2017 Audi Q7 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Exterior Lighting (131) · Engine (41) · Suspension (32)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Audi Q7 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
76 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (7)
Steering 2020-03-16 · campaign 20V149000 · 229 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Audi Q8 and 2017-2019 Audi Q7 vehicles. The bolt connecting the steering shaft to the steering gear may loosen, possibly resulting in a loss of steering control.
Risk: A sudden loss of loss of steering control may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and Audi dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the steering shaft bolt, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2020. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 36A1.
Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System:fuel Rail 2019-01-16 · campaign 19V035000 · 74,881 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Q7, A6 and A7 vehicles, and 2015-2018 Audi A8 vehicles. The left and right fuel rails may leak fuel.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase risk of a fire.
Fix: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the left and right fuel rail, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 24DP.
Seat Belts:pretensioner 2016-12-29 · campaign 16V955000 · 5,947 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi A7, A4, A6, Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan vehicles and 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf vehicles for driver frontal air bags, passenger frontal air bags or head air bags that may not deploy properly. Additionally, certain 2017 Audi Q7, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, and 2018 Audi Q5 vehicles are being recalled because the seat belt pretensioners may not activate properly.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the air bags and/or the seat belt pretensioners do not inflate or function properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen and Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bags and seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Steering:electric Power Assist System 2016-09-08 · campaign 16V648000 · 8 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi Q7 vehicles manufactured November 11, 2015, to November 23, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the electric power steering assist control unit may short circuit resulting in a loss of power steering assist.
Risk: With a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required, especially at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering rack, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 48M5.
Seats:mid/Rear Assembly 2016-09-06 · campaign 16V641000 · 19,205 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi Q7 vehicles manufactured August 30, 2015, to July 10, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the third row seat back may move forward under load, such as in a frontal collision. As such, the vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."
Risk: If the third row seat does not remain in its adjusted position, there may be an increased risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional support bracket to the seat, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 72F8.
Exterior Lighting 2016-09-06 · campaign 16V642000 · 79,895 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 TT roadster, A3 cabriolet, A3 sedan and A3 e-tron, 2016-2017 TT coupe, 2017 A4 sedan and Q7 and 2015-2017 Q3 vehicles. The affected vehicles may have been programmed with new software that inadvertently makes the side marker lights inoperative in conjunction with the parking lights or the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) num
Risk: If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97CB.
Air Bags:frontal:sensor/Control Module-Inactive 2016-07-08 · campaign 16V519000 · 14,535 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Audi Q7 vehicles manufactured August 30, 2015, to May 8, 2016. Due to a software issue within the air bag control module, the frontal air bags may deploy with more force than required in certain crashes. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: Air bags that deploy with excessive force may increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the air bag control module software, free of charge. The recall began September 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69O3.
Service bulletins (1,245)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-25 · TSB_2083409_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-25 · TSB_2052680_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
Steering 2026-09-22 · TSB_2074846_5 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.
Visibility/Wiper 2026-09-22 · TSB_2020552_15 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning.
Structure:body 2026-09-18 · TSB_2078648_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information about billing for a broken sunroof glass panel.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-15 · TSB_2030471_9 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped.
Showing the 6 most recent of 1,245 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-27 · Exterior Lighting“"front right side marker light defective" error…”
2026-10-25 · Engine“in xxx, my 2017 audi q7 3.0t unexpectedly lost engine power while traveling approximately 70 mph on a highway in [xxx]. a "drive system malfunction" warning appeared. the driver pulled over, shut off the engine, and restarted it; the vehicle then drove normally. the sudden reduction in power at highway speed created a risk of collision with surroun…”
2026-10-21 · Exterior Lighting · 54,921 mi“the contact owns a 2017 audi q7. the contact stated that while driving 25 mph, an inoperable passenger’s side front headlight assembly warning light illuminated. the contact stated that the headlight was functioning properly even though the warning light was displayed. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure by telephone. the contact express…”
2026-10-05 · Suspension“i was backing out of a retail shopping parking lot and heard a loud bang, then a horrible noise from the front driver side. the car went on a lock down - was useless. the front driver wheel was pushed out and we could see control arms. broken underneath. i had no warning, no indicators on the dash- this was catastrophic. i was stopping traffic from…”
2026-09-05 · Electrical System“the vehicle has a recurring electrical failure involving the camshaft position sensor circuit (dtc p0365). the sensor itself is functional, but the wiring harness leading to the sensor develops internal copper fatigue due to a design flaw in the factory routing. the harness is bent tightly behind the passenger-side cylinder head, causing vibration-…”
2026-08-29 · Engine“the 2017 audi q7 prestige was purchased on november 7,2016. since the purchase, all service was provided by one or the other of two audi dealerships. during this period, the audi recommended 10k, 20k,30k, 40k, 50k, 60k, 70k, and 80k mile services had all been performed. in the almost ten years that i owned the car, the oil and oil filter were ch…”
2026-07-31 · Power Train“my 2017 audi q7 with the 3.0t engine has experienced repeated engine/ignition system failures. the vehicle displays a "system malfunction" warning light accompanied by shaking and stalling. this same malfunction has occurred at least 3 separate times over the past few years. each time, a repair shop diagnosed and replaced faulty ignition coils, and…”
2026-07-02 · Exterior Lighting“on my 2017 audi q7 with 93169 miles, i am getting the error message along with a warning lamp that states: "front right side marker light defective." the light actually works however i am getting this message. if the light were to actually go out it would affect the safety of my vehicle. i hear this is a common issue with the 2017 audi q7s and …”
2026-06-08 · Exterior Lighting“defective side‑marker led inside sealed headlight assembly component: exterior lighting / headlights make/model/year: 2017 audi q7 prestige issue: defective side‑marker led inside sealed headlight assembly complaint: the side‑marker led inside the headlight assembly on my 2017 audi q7 has failed due to an internal led driver defect. the led modu…”
2026-05-17 · Fuel/Propulsion System“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…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.