AUDI SQ7 Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

My 2020 Audi SQ7 has a recall for the backup camera malfunctioning. The recall is 90TV according to Audi. My vehicle has been at the Audi Dealer in Brentwood, TN for 2 weeks now because their software update that is supposed to fix the vehicle is not working. According to the Service Advisor, Taylor Ellis, they are having issues with this all over the US and other countries. I have no update on when my vehicle will be fixed or if it can be. Hopefully NHTSA can help because Audi is not fixing the issue.

We are told by Audi dealer service that our entire water pump system is defective and needs to be replaced at a cost of $5000+. We've had Audis subject to past recall and class action settlements. This is an ongoing, known issue for Audi for over a decade. Frustratingly, our 2020 SQ7 model is not included in any current recalls. "Check engine" diagnostic code P0299 was our first indicator.

Two separate compounding defects. The first and most critical - on many occasions the lane keeping system in my SQ7 has unexpectedly and aggressively engaged and attempted to steer the vehicle into barriers, other vehicles and construction workers. This occurs despite positive driver steering input, normal driving (cruise control off), and creates a condition where I must “fight the wheel” to keep the vehicle from causing an accident. This problem is consistent and repeatable. Most often this has happened in two scenarios (1) in normal driving where lane markings are faded or ambiguous, and (2) where construction is occurring and the vehicle must be driven in accordance with temporary markings or instructions. As a workaround, the vehicle has a feature to turn the lane keeping system off. Due to a second critical defect, even if you have turned the system off, at random the lane keeping system turns itself back on. As a driver, you never truly know what the car is going to do. Audi recognizes this second defect in its internal Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 90 24 88 2073280 of 1 May 16, 2024 and describes the issue as "Lane departure warning sporadically activates by itself". Instructions from Audi to dealers in this TSB are as follows: No repair is currently available. 1. Do not perform any repairs. Any repairs for this concern may be denied. 2. Instruct the customer that this condition is normal. I have engaged Audi's customer service on these issues. At their request, I have taken my SQ7 to two different area dealerships for evaluation. Both confirm that lane keeping is unpredictable and a frequent area of trouble - despite there being nothing "broken" that they can repair. My vehicle has been out of service since 2/9/2026 - 98 days as of the date of this report. This combination of safety defects creates a truly random and unpredictable driving experience that is unsafe for everyone involved.

The wireless phone charging pad in the newer Audi vehicles is a potential fire hazard, and could cause burn injuries or an accident. It also renders the phone being charged inoperable due to overheating shutdown which is equally a safety hazard if there were to be a need to report an emergency. This condition has caused iphone device damage to the battery which could be a serious issue even outside the car after the phone has been removed from the charger pad. Stressing the battery pack over time could cause the phone to explode at any time. This includes public places or god forbid on an airplane. This is a widely documented issue on AudiWorld forums and online. Other users have mentioned reporting this issue to NHTSA with variation of severity. I also read that this affects iPhones more than other brands devices due to the type of wireless charging iPhone devices use. Audi advertises the charger works with all wireless charging phones. Many wireless chargers exist that don’t cause this heat issue so it’s clearly an Audi hardware issue. My particular experience, the charging pad caused my phone to overheat to the point where it shutdown and was no longer able to give me nav notifications or make phone calls. Upon touching the phone it was so hot it burned my hand which put myself and others on the road at risk. My partners iPhone was damaged and needed to be replaced by using this charging pad with a case on the phone which many people have. This is an expensive phone replacement with iPhones over $1000. Any newer Audi with the phone charging pad package will repeat the issue with iPhones with wireless charging. I have tried and confirmed iPhone heating issue in 2 vehicles myself Many people have this experience per online forums. Many have gone to a dealer and it’s apparent it’s a known issue but refuse to provide a fix. There was no warning or indication of the issue from the Audi side of things. Only the iPhone indicated it was going thermal and shut down.

I am reporting premature cooling system failure on my 2021 Audi SQ7 equipped with the 4.0L twin-turbo V8 (EA825 engine). The vehicle developed a coolant leak from the water pump and thermostat housing assembly at relatively low mileage (less than 27,000 miles). The failure caused coolant loss and low coolant warning messages, requiring major repair due to the engine’s integrated “hot-V” cooling system design. Research shows many similar reports involving Audi EA825 4.0T vehicles (SQ7, SQ8, RS6, RS7, etc.) experiencing water pump and thermostat leaks, along with multiple revised OEM part numbers and redesigned components. This defect creates a potential safety risk because sudden coolant loss can lead to overheating, limp mode, loss of power, or breakdown while driving. I request that NHTSA investigate whether these recurring cooling system failures on EA825 4.0T engines represent a broader defect trend. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

The contact owns a 2021 Audi SQ7. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V201000 (Electrical System). The contact scheduled an appointment with a local dealer; however, the dealer advised the contact that the USB ports needed to be repaired to complete the recall repair. The contact had never used the ports and was unaware of the failure prior to the recall notification. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact back to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.