Audi is a brand that has enjoyed popularity and has been well-received in the global automobile market. The Q7 model, a luxury midsize SUV, has enjoyed some success too, but not without some glitches.
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We will be exploring some known Audi Q7 problems. These issues have either been experienced by owners or reported by various platforms in the automobile industry.
While you’re here, also explore the best and worst Audi Q7 years.
1. Engine Misfiring Problem
The engine of a vehicle is more or less the brain of the vehicle. When a car has an engine with a bad reputation, it is only a matter of time before it affects sales negatively.
The Audi Q7 is one luxury SUV that has suffered engine problems.
Many Audi Q7 owners have reportedly complained about the luxury vehicle’s engine’s tendency to misfire. Owners have complained that while driving, whether at slow or high speed, they experienced the vehicle jerking and shuddering.
It must be a disheartening ordeal to purchase such a high-end vehicle and then end up with an issue such as this.
The engine misfiring issue causes the check engine light to come on the dashboard. This information gives owners a cause for worry, as they have been forced to visit mechanics to fix the seemingly evasive problem.
The worst of it is that, even at the dealership, the main issues causing the shuddering and jerking could not be diagnosed.
Some routine checks were carried out on the engine such as, cleaning the valves, changing the spark plugs, and replacing the coils. These did not yield any positive outcomes to the dismay of owners.
The consequence of this relatively “not-too-severe” problem could possibly lead to more serious engine issues.
It is reported by Motor Biscuit that a Q7 owner experienced a crankshaft timing issue, and spent an outrageous $8,000 on repairs.
However, to curb this mind burgling issue, it has been suggested that the Power Control Module software should be upgraded. This could solve the engine misfiring problem for some model years of the Audi Q7.
2. Back Over Display Function Problem
For some car owners, reversing the orthodox way can be quite tiring and frustrating since they have to twist and turn heads to see the hind. Another option is to use the rearview and side mirrors to maneuver the vehicle.
In these modern times, however, car manufacturers have embraced the never-ending technological advancements in the industry.
Many of these technological features serve to make driving easy, convenient, and definitely fun. The Audi Q7 has suffered some issues with its back-over display function.
The Q7’s infotainment main unit may be internally damaged when the car is turned off, thereby causing a malfunctioning rearview camera whenever the car is turned on.
This is an issue of concern for owners because, when the vehicle is started, the rearview camera which is supposed to display the rear of the vehicle remains blank.
A similar problem is caused by the Q7’s faulty software. This is when the rearview camera refuses to display the images in the rear when the vehicle is fixed in reverse gear.
Imagine the frustration someone who is solely dependent on this feature would face in the event that the rear camera fails to correctly display.
Because of this issue, the Audi Q7 has had some recalls by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
3. Faulty Power Braking Assist
The importance of brakes in a vehicle cannot be over-emphasized. Driving a vehicle with a dysfunctional brake could be likened to being tossed by the wind since one would not be able to make an abrupt stop when it is needed.
The Audi Q7 has suffered some power braking assist problems, these issues usually emanate from the vehicle’s engine.
The engine’s check valve may be infested with plastic debris or dirt and this could lead to the leakage of engine oil from the engine to the brake booster. A brake booster aids the power braking assist feature to attain optimal efficiency.
Now, the main problem is, when the engine oil enters the brake booster, the brake booster’s diaphragm could be breached and this would cause a power braking assist failure.
The loss of power braking assist could lead to preventable accidents and injuries.
Some of the affected Audi Q7s were recalled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). You should also know that the Audi Q7 is among the SUVs with the best suspensions.
4. Frontal Air Bags Problem
Airbags are very helpful components of an automobile, particularly in event of a crash. Airbags have saved countless lives involved in various levels of car accidents.
The irony of the Q7’s airbags is that the frontal airbags pose a great danger to the front occupants of the SUV.
The frontal airbags of the Q7 have a tendency to deploy with too much force than needed in the event of a crash.
This excessively forceful deployment of the airbags may cause serious injury or even suffocation to the car’s occupants. This would mean that the airbags serve the opposite purpose of saving lives.
This problem, it was discovered is caused by faulty software in the airbag control module.
Potential Q7 owners have to put this (airbags) issue into consideration before buying one. As it is advisable not to be tempted to overlook it as a “casual problem”.
5. Rear Axle Assembly Issue
The vehicle’s limbs are quite as significant as the limbs in our bodies. If a vehicle’s limbs are faulty, the vehicle experiences a shaky and bumpy ride. Balance and a smooth ride would not be one of the attributes of the vehicle.
When the problem exceeds just shaking (which is an issue of its own), then it is high time for more drastic action to be taken. This seems to be the case afflicting the Audi Q7’s rear axle assembly.
Stress corrosion could cause the lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle to break. This could lead to the misalignment of the rear axle.
A misaligned rear axle has a high possibility of making the vehicle lose control, and the loss of control as we know is one of the major crash-related reasons.
Another problem caused by a misaligned rear axle is the uneven wearing of the car’s tires. It could also lead to the untimely wearing of tires too.
Tires worn out sooner than anticipated pose a huge threat to a crash because the owner might be misinformed about the state of well-being of the car’s tires.
6. Unsecured Rear Seat Belts
Seat belts are meant to restrain occupants of a vehicle in event of an abrupt stop or crash. If a vehicle’s seat belts are faulty, then there is no guaranteed safety for the occupants.
The issue becomes even worse when it involves the safety (or lack of it) of children in the car.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recalled some Q7s that had the rear seat belt glitch. The implication of this fault could be very disturbing as the child restraint system may fail to guard a child as it should.
The cause of this problem is that the rear seat belt automatic locking retractors deactivates earlier than usual. The unsecured rear seat belts or unsecured child restraint system poses a serious danger of injury when an accident occurs.
7. Fuel Pump Problem
The fuel pump as the name implies is saddled with the task of pumping fuel from the fuel tank to the engine. The car’s engine can only function efficiently when fuel is adequately supplied to it.
It is obvious that the fuel pump plays a primary role in the transmission of fuel to the engine.
One of the known and reported problems the Q7 has faced is the issue of a problematic fuel pump. The major cause for this issue could be attributed to a broken component of the fuel pump.
The problem could then lead to a shortage of fuel transmission to the engine. A shortage in fuel transmission could further lead to the engine being damaged.
The simplest and easiest action to take if one notices the symptoms of a faulty fuel pump is a quick visit to the mechanic to replace the broken one.
General Pros and Cons of the Audi Q7
Like all other Audi models, the Q7 has its upsides, which favor it, and the downsides that discredit it. Here are a few for both.
Pros
- High-end technological features.
- First-rate interior materials.
- Exceptionally balanced handling.
Cons
- Inadequate cargo space.
- Tight third-row seats.
- Distracting infotainment system.
What Do the Reviews Say?
The Audi Q7 has garnered positive reviews in the automobile perimeter, mostly for its comfortable interior and technology.
According to Edmunds, the Q7 is one of the more comfortable vehicles in its class, with very little road or wind noise.
Its interface is described as sharp, attractive, and quick to respond to user input by the same platform.
Although some review platforms have fairly rated the Q7, others seem to think differently. The Q7 suffered some below-average ratings for reliability.
According to Carparts, the Audi Q7 isn’t particularly known for reliability. Furthermore, RepairPal scored the Audi Q7 2.5 out of 5.0 in reliability.
The Q7 has enjoyed fair ratings, especially for its high-end interior, technologically savvy interface, and smooth ride. Still, its mediocre reliability rating stands in its way to being rated among the best of the best luxury mid-size SUVs.
What’s the Resale Value of the Audi Q7?
In this section, we will be looking at the Q7’s depreciation rate, and its resale value after 5 years and below.
Model year Mileage (Miles) Price ($)
2022 14,263 60,200
2021 28,526 43,028
2020 42,789 28,309
2019 57,052 17,797
2018 71,315 12,699
It is imperative to note that the Audi Q7 will depreciate in value by 50% in 5 years. This means that a 2022 Q7 that costs around $60,000, would cost about $32,391 in the next 4 years.
We also estimated their mileage based on a yearly average of 14,263 miles driven in the United States.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Q7 seems to be an average luxury SUV with nothing very exciting to anticipate.
For the Q7, the reliability ratings could be said to be quite disappointing, seeing that the brand is revered for standard and quality.
Ultimately, also check out some problems with Audi SUVs.
Check problems for all Audi models.
Sources
Audi Q7 Reliability And Common Problems | Car Parts
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ⓘ The information in this article is based on data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall reports, consumer complaints submitted to the NHTSA, reliability ratings from J.D. Power, auto review and rating sites such as Edmunds, specialist forums, etc. We analyzed this data to provide insights into the best and worst years for these vehicle models.