18 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
A software problem can keep the backup camera picture from showing up on the dashboard screen when you shift into reverse. Without that image, you cannot see what is directly behind the car — a person or an object — so you are more likely to hit something while backing up. Audi says the vehicles do not meet the federal rear visibility rule. The dealer will update the software for free.
The buckles for the driver's and front passenger's seat belts may be missing a rivet — the small metal pin that fastens the buckle to the short strap anchoring it to the seat. Without that rivet, the buckle may not hold as designed in a crash, so the belt might not keep you properly in your seat and you could be hurt more badly. Dealers will replace both front seat belt buckles at no cost to you.
A software error can make the main dashboard display go blank. That screen is where your speedometer, fuel gauge and warning lights live, so if it quits you will not know how fast you are going or whether the car is trying to warn you about something else. A dealer reloads the instrument panel software at no charge, and no parts are needed. Audi mailed owner letters on April 24, 2025, so the fix is available now.
An electrical connection inside the front passenger seat can work loose. That connection belongs to the system that senses whether someone is sitting in the seat, and if it comes loose the front passenger airbag is switched off. In a crash, that airbag would not inflate to protect the person riding up front, so injuries could be worse. The dealer will replace the seat's occupant detection control unit free of charge.
There is a side airbag built into the driver's seat that is supposed to inflate between you and the door in a side crash. On these vehicles it may not have been mounted to the seat frame correctly at the factory, so the car does not meet the federal side-impact protection rule. If the airbag is not held in place properly, it may not hold you the way it should in a crash, and you could be injured more badly.
The windshield has a small heater that keeps the forward-facing camera clear. On these Q7s, the camera's control software does not match that heater, and the heater can get too hot. An overheating heater element can start a fire. An Audi dealer will update the camera software and replace the heater element at no cost to you. Audi expected to mail owner letters on May 26, 2023, so contact a dealer if yours has not arrived.
A software problem in the infotainment system can leave the screen blank or black when you shift into reverse, instead of showing the view from the backup camera. With no picture, you cannot see a person, a child, or an object directly behind the car while you are backing up, so it is much easier to hit something you never saw. The dealer fixes it by updating the infotainment software; nothing needs to be replaced.
A part inside the fuel pump can break, which can make the pump stop working. The fuel pump is what feeds gasoline to the engine, so if it fails the engine can shut off while you are driving. That can happen without warning, in traffic or at highway speed. This covers certain 2019-2021 Audi Q8 and 2020-2021 Audi Q7 vehicles. Dealers will replace the fuel pump at no cost to you.
These Audis were part of an earlier recall (21V-295) that involved work on the rear axle. Afterward, the shop was supposed to check that the rear wheels were still lined up correctly, and on some cars that check was skipped. If the rear axle is out of alignment, the tires can wear out early or wear unevenly, which increases the chance of a crash. Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment if needed, and replace any badly worn tires at no charge.
In these Audi and Volkswagen models, the rear seat belts have a locking feature you use to hold a child safety seat tightly in place. On these vehicles that lock can switch off too early, so the belt no longer keeps the child seat secure. A child seat that can shift or move means a child is less protected in a crash. Federal occupant protection rules are not met. Dealers will inspect the middle rear seat belts and replace them free if needed.
On these Audi cars and SUVs, a lock nut holds part of the rear suspension — the trailing arm — to the rear axle. That nut can corrode under stress and break. If it breaks, the rear axle can shift out of alignment, and the car can become hard to keep straight in a way the driver may not be able to correct. That can lead to a loss of control and a crash. A dealer will replace the lock nuts, and the bolts with them if needed, at no cost.
Some 2020-2021 Audi Q7 vehicles have a problem with the computer that controls the airbags. The front passenger airbag inflates in two stages. If an unbelted child is sitting in that seat, the second stage can fire too soon after the first one. That means in a crash where the passenger airbag goes off, a child in the front seat could be hurt by the airbag itself. Because of this, the vehicles don't meet the federal safety rule for crash protection. Dealers will update the airbag computer free of charge.
Each front door on these Audis has a sensor that tells the vehicle it has been hit from the side. On some vehicles, the electrical plug can come loose from that sensor. If it does, the side airbags, the curtain airbags above the windows, and the seat belt tighteners may go off late in a side crash, so they protect the people inside less than they should. A dealer will check both front door sensors and replace them if needed, free.
The Audi Q7 has padded trim on the roof pillar behind the rear side window. That padding is meant to soften a blow if someone's head hits it in a crash. On these vehicles the padding does not absorb as much impact as it should. If a person riding in the car is not wearing a seat belt and their head strikes that pillar during a crash, the injury could be worse than it otherwise would be.
The bolt that connects the steering shaft to the steering gear can work itself loose. That shaft is what carries your turning of the steering wheel down to the front wheels, so if the bolt loosens you can lose the ability to steer the vehicle. Audi dealers will inspect that bolt and replace it if necessary, at no cost to you. The recall began in March 2020, so the free repair has been available for a while.
Certain 2019 Audi Q7 SUVs have a problem with the side curtain airbags — the airbags that drop down from above the side windows to protect people's heads in a crash. In a crash, these airbags may not fill with air the way they are supposed to. That means the protection you expect in a side impact or rollover may not be there. Audi dealers will replace the side curtain airbags on affected vehicles.
The forks that hold the front shock absorbers in place can develop cracks. A shock absorber is the part that soaks up bumps and keeps the wheel settled against the road. If a fork cracks, the shock it holds can work itself loose. A loose shock on the front of the car changes how the front wheels behave, so the steering can feel wrong or stop responding the way you expect it to.
The fuel rails are the metal tubes that carry gasoline under pressure to the engine. On these Audis, the left and right fuel rails can leak. Gasoline escaping near anything hot or sparking can start a fire. Audi has already notified owners, and dealers will replace both the left and the right fuel rail at no cost to you. This recall began in February 2019, so the free repair has been available for some time.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Audi Q7. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 142 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 2019 | 61 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2021 | 72 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: