AUDI Complaints

am writing to report a very concerning safety issue with my 2019 Audi Q5 and to request guidance on whether this may be covered under warranty or if my vehicle is experiencing a malfunction. On Saturday, while driving to an appointment, there was a bicyclist in the bike lane. Suddenly, the “Audi Presence” warning flashed red on my dashboard and the vehicle braked very hard on its own. I was not close to hitting the bicyclist and there was no imminent collision risk. The sudden braking was extremely frightening and could have caused an accident if a car had been behind me. It took quite a while for me to calm down and get my breathing back to normal after the incident. Then this morning, I received a dashboard warning that said: “Drive system: malfunction! Please contact service.” I am very concerned that this may be a malfunction of the automatic emergency braking or driver assistance system, especially after the unexpected hard braking incident. This feels like a serious safety issue. I am very concerned and very unhappy, as this situation felt dangerous and could have resulted in an accident.

WHile trying to park 2025 Q7 the vehicle accelerated without warning and adaptive cruise flashed quickly then disappeared. I was the driver and had a passanger along. THis incedent repeated itself within 30 mins. I am not comfortable driving the car..

On March 22, 2026, my Check Engine light came on while driving my 2022 Audi A3. Prior to this, I had been noticing a slight jerk when accelerating from a stop. Because Audi dealerships charge approximately $250 just to read diagnostic codes, I went to Discount Auto Parts, where they retrieved code P27F500 — indicating the gear shift lock solenoid is stuck in the open position. I then contacted my Audi dealership and asked directly whether this required a software update or if the gear selector was physically failing. They refused to give me a straight answer. I separately spoke with an Audi service technician who confirmed that the 2022 Audi A3 is well known to have this exact issue. My own research confirmed that this defect is widespread across both Audi and Volkswagen vehicles sharing the same platform. My vehicle is only 3 years old with no history of abuse or neglect. Repair estimates for this known manufacturer defect range from $1,500 to $2,000, which is unacceptable for a defect that appears to be a manufacturing issue, not owner caused damage. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this as a potential safety defect and consider requiring Audi to issue a recall or provide repairs at no cost to affected owners.

Gas pump shuts off and stops pumping fuel into my car with a loud hissing noise before it shuts down the pump. I can not properly fill my vehicle with gas. This is not a single incident it is an ongoing problem.

I am filing a safety complaint regarding a progressive engine defect. Beginning as early as 2019 (approximately 84,000 miles), I repeatedly reported excessive oil consumption and related engine concerns to authorized Audi dealerships. These complaints continued over several years. At no point was I informed that these symptoms could be associated with a known defect pattern or progressive engine failure. The condition has now escalated to a severe engine malfunction. The vehicle began exhibiting engine misfires, flashing check engine light, EPC warning, and unstable operation. The dealership confirmed misfire fault codes and oil contamination affecting the ignition system. Engine replacement was initially recommended. Excessive oil consumption leading to internal contamination and misfires presents a significant safety hazard. Loss of engine power or sudden failure while driving can create dangerous conditions, particularly at highway speeds or in traffic. Despite the long history of reported symptoms, Audi of America has declined to provide assistance, citing only warranty status and failing to address the defect progression. The vehicle has now been inoperable at an Audi dealership for approximately 60 days (nearly two months), with no resolution. This situation raises concerns regarding a safety-related defect, failure to disclose a known issue, and a potential broader pattern affecting similar vehicles equipped with this engine. I am requesting that this issue be reviewed for potential defect investigation. The dealer provided diagnostic findings with Failure Codes via a temporary link that is no longer accessible. I am requesting a copy of the full report and will upload this (once received), along with other documentation.

I own a 2022 Audi e-tron Sportback that experienced multiple serious issues involving the high-voltage battery system. During service at Audi South Atlanta, the dealership documented diagnostic trouble code P29FF00 – Hybrid/EV Battery Thermal Runaway Detected. This code is related to battery overheating and potential thermal runaway, which is a critical safety condition in electric vehicles. Despite identifying this safety-related fault, the dealership did not perform any repair or replace any components. Instead, they cleared the fault codes and returned the vehicle to me stating it is operating as designed. Prior to and during this issue, the vehicle experienced: •Severe range reduction (approximately 60 miles at 60% charge) •Charging interruptions and warning messages •Regenerative braking malfunction •Abnormal energy consumption •Mechanical drag and braking irregularities These issues are consistent with a high-voltage battery or power system defect. The dealership’s decision to reset the fault code without addressing the underlying cause raises serious safety concerns. A thermal runaway-related fault should not be cleared and ignored, as it may indicate a risk of battery failure or fire. I am concerned that this vehicle may be unsafe to operate and that the defect was not properly diagnosed or repaired.

Our electrical system is going craze. The electronic door handles will lock us in and out of the car, the instrument cluster will black out for periods, safety sensors go off at random, other screens in car will black out leaving controls in operable, and wireless car charger will heat the phone so hot that we have been burnt. We have take to the dealer several times. Some visits they claim they can not duplicate. They have replaced two of the door handles but they still at random do the same thing. There have been numerous system updates done to the car but it does not seem to help. We are told that the solution for these problems have not been developed yet by the manufacturer. There are no warning signs as to when these items will fail, it just happens at random. We do not feel safe driving the car as all the safety components are tied to the electrical system such as steering, braking, lighting, etc.

There appears to be a software problem with the car. On the display, there are malfunction messages about the airbags and safety features.

I owned the car for two weeks when I had my dog in the front and it automatic braked going down the freeway. It threw him into the screen and broke it, luckily he was ok. (He was belted in.) This has happened three more times and been inspected but they are not able to reproduce the problem. This only happens when the dog is in the car with me. This last time, the dog hit the dash and screen again and broke it, and I had to pay to have it replaced again. (Thankfully dog just fine.) They keep saying no fault found because they can’t get it to do it on their test drives. This is a serious safety issue and could cause an accident by someone rear ending me. The roads aren’t wet, and nothing is around when it has happened each time. They turned down the presensor this time, so i am hoping this helps.

The Audi e-tron GT contains a design defect where the 12v battery cannot be charged in the event it becomes depleted. The battery is stored in the front trunk, but this can only be opened when the car has electrical power - there is no manual release. This leaves the vehicle immobilized to the point it must be towed to a dealer using special equipment because the four wheel drive train is locked in position when de-powered. This is a safety issue because it will leave a driver unexpectedly stranded in a remote location or otherwise unable to use their vehicle in an emergency situation. There is no way to mitigate this risk (e.g. via routine replacement of 12v battery) because any electrical fault separate from the battery itself is sufficient. In my case, a malfunctioning light switch caused a parasitic drain on the 12v leaving the car totally immobilized. I was unable to start the car and it took two days for Audi to send a tow truck with the correct equipment to tow the vehicle. It then took them several weeks to diagnose and resolve the problem. Meanwhile, there are thousands of similar components on the car that could potentially cause the same issue to reoccur. The Porsche Taycan, which shares the same platform as the e-tron GT, allows the front trunk to be opened by connecting jumper cables to a fuse box in the driver's side foot well after accessing the passenger cabin with a manual key. The 12v battery in the front trunk can then be charged so the car can be driven in an emergency or to a service center. A recall should be issued requiring Audi to provide the driver some way of accessing the 12v system in an emergency. Failed Component: 12v battery / light switch. Unsure if dealer kept failed part. Safety Risk: Driver left stranded - no way to mitigate via proper maintenance. Confirmation of Issue: Dealer confirmed issue. Inspection of parts: Unsure beyond servicing dealer. Warning: No symptoms or warning of problem. Car simply died overnight.