2021 Audi E-TRON Problems and Recalls (34 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2021 Audi E-TRON is Electrical (29% of 34 owner reports). There are 9 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Electrical — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 34 complaints · 9 recalls
What problems show up on the 2021 Audi E-TRON?
10 of 34 filings named Electrical (29% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Engine (6 reports).
There are 9 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags, Rear camera / backup safety, and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The previous year is not published here. Use the year list to jump around.
What owners reported
System named most often: Electrical 10 complaints · 29.4% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 0
- Fires 0
- Injuries 0
- Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 10 | 29.4% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 6 | 17.7% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 6 | 17.7% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 2 | 5.9% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) | 1 | 2.9% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 1 | 2.9% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 10 | 29.4% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 23V842000 was reported 448 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 23V867000 was reported 455 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2025-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2026-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2026-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V569000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V595000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V606000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V707000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V742000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V806000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 23V842000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 23V867000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 25V900000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | DP22005 |
Safety Recalls (9)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Airbags, Rear camera / backup safety, and Electrical.
-
Recall campaign 21V569000
Safety recall 21V569000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- Separation of the rotor and shaft may cause a reduction in braking assistance and a loss of the Antilock Brake System (ABS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the brake booster, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 14, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47R1.
-
Recall campaign 21V595000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- An air bag that does not deploy properly can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will inspect the glove box, and secure the hinge pin as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 68H6.
-
Recall campaign 21V606000
Safety recall 21V606000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).
-
Recall campaign 21V707000
Safety recall 21V707000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- A loss of braking assist, ABS, and ESC will increase the effort and distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the brake booster, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 30, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 47R7.
-
Recall campaign 22V742000
Rear camera / backup safety
- Report date
- Component:
- Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION)
- Consequence:
- A blank rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will update the infotainment unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DZ.
-
Recall campaign 22V806000
Rear camera / backup safety
- Report date
- Component:
- Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION)
- Consequence:
- An inoperative rearview camera display reduces the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the infotainment main unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91Ei.
-
Recall campaign 23V842000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- An overheated outlet or charging cable can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- Owners are advised not to use the 220V/240V compact/portable charging cable and only use the 110V home charging cable or public charging stations. Dealers will supply a new 220V/240V compact/portable charging cable with an incorporated temperature sensor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's numbers for this recall are 93U6 and 93U8.
-
Recall campaign 23V867000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- A high-voltage battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will install onboard diagnostic software to monitor battery module performance, and replace affected battery modules where necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 3, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's numbers for this recall are 93U9 and 93V2.
-
Recall campaign 25V900000
Rear camera / backup safety
- Report date
- Component:
- Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION)
- Consequence:
- 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 NHTSA.gov on December 23, 2025.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Showing 4 of 34 complaints · page 1 of 2
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I own a 2021 Audi e-tron with approximately 58000 miles. Beginning in March 2026, the vehicle developed intermittent Virtual Cockpit/instrument-cluster problems with blank display. I reported the condition to Audi dealer of Princeton NJ. The vehicle subsequently experienced two dead 12-volt battery incidents and became inoperable. The second 12 volt battery was new. Following the most recent incident, the Audi dealer diagnosed the Virtual Cockpit/instrument cluster as causing a drain on the 12-volt battery and recommended replacement at a cost of approximately $3,500. The replacement part is unavailable, and Audi has provided no estimated delivery date. The vehicle has remained out of service since July 03rd 2026. This condition presents a potential safety concern because failure of the instrument cluster may prevent the driver from reliably viewing speed, warning indicators, vehicle status, range, and other safety-related information. The recurring 12-volt battery discharge may also leave the vehicle unexpectedly disabled. The vehicle is additionally showing an indicated range of only approximately 160 miles at 100% charge. Audi has not established whether this is related to the instrument-cluster failure, high-voltage battery condition, battery-management system, software, or another electrical defect. Audi has not provided documentation of a comprehensive high-voltage battery health and capacity evaluation. Audi issued a recall or service campaign affecting other 2021 Audi vehicles for substantially similar Virtual Cockpit/display problems. However, Audi states that my VIN is excluded and has not provided a technical explanation identifying a different component, part number, software version, supplier, or failure mechanism. I request that NHTSA evaluate whether the recurring instrument-cluster failure and 12-volt battery discharge constitute a broader safety defect and whether the existing Audi recall or service-campaign population should include this car.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Moisture build-up in the high-voltage electrical system through a faulty seal on the charging socket, which can cause a short circuit and significantly increase the risk of a vehicle fire. If you get a warning light saying "electrical system: fault," you should stop driving immediately, park outdoors away from structures, and not charge the vehicle. Braking problems caused by sub-standard welding within the ABS rotor and shaft. High-voltage battery modules that may overheat, also increasing the risk of fire. An infotainment unit that can become internally damaged when the vehicle is shut off, resulting in an inoperative rearview camera display a federal safety standard violation. This clearly shows the vehicle was badly manufactured, during a chip shortage in 2020. This vehicle is a complete failure by Audi and puts so many innocent peoples lives at risk.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - While on highway the vehicle loosed all Power indicating Electrical Malfunction How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? It happened on I-35 Freeway twice putting me in danger of 18 wheelers around me. I am afraid to be in the vehicle even if they return it to me. Based on records this issue has been present on the car since it rolled off manufacturing. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes and Dealer has reproduced it and has the car with them for 5 Plus months. Have replaced many components and are not able to resolve it. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? South Austin Audi Dealer has been working with Audi Corporate Technical team and have replaced 5 parts to no resolution. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Electrical Malfunction - Red light flashing to pull the care over to the emergency lane but there is no acceleration - you are left to depend on whatever momentum is left on the car. Based on records this issue has been present on the car since it rolled off manufacturing. Based on records this issue has been present on the car since it rolled off manufacturing.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Audi dealership charged fee for a repair that they the,selves acknowledged is under a technical service bulletin and despite my having extended warranty that is supposed to cover such repairs. This is for the main media interface going blank repeatedly every ~5 minutes or so while driving. Audi charged me for a repair that is a known safetyissue and is covered under warranty.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2021 Audi E-TRON?
Owners named Electrical most often — 10 of 34 reports (29%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2021 Audi E-TRON?
NHTSA lists 9 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags, Rear camera / backup safety, and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2021 Audi E-TRON?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.