When I have a passenger riding with me the passenger airbag cuts on and off the whole time while I’m driving. This is a major safety concern especially when I have passengers all the time. I’m concerned the airbag will not deploy during an accident.
The worst 2016 Audi A7 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Airbags7
- Engine2
- Fuel system2
- Steering2
- Body1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags7
- Engine2
- Fuel system2
- Steering2
- Body1
- Electrical1
- Tires1
- Transmission1
- Visibility1
Recalls 3
Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system: fuel rail
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 19V035000 · Recall details
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Audi S6 and S7, 2012-2018 A7 and A6 Sedan, and 2014-2018 RS7 vehicles equipped with basic seats (with or without heating). Stress or wear of the body-sensing mat within the front passenger seat may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) control module to malfunction.
- Risk
- If the PODS module malfunctions, the front passenger air bag may not deploy properly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D5.
Recall number 18V370000 · Recall details
Air bags: side/window
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Audi A7 vehicles. The affected vehicles have head curtain air bags that may not deploy properly in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
- Risk
- If the head curtain airbag does not deploy properly in the event of a crash, an unbelted passenger has an increased risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected head curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin June 29, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Volkswagen's number for the recall is 69R2.
Recall number 17V293000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2016 Audi A7 973
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Diagnosed and confirmed malfunction of the vehicle’s AEB system that resulted from failure or malfunction...
- This bulletin provides informaiton on the use of the PICO-NVH tool (VAS 611 015).
- This bulletin proides service information when there is a prompt to take over the steering wheel (hands...
- This bulletin provides information when the starter battery is discharged or malfunctioning.
- This bulletin provides information to aid in diagnosing the vehicle locking system.
- This bulletin provides information when the engine is not runing smoothly; all gas engines.
- This bulletin provides information on VIN plates, Safety Certification labels, and ordering procedures.
- This bulletin provides infomraiton when the exterior lights have moisture accumulation.
- This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
- This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has...
2016 Audi A7 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6‑cyl Diesel | AWD | 25 | 38 | 30 |
| 3.0L 6‑cyl | AWD | 20 | 29 | 24 |
What 2016 Audi A7 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Component/System Malfunction: The engine control unit fails, causing the engine to shut off unexpectedly while driving. This component is available for inspection. Safety Risk: The sudden shutdown poses severe risks. It happened on local roads and highways at speeds over 65 mph, creating immediate danger. Reproduction and Confirmation: The problem has been reproduced but not resolved by Audi Columbus. Inspection: Inspected multiple times by Audi Columbus, but not by police or insurance. Warning Lamps/Symptoms: No warning lamps or messages before the engine shuts off; the failure is sudden. Detailed Timeline of Incidents: •[XXX]: First incident; the engine shut off on a local road. Paid $1,500 for repairs, but the issue persisted. •[XXX]: Engine shut off again, preventing going to office due to lack of loaner vehicles. •[XXX]: Engine shut off on the highway, causing extreme fear and distress. Vehicle towed to the service center. The engine shut off in a high-crime area. Restarted vehicle message came on, Vehicle towed from work place. Service Center Issues: •Shutdowns prevent work due to no loaners. •Service advisor Ellis declined services without permission and acting like he has no idea why the vehicle is there even though he is the same service advisor dealing with the constant issue. •No effective resolution despite multiple visits. Impact: The repeated issues severely affect my mental health and safety. Request for Resolution: I seek either a replacement vehicle or a full refund. I urge the federal safety agency to investigate this defect to prevent accidents. Supporting Evidence: I can provide once contacted Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. I look forward to your response. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A7. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the steering wheel stopped operating and the "Do Not Drive Vehicle, Steering Defective" message was displayed. The vehicle was pulled into a parking lot where the vehicle restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the vehicle needed to be taken to the dealer as soon as possible. The contact discovered an unknown Technical Service Bulletin however, the vehicle was not included. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with an electrical power steering failure. The vehicle was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 130,036.
In five years I have had my windshield chip or crack four times. Replacement is a pain and expensive. It seems the design is far too susceptible to breakage and is unsafe.
Gas smell while AC/HEATER is on and car is sitting idle. My car is not included in the 2019 safety recall 24DP although it should be.
Flat tire on highway 255/40 R19 100H. I thought it’s a nail or a sharp object. After further inspection, the tire was ripping from inside out. Please see attached picture. My speed was very low at higher speeds or could have been a complete tire blow out.
Around 36k miles the vehicle had some dried coolant residue and required coolant topups every 2-3k miles. Two different dealerships performed comprehensive inspections between then and now and did not notify me of any problems. The residue was explained away in a service bulletin stating that it was normal for the water pump to weep some coolant. Now at 44k miles, I brought the car in when I saw dried coolant residue and it seemed to require coolant more frequently. Dealer notified me that the engine water pump has failed and requires replacement.
I have reached a gas station and I am unable to open the fuel filler flap. Apparently this is a known issue to Audi Service departments on Audi’s of this generation not just the A7 model. The problem is apparently intermittent, and apparently worse during winter months. In the next generation vehicle the ful filler flap housing has been redesigned to solve the fuel filler flap not opening problem. Since the car cannot go with our gas, this is clearly a design error, and could leave people stranded mid-winter. Not good here in the North-East.
1st problem my passenger air bag will go on and off sometime while driving even though no one is sitting there. 2nd problem the weather here was -30 for about 10 days and my car stopped working one morning when I turned it on. More precisely steering did not work. When I took it to vw dealer and they had it over night for all ice to melt they said a bunch of water came out from module when they unplugged wire harnes.
My 2016 audi a7 with 20,000 miles developed an excessive vibration and audible noise when starting from a stop position and turning right or left while accelerating. This condition was reported to the dealership while still under warranty. The kansas city dealership and audi customer service have indicated that this binding of the front quatro drive system is normal operation. This binding and noise only developed after about 20000 miles and was not normal operation when purchased new and until reaching the indicated mileage. I am concerned that this defect could cause a failure of the drive system at a critical point causing an unsafe condition and should have been addressed under warranty.
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Questions about the 2016 Audi A7
Is the 2016 Audi A7 reliable?
Owners have filed 15 complaints about the 2016 Audi A7, 2.5 times a typical A7 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Audi A7?
Airbags, with 7 complaints. Next is engine (2).
How many recalls does the 2016 Audi A7 have?
3 recalls, covering fuel system, gasoline and air bags.
What gas mileage does the 2016 Audi A7 get?
Official estimates for the 2016 Audi A7 range from 24 to 30 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.0L 6-cyl diesel, AWD) gets 25 city and 38 highway.
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