Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Audi Q7 - part 1

My independent repair shop has just diagnosed a coolant leak weeping from the vacuum line connection at the water pump; they referred to this problem as “coolant migration”. As documented extensively by Audi in technical service bulletin 19-23-45 (2070349/2), this indicates an internal seal failure of the water pump, causing pressurized engine coolant to migrate directly into the vehicle’s vacuum system. While I understand that my vehicle is technically past its 4-year factory warranty timeline, a mechanical failure of this nature at just 43,000 miles is highly premature and points to a known manufacturer design defect rather than standard wear and tear. More importantly, this defect poses an immediate, severe safety risk. Because the vacuum system directly services the power brake booster, the migration of coolant into these lines risks catastrophic contamination of the braking system. This results in a stiff brake pedal and compromised vehicle stopping ability. I am deeply concerned about operating this vehicle with an active, manufacturer-acknowledged safety hazard affecting my brakes. At this time, I have not had this problem confirmed by the dealer, but plan to in the next week. The vehicle it available for inspection upon request.

See all problems of the 2021 Audi Q7 🔎.

Front right marker light defect alert keeps pooping up and sounding an Audible alarm while I am driving even through the marker light is working perfectly. Drive train alert comes on after I add oil and the vehicle starts hesitating while I accelerate. I just got a tune up which included new spark plus and a new coils. Problem came back even after the tune up within 3000 miles. Excessive oil loss. I constantly have to add a quart of oil even after I just got an oil change and tune up. Seeing oil in the cover shield that covers the entire engine. Seems like the oil is blowing out of the cap area where you add in oil. These problems are very costly for a vehicle that I ordinary love. Please advise what can be done because I can not pay for any more repairs out of pocket. There is only 80,100 mile on the vehicle.

See all problems of the 2017 Audi Q7 🔎.

Early fuel pump failure at 55k miles. Coolant is now leaking and the fuel pump and vac system need replacement.

I was traveling at highway speeds in active, high-velocity traffic when my vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic mechanical failure that nearly resulted in a severe multi-car accident. Without any warning, the vehicle completely lost its ability to accelerate, flatly refusing to pick up speed or maintain momentum despite pressing the gas pedal. ?this unexpected, immediate drop in propulsion marooned me in high-speed lanes, leaving the vehicle dangerously vulnerable as oncoming traffic rapidly closed the distance behind me. Drivers behind me were forced to aggressively swerve and brake to avoid a high-speed rear-end collision. Moments after this life-threatening loss of power occurred, the check engine light illuminated on the dashboard. ?subsequent technical inspection revealed a severe engineering defect: the internal seals of the factory coolant control components failed, forcing pressurized engine coolant backward into the engine’s primary vacuum system. This pressurized fluid completely contaminated the vacuum lines, the vacuum reservoir tank, and the electronic solenoids—including the n75 boost control solenoid. By filling the vacuum infrastructure with liquid coolant, the engine was instantly starved of its ability to regulate turbocharger boost, triggering a critical "limp mode" and a p0299 underboost fault. ?the catastrophic failure of an internal cooling seal directly compromising an active drivability safety system represents an unreasonable and severe defect. It transforms a routine drive into an immediate, uncontrollable highway hazard. I am filing this report because this known coolant migration pattern presents a clear, present, and life-threatening danger to owners operating this engine platform.

See all problems of the 2022 Audi Q7 🔎.

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q7. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 - 55 mph, the check engine light had illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed code po299, which referred to coolant migration into the vacuum system. The contact was unable to provide the exact parts that were needed for repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer opened a case regarding the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

The first indication of an issue was oil consumption. It was using more oil than usual around the 70k mile mark. Then it started misfiring, and soon after a knocking noise coming from the engine. There are no check engine light on, after bringing it in for diagnostics, it read that it was a spark plug, once they got into the engine they discovered the cylinder had been stripped from the piston. Yes the diagnostics came from our foreign car mechanic. No, it has not been inspected by the manufacturer or police. Just the symptoms. Sometimes the light would come on, and then it would go off. At this point it is off. All of this started in the fall of 2025.

See all problems of the 2020 Audi Q7 🔎.

While my vehicle was in for the Audi piston issue, they stated my water pump needed to be replaced and isn’t covered by a recall (yet). My vehicle had less than 42,000 mile on it. I was lead to believe that this problem is coming up more often and they believe a class action lawsuit will come about. I needed to pay over $1,700 out of pocket and was told I was saving so much money because they already had the engine apart because of the piston recall. This is unacceptable.

