP FEATURE IS ENABLED, AND THE CAR COMES OUT OF A ROLLING STOP (EX. WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN). DISABLING THE AUTO START/STOP FEATURE OR SELECTING SPORT MODE NEGATES THE ISSUE.

THERE CAN BE A PROFOUND LAG IN ACCELERATION AT CRITICAL TIMES. I CAN COME TO AN INTERSECTION AND SLOW. WHEN THE GAP IS SAFE TO TURN WITH TRAFFIC OR ACROSS TRAFFIC THE CAR WILL NOT PICK UP AND GO. IT WILL LAG AND NOT ACCELERATE. I WILL COAST INTO THE INTERSECTION AND I FEEL AS IF I COULD BE BROADSIDED. THE LAG IS ABOUT 3-4 SECONDS. NOTHING....JUST A DEAD ROLL. IT WILL PICK UP AND ACCELERATE AT 3-4 SECONDS. I FEEL THAT THE GAP I WAITED FOR WAS TYPICALLY SAFE FOR OTHER VEHICLES I HAVE DRIVEN. IT IS NOT TURBO LAG....I OWN PLENTY OF DIESELS. IT IS DANGEROUS. IT CAN'T BE PREDICTED. IT CANNOT BE PREDICTED. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BY YOU. AUDI SAYS THAT THE PROBLEM DOES NOT EXIST. THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPLICATE. THEY STATE THE VEHICLE OPERATES AS DESIGNED. BUT IT KEEPS HAPPENING AND CANNOT BE PREDICTED.

MY GORGEOUS NEW AUDI Q8 HAS A DANGEROUS HESITATION ISSUE WHEN ACCELERATION FROM A FULL START WITH AUTO START/STOP ENABLED. THE ISSUE IS DESCRIBED THOROUGHLY IN THE ARTICLE @ HTTPS://TECHCRUNCH.COM/2019/06/10/REVIEW-THE-STUNNING-2019-AUDI-Q8-HAS-A-DEAL-BREAKING-FLAW/. ACCELERATOR RESPONSE IS VERY INCONSISTENT SUCH THAT YOU CAN'T COUNT ON THE CAR ACCELERATING IN A CONSISTENT MANNER. IT EITHER HESITATES OR SURGES FORWARD. TURNING AUTO START/STOP DOES IMPROVE PERFORMANCE, BUT ONE MUST REMEMBER TO TURN IT OFF EVERY TIME YOU START THE VEHICLE. I GOT MY Q8 2 MONTHS AGO. I TRIED TO LEARN HOW TO PREDICT ACCELERATION FROM A STANDSTILL, BUT GAVE UP AFTER ALMOST GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT WHILE CHANGING LANES AROUND A CAR AT A RED LIGHT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO SAYS AUDI HAS NOT ISSUED ANY SERVICE BULLETINS TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE AND THE PROBLEM WAS NOT HAPPENING AT THE TIME OF THIS TEST DRIVE.

EXCESSIVE AND DANGEROUS DELAY IN THROTTLE RESPONSE DUE TO AUTO START/STOP SYSTEM CAUSING VEHICLE TO COAST WHEN SLOWING DOWN AT A YIELD SIGN OR INTERSECTION ETC BEFORE TRANSMISSION RE-ENGAGES. THE VEHICLE IS POWERLESS FOR SEVERAL SECONDS DESPITE APPLICATION OF GAS PEDAL, CAUSING ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO POTENTIAL COLLIDE WITH "STALLED" Q8. THIS IS A MAJOR DESIGN DEFECT IN THE AUTO START/STOP SYSTEM AND OCCURS EVERY TIME THE SYSTEM IS ACTIVE.