AUDI Complaints

I have a 2017 Q7 with the "front right side marker light defective" warning THAT POP OUT ONLY WHEN THE LIGHT AUTOMATICALLY TURN ON but the lights are actually functional. Yet the local Audi still wants to charge me 5.3k to fix it. The warning only happens at night. I've asked the shop for clarification on how it was deemed inop. since it looks like it's working to me. I see a lot of posts in forums about this issue. I see that there was a limited recall for this issue with 2017 Audi Q7 vehicles, but it's VIN specific and my VIN isn't included.

The contact owns a 2019 Audi A3. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH for a 50-mile trip, the message "Transmission Failure" displayed, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The transmission then inadvertently switched from automatic to manual transmission mode and became stuck in second gear. Additionally, the vehicle jerked and decelerated to 35 MPH while driving. The contact activated the hazard lights before pulling over to the right shoulder to turn off the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted, but the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of fuel very quickly. The contact was able to drive to the destination. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who retrieved DTC: P173500 (Electrical Malfunction with the Position Sensor for Clutch 1 in the Transmission). The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, but no cause for the failure was found. The contact then drove the vehicle for a long distance at high speeds and was able to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who determined that the mechatronic hardware, DSG transmission cover, gasket, and fluid needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 2058504/1 (Transmission malfunction, DTC P173500 and/or P173600 stored in the TCM). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the Technical Service Bulletin. The failure mileage was approximately 34,500.

Whenever the physical brakes are engaged during daily "brake cleaning" during the first mile of driving, or whenever the regenerative brakes do not engage, or when the physical brakes are engaged under heaving braking where the regenerative braking system's braking capacity is exceeded, the vehicle shudders as the brakes grip and slip. When inspected by Audi of Mendham, the service technician noted the rotors were "warped" and had "debris build-up". Despite the vehicle performing daily "brake cleaning", the build-up has remained. Despite normal use of the vehicle over the past 22,000 miles over two years, the rotor have warped causing inconsistent brake pressure to be applied. Under heavy braking where the regenerative system is exceeded, this could cause the vehicle to swerve due to uneven brake pressure being applied across the four wheels.

Traffic stopped very quickly. The automatic breaking did not engage, resulting in a crash and a total loss of the vehicle. I bought the Audi due to quality safety features so this incident was very disappointing and costly for our family.

Component/System: Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) / Airbag system — Recall 74E3 / NHTSA 21V874. What Happened: The passenger airbag may switch off even when the seat is occupied due to a faulty PODS wiring connection. The warning message “Passenger Airbag Off” appears with a chime. This is an active safety recall that was issued before I purchased the vehicle, but the recall was not disclosed at the time of sale. Safety Risk: If the system shuts off the airbag incorrectly, the passenger may have no airbag protection in a crash, creating a serious risk of injury or death. Inspection Availability: Vehicle is available for inspection. I live on the Big Island of Hawaii, where there is no Audi-authorized repair facility. Reproduction/Confirmation: Symptoms match the known recall defect. Audi has confirmed the recall applies to my VIN, but no local dealer exists to inspect or repair it. Manufacturer/Dealer Inspection: Audi has refused to cover shipping to the nearest authorized dealership on Oahu, which is the only location where the recall can be performed. Therefore, the defect has not been inspected due to lack of accessible remedy. Warnings/Symptoms: Airbag warning light illuminates and a message appears indicating the passenger airbag is off, along with a chime. Additional Notes: I cannot safely use or sell the car because the required safety repair is inaccessible. Audi’s refusal to provide transportation makes it impossible to complete the mandated recall.

The vehicle emits a smell of fuel into the cabin of the car, and if the windows are up, this makes the driver sleepy and could cause a crash. It does not read fuel levels properly. The car has been taken to Butler, who said they could not find a problem. It was then taken to Audi Agusta (Gerald Jones), they replaced a fuel line that had to be correctly tigheted by another servicer Autobahn Automotive in Augusta Ga. That all happened in October and November of 2025. It is December 2025 with the same issue and no correction at this point.

An alert popped up on the dashboard. Stating driver system malfunction. This happened on the freeway and then the car shut down immediately. I've gotten this notification over 8 times and it has yet to be fixed. I'm extremely anxious and terrified when driving this vehicle, because my 3 children are in this vehicle while im driving. All services has been all done at audi oakland, they have all the records/documents. This car has been serviced over 120 days in total

•Numerous error codes appeared on the dashboard. •All lights shut off while driving, creating a dangerous situation. •The doors locked automatically when I parked and attempted to exit the vehicle. •The SOS system activated while driving, instructing me to stop the vehicle immediately. •The alarm system sounded unexpectedly when I left the car. •I received false notifications on my iPhone indicating that children were in the rear seats.

In August 2025, my 2017 Audi A3 (VIN [XXX] ) experienced repeated stalling, strong gasoline odors inside the cabin, and a check engine light immediately after Audi completed recall-related service. The safety issue was later confirmed by the dealership to be caused by a failed suction jet pump (NHTSA Recall 24V110), which allowed fuel to enter the EVAP system and leak into the rear seat area and cabin. The leak was so severe that the rear seat and flooring had to be replaced due to fuel saturation. Before the problem was properly identified, I was repeatedly told the issue was “just the gas cap,” despite reporting fuel smell, rapid fuel loss after filling the tank, and the check engine light. During this time, I unknowingly drove a vehicle with a significant fire hazard. The cabin fumes caused physical symptoms and unsafe driving conditions. I was not notified of this recall at the time I purchased the vehicle in March 2022, nor was I notified of a second recall affecting the passenger occupant detection system (69BY), despite having purchased a one-year maintenance warranty. I only became aware of the recalls after experiencing the hazardous symptoms described above. The problem was confirmed and reproduced by the Audi dealership. Fuel odor, fuel loss, and warning lights first appeared within 24 hours after the initial service visit, and the safety defect was later linked to the recall-related component failure. This defect presented a serious risk of fire and exposure to gasoline fumes to both myself and other road users. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

While driving at normal speed, the entire digital instrument panel suddenly went black and a red warning triangle appeared. I lost all gauges, including speedometer, fuel level, and warning indicators. This created a serious safety risk because I was in active traffic and had no way to know my speed or see alerts. My VIN shows an open recall for this exact defect (instrument cluster blackout), but the failure has already happened during normal driving. I consider the vehicle unsafe to drive until repaired.