See attached document for complaint.

See all problems of the 2019 Audi Q7 🔎.

The contact owns a 2020 Audi Q7. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where the water pump, coolant pump, vacuum line, and vacuum reservoir were replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Catastrophic engine failure while driving on highway with family. System gave error codes dtc p054a, dtc p0301, dtc p0017. Vehicle was not drivable. Always serviced with oil and filter change at recommended service intervals at authorized Audi dealer. Never showed any signs of malfunction or warning lamps prior to this incidence. Brought it to a mechanic specializing in european cars and diagnosis was the engine has failed completely and needs new engine.

Catastrophic engine failure, this occurred 2 weeks after a service appointment where nothing was detected. The car only had 86,000 miles and it is unrepairable. We have now found that this could be due to a design flaw in this model which we were unaware of.

See all problems of the 2018 Audi Q7 🔎.

- engine water pump failure and coolant intrusion into the vacuum system. Parts were replaced on 5 Nov 2025 and possible still at the dealer's location. - the defect poses the following safety risks: it resulted in contamination of vacuum lines; potential for sudden engine stalling or loss of power while driving; potential for catastrophic damage to engine-management systems dependent on vacuum integrity; potential for damage to emissions and combustion-control systems; potential for reduced braking system performance if vacuum supply is compromised, expensive and unexpected component failures, and possible recurrence since the cause appears related to design rather than normal wear. Any failure can create cascading hazards affecting safety-critical functions. - the problem was confirmed by an authorized Audi dealer. Dealer name and contact info can be provided upon request. - I do not know if the dealer delivered the involved parts to the manufacturer or insurance representative for inspection. Police or others did not inspect it. - there were no warning lights, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. It was identified by the Audi technician on 5 November 2025 while the vehicle was in the dealer for other services. The failure occurred at 47,855 miles which is far below the average lifespan of a water pump or vacuum system.

2018 Audi Q7 piston melting diagnosed by a certified mechanic due to excessive oil consumption due to defective pistons. A class action suit was filed. And a warranty extension extension issued. There is no record of a warranty extension and should be. Please advise.

I am reporting a progressive oil consumption defect that led to a catastrophic engine failure in my 2018 Audi Q7. The vehicle was purchased certified pre-owned (cpo). I reported the excessive oil use to an Audi dealer. The dealer attempted to address the issue by performing an engine cleaning/flush, but the engine failed shortly afterwards. Over time, the vehicle required frequent top-offs between service intervals. Eventually, the engine suffered a mechanical failure, resulting in a broken exhaust valve and internal engine damage while driving on the highway. The Audi dealer provided a repair estimate of approximately $12,000. Audi of America offered 40% assistance to make the repair, but does not recognize the underlying excessive oil consumption issue. Furthermore, the proposed repair only replaces the damaged valve and related components, but does not address the underlying excessive oil consumption that caused the failure. This means the vehicle may still: •unexpectedly run low on oil, •lose power while driving, •suffer additional internal damage, or •again experience sudden engine failure while driving. These conditions can cause dangerous drivability issues, including loss of acceleration and potential stalling at highway speeds. This appears to be a serious safety-related defect involving lubrication failure, component breakage, and potential loss of power. I am requesting that NHTSA review this issue to determine whether similar failures are occurring in other Audi Q7 vehicles with the 3. 0t engine.

I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety issue I experienced with my vehicle. Shortly after starting to drive, about 2 miles from my home, while traveling at approximately 25 mph, the vehicle suddenly began to shake violently and came to a complete stop at the intersection of crescent street and astoria boulevard. At that moment, I lost all control over the steering wheel—it completely locked up. The dashboard displayed the message: “drive system malfunction – contact service. ” these diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) appeared: •p2179 •p025c •p0087 •p0306 this incident posed a major safety risk, as I was unable to steer or move the vehicle in a high-traffic area. I am very concerned that this could happen again or to other drivers under more dangerous conditions. Please investigate this matter as it may indicate a serious defect that could affect others.

This vehicle developed low oil alerts within 6 weeks of me receiving it with normal city driving. Multiple testing visits and comprehensive consumption testing later, it continued to have the low oil alerts very frequently and various random malfunction alerts like parking brake alert etc. For each complaint I took it to the dealership and did whatever they recommended but no eventual resolution was found. Early October this year, in the middle of traffic multiple alerts came on including drive system malfunction, parking brake malfunction and start stop malfunction. So many that the whole console just lit up and the car started rocking in the middle of traffic and I had to slow down to keep the vehicle in control. The car was rocking visibly and I had difficulty in maneuvering it to a safe location . I contacted the dealership and they gave me an appointment 4 weeks out saying that since the lights were solid and not flashing I could choose to drive the car. However it didn’t look safe to drive so I didn’t use it thereafter. They later told me after a diagnostic evaluation that the engine needed to be replaced as the slapping piston rings had scraped the cylinder walls.

