I am reporting a serious safety defect involving the door locking and electrical systems in my 2024 Audi SQ8. On two separate occasions the vehicle experienced a complete electrical malfunction. During the first incident, I and my child were trapped inside the vehicle. The doors would not open from the inside and the vehicle would not start. After the first incident, the vehicle was taken to an Audi dealership for inspection and repair. I was informed that the issue had been identified and repaired. Despite those repairs, the same safety issue occurred again. During the second incident, which was captured on video, the vehicle would not start despite repeated attempts. The vehicle malfunctioned again after the dealership had already stated the problem was fixed. Dealership personnel acknowledged that they could not guarantee the problem would not happen again. I was also provided a video demonstrating a manual emergency exit procedure because the electronic door locking system could become inoperative again. The dealership showed how occupants would have to use a mechanical override to exit if the electronic system failed again. This defect creates a significant safety risk because occupants can become trapped inside the vehicle unable to exit during an emergency. The inability to start the vehicle combined with failure of the electronic door locking system could delay escape in the event of a fire, collision, medical emergency, or other hazardous situation. The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized Audi dealership multiple times. The problem was reproduced by the vehicle itself on multiple occasions, and I have video evidence documenting one of the incidents. Because of these repeated failures and the safety risk posed to me and everyone on the road I no longer feel it is safe to drive it.
The worst 2024 Audi SQ8 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical2
- Driver assistance1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical2
- Driver assistance1
Recalls 2
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2026 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- Risk
- A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2026. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90TV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on December 23, 2025.
Recall number 25V900000 · Recall details
Air bags: side/window
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2023-2024 SQ8, RSQ8, Q8, Q7, and 2024 SQ7 vehicles. The driver's seat side air bag may have been improperly mounted to the seatback frame. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 214, "Side Impact Protection."
- Risk
- An improperly mounted air bag may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and reinstall the air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 17, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69GA.
Recall number 23V868000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2024 Audi SQ8 784
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This bulletin provides informaiton on the use of the PICO-NVH tool (VAS 611 015).
- This bulletin provides informtion when the exhaust emissions warning lamp lights up or flashes; sporadic...
- This bulletin provides information when the DTC P0C2A00 or U028700 is stored regarding the auxiliary...
- This bulletin provides information when the message "Automatic user identifaction failed" appers in the...
- This bulletin provides information when the air spring symbol is illuminated; DTC U112100 or C1260F0.
- This Pending Service Solution (PSS) requests that technicians enter a record in the PSS database when the...
- This bulletin provides information regarding the current top concerns being addressed by the Audi Digital...
- 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 for all gasoline engines when the MIL is on; DTC P240700 is stored
What 2024 Audi SQ8 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Our electrical system is going craze. The electronic door handles will lock us in and out of the car, the instrument cluster will black out for periods, safety sensors go off at random, other screens in car will black out leaving controls in operable, and wireless car charger will heat the phone so hot that we have been burnt. We have take to the dealer several times. Some visits they claim they can not duplicate. They have replaced two of the door handles but they still at random do the same thing. There have been numerous system updates done to the car but it does not seem to help. We are told that the solution for these problems have not been developed yet by the manufacturer. There are no warning signs as to when these items will fail, it just happens at random. We do not feel safe driving the car as all the safety components are tied to the electrical system such as steering, braking, lighting, etc.
Compare the 2024 Audi SQ8
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Questions about the 2024 Audi SQ8
Is the 2024 Audi SQ8 reliable?
Owners have filed 2 complaints about the 2024 Audi SQ8, fewer than a typical SQ8 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2024 Audi SQ8?
Electrical system, with 2 complaints. Next is driver assistance (1).
How many recalls does the 2024 Audi SQ8 have?
2 recalls, covering back over prevention and air bags.
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