During a routine service on my 2021 Audi Q7, the shop found the coolant level low and traced it to a leak. The Audi dealer later diagnosed failure of the water pump, thermostat, valves, and related parts, with a repair estimate of nearly $5,000. I discovered that prior model years (up to 2020) were included in a class action lawsuit for the same type of cooling system failures, though my VIN is not covered. This appears to be the same issue, happening just a few months outside of warranty, and raises concerns about premature failure and safety risk from overheating.

My water pump went out on my 2021q7. The car had 57271 miles on it. I looked up the VIN and it is not covered in the class action lawsuit however, my model and my year comes up but not my VIN. I feel a water pump should last until 100,000 miles.

Warranty will be over in 60 days; the catalyst coverter is going back, the Audi dealer and Audi corporate are delaying the fixture do to some mis communication between dealer and corporate. The problem has to do with def gases not being cleanup. The error code is p20ee00 and the engine light is on. The part is under warranty and Audi corporate is delaying the fixt because the do not wish to pay for the cost. They have had my vehicle for a full week and no decision when to replace the part. I strongly believe they want the warranty to expire so the customer has to pay for cost of the catalyst. The dealer has verified that part is under warranty but corporate does not response to the dealer. 0.

See all problems of the 2015 Audi Q7 🔎.

El carro fue comprado en febrero 2024 en greenway Ford inclui un paquete DE cambio DE aceite,rotacion DE llantas y cambio DE los limpiabrisas. Esto ha sido un dolor DE cabeza. Cada vez que se le realiza el servicio sale con la luz del ingenier prendido, en la computadora DE auto zone aparece turbocharger intercooler(p0299). Ademas el asiento del pasajero esta siempre muy caliente el carro gasta demasiada gasolina y esta perdiendo velocidad,en verdad no se si el carro esta gastando aceite, ya que recién cambiado el sistema me mostro falta DE aceite . O el consecionario no cambio el aceite correctamente. .

I discovered this item while researching another issue. There was a class action law suit against vw/Audi for the water pump and coolant leaking into the system. The class action covered the year and model for my Audi (2020 Q7) but my VIN was not included. The class action ended in 2024. On 8/4/25, my water pump went out because of coolant going into system. A $6,000 repair. I brought the issue up with Audi. No response.

I am reporting suspected odometer fraud on my 2018 Audi Q7 3. 0t prestige (VIN: [xxx] ). Between may 8 and June 13, 2025, while I was the sole driver of the vehicle, Audi dealership service records show an odometer increase of 5,282 miles (from 78,260 to 83,542). However, independently verified gps trip data from the Audi connect system confirms I drove only approximately 2,103 miles during this period — a discrepancy of approximately 3,178 miles. The vehicle was serviced at two penske-owned dealerships: Audi of arlington (3200 columbia pike, arlington, va 22204) and Audi of chantilly (14839 stonecroft center CT, chantilly, va 20151). Only authorized dealer diagnostic equipment can alter odometer values. This manipulation resulted in the wrongful denial of my extended warranty coverage and a $37,567. 16 out-of-pocket engine replacement. I have a fully documented demand letter with ten supporting exhibits including service records, Audi connect trip data, and a detailed timeline. The dealerships did not respond to my demand letter. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Water pump failure.

To whom it may concern, I am writing to formally report a serious and recurring safety issue involving my 2018 Audi Q7. The vehicle has experienced repeated drive system malfunctions that result in sudden loss of power, reduced acceleration, and warning messages on the dashboard such as “drive system: malfunction” and “electrical system failure. ” these incidents have occurred while the vehicle was in motion, creating a hazardous situation for both the occupants and surrounding drivers. In my case, the vehicle unexpectedly lost power while driving at highway speeds, forcing me to maneuver to the shoulder with diminished control. This sudden malfunction is unpredictable and could easily result in a collision or serious injury, especially in high-speed or high-traffic conditions. Upon researching this issue, I found that numerous other 2018 Audi Q7 owners have reported similar problems. These complaints consistently cite the same symptoms, including sudden deceleration, electrical system errors, and power steering failure. It appears to be a widespread defect that may warrant a recall or further investigation by the NHTSA. I urge your office to investigate this matter promptly to prevent potential injuries or fatalities. I am willing to provide service records, diagnostic codes, photos, or any other documentation that may support this complaint. Thank you for your attention to this serious safety concern. I hope the NHTSA will take appropriate action to ensure the safety of all drivers affected by this defect.

The engine burns oil. At about 60k miles started to burn about a liter every 10k miles. Once the engine got to about 80k engines it started burning a leter about every 1k miles. The high amount of oil consumption fouled the spark plugs, coils, injectors and sensors. This resulted in a drive system malfunction, caused loss of power in the engine that ultimately ruined the engine with less than 100k miles.

Lights on dash were flashing in cluster which made it look like it was low tire pressure. I had a portable air pump which showed tires were fine. The vehicle went into some kind of limp mode which prevented the vehicle from driving the speed limit. It was taken to auto service center. The diagnosis was engine failure due to a burnt valve. It's been confirmed through the dealership, mechanics and consumers that is a common problem with this particular make and model vehicle. This engine failure left me on the side of the road and not feeling safe at all while being approximately 3 hours from my home. As an Audi owner I'm was so disappointed to be told that I needed a new motor even though it still runs in limp mode. This vehicle has less than 150k miles. It was the best european vehicle I ever owned until it wasn't. Bad call and poor quality control Audi!.

See all problems of the 2013 Audi Q7 🔎.

The issue is related to Audi TSB 2048402/3. 2017 Audi Q7 3. 0t. First the an engine light appears, then get drive system malfunction warning appears, then car misfires, then car goes into limp mode causing the car to rapidly slow down (while driving on a highway!!!!!). This is is common issue on the 2017 Audi Q7, code is p05a000 active grill shutter "a" stuck on. Which then triggers the drive system malfunction, misfire, and limp mode. Audi will not repair due to mileage on vehicle. Concern is this is a know issue and a safety concern.

The gasket seals and the seals on the cylinder are not sealed causing fuel to peak from fuel injectors.

My engine just failed after over a year of having to put oil in. The car has 77k miles and has been regularly maintained. Audi used this as a "demo car" and after purchase we immediately had to put oil in and were told verbally this is not an issue. The excessive engine oil consumption caused this catastrophic engine failure our an independent and trusted mechanic reports the engine has failed and cylinder number five only has 30 pounds of pressure. Please advise on what I can do with Audi for repair. We also have a 2019 and are fearful this will happen to that car as well. Thank you.

Engine started knocking. Excessive use of oil in vehicle. Even after putting oil in and getting the oil changed several times, the vehicle constantly leaks and is consuming massive amounts of oil.

#1 cylinder lost compression causing car to almost immediately stop while driving 78mph on the interstate. Car was towed back to manufacturer where I bought the car. The car 2018 Audi Q7 has 68,000 miles, all servicing of vehicle was done at dealership where I bought the car. Never any problems with engine except the occasional need for engine oil requiring being topped off.

Engine rebuild/replace: cylinder 1 intake valve has broken causing misfire/ oil consumption. Due to piece of valve falling into combustion chamber, damage/scoring on cylinder wall. Recommend replacement of engine.

According to the dealer’s diagnosis, a burnt and broken valve caused the car to shake violently while I was driving on the highway with my family, including our three children. Prior to this incident, there were no warning lights or error messages. Only after the shaking began did a “drive system malfunction” alert appear on the dashboard.

For over 24+ months now, the engine has been showing signs of excessive oil consumption. I've had the engine light come on requesting for me to add a quart of oil. . . On average, every 2,000 miles. I'm concerned with this excessive oil consumption as it is a major safety issue, as the piston rings may fail due to a possible faulty engine design (most likely since this excessive oil consumption is a frequent occurrence with other drivers of this vehicle). When discussed with the dealership, they are aware of the situation (2017-2019 Audi Q7 excessive oil consumption) and they request that I pay for an engine compression test. This amount of oil consumption shouldn't happen.

First time on highway since getting it back from the car repair vendor two days prior. Drive system malfunction occurred on the highway drive approx. 13 miles from my house. Car lost power and would stall and would barely idle. Stopped in the middle of highway traffic 3 times. Got the car towed to vendor that had serviced my car 2 days prior which involved changing rear brake pads and rotors, 6 supercharged spark plugs and air filter. Estimate of issue was damaged exhaust valves on cylinder 2 & 4. Recommended service was remove the cylinder heads, replace all exhaust valves, clean pistons and combustion chambers $8,032. 99.