2018 Audi Q7 Problems and Recalls (139 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2018 Audi Q7 is Engine (22% of 139 owner reports). There are 3 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 139 complaints · 3 recalls

What problems show up on the 2018 Audi Q7?

30 of 139 filings named Engine (22% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Lights (20 reports).

There are 3 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Fuel system and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2017 has 318 reports on file; this year has 139. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2018 Audi Q7

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 3 campaigns on file below.
  2. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  3. Lights. Walk around the vehicle: headlights, brake lights and turn signals all working.
  4. Suspension. Listen for clunks over bumps and look at tire wear for alignment issues.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Engine. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Engine 30 complaints · 21.6% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 3
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 3
  • Deaths 0
All Audi Q7 years →
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.

Which systems owners named Engine (ENGINE) appears in 30 of 139 owner complaints (21.6%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 30 complaints, 21.6% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 30 · 21.6% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 20 complaints, 14.4% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 20 · 14.4% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 14 complaints, 10.1% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 14 · 10.1% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 8 complaints, 5.8% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 8 · 5.8% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 7 complaints, 5.0% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 7 · 5.0% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 6 complaints, 4.3% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 6 · 4.3% Steering (STEERING): 6 complaints, 4.3% of reports Steering (STEERING) 6 · 4.3% Wheels (WHEELS): 6 complaints, 4.3% of reports Wheels (WHEELS) 1 crash reports 6 · 4.3% Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE): 5 complaints, 3.6% of reports Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 1 crash reports 5 · 3.6% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 34 complaints, 24.5% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 2 crash reports 34 · 24.5% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“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)
Engine (ENGINE) 30 21.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 20 14.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 14 10.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 8 5.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 7 5.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 6 4.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 6 4.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Wheels (WHEELS) 6 4.3% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 5 3.6% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 34 24.5% 2 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.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2018; the first recall shown was reported in Jan 2019. 2018-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2022-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2023-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2023-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2024-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2024-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2024-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2024-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2025-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2025-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2025-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2025-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2026-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2026-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2026-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 Owner reports Jan 2018 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 19V035000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V035000 Recall campaign 20V149000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V149000 Recall campaign 20V658000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V658000
  • Campaign 20V658000 was reported 1,014 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2018-Q1 Owner reports 1
2018-Q2 Owner reports 2
2018-Q3 Owner reports 6
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q1 Owner reports 3
2019-Q2 Owner reports 4
2019-Q3 Owner reports 3
2019-Q4 Owner reports 4
2020-Q1 Owner reports 2
2020-Q4 Owner reports 4
2021-Q1 Owner reports 2
2021-Q2 Owner reports 2
2021-Q3 Owner reports 2
2021-Q4 Owner reports 2
2022-Q1 Owner reports 3
2022-Q2 Owner reports 4
2022-Q3 Owner reports 2
2022-Q4 Owner reports 3
2023-Q1 Owner reports 5
2023-Q2 Owner reports 2
2023-Q3 Owner reports 5
2023-Q4 Owner reports 4
2024-Q1 Owner reports 9
2024-Q2 Owner reports 4
2024-Q3 Owner reports 8
2024-Q4 Owner reports 12
2025-Q1 Owner reports 6
2025-Q2 Owner reports 9
2025-Q3 Owner reports 5
2025-Q4 Owner reports 9
2026-Q1 Owner reports 4
2026-Q2 Owner reports 4
2026-Q3 Owner reports 3
Recall campaign 1 19V035000
Recall campaign 1 20V149000
Recall campaign 1 20V658000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (3)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Fuel system and Body / frame.

  1. Recall campaign 19V035000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 20V149000

    Safety recall 20V149000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    A sudden loss of loss of steering control may increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 20V658000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    In the event of a crash, an unbelted occupant's head may impact the vehicle's C-pillar padding, increasing the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the deformation element on the C-pillars, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 70H8.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints 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.

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
Safety incident filters
Showing 6 of 139 complaints · page 1 of 6
2026-07-22Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11752232
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Start/stop malfunction failed; yes it is available for inspection. Driving down highway vehicle stopped with 2 adult passengers and 2 children. Yes 3 mechanics completed a diagnostic. Vehicle has not been inspected by insurance, manufacturer or police but by VW dealer, and two registered mechanics. No other warnings or symptoms.
2026-07-13Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11750098
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The right rear passenger heated seat in my 2018 Audi Q7 overheated and burned through the leather and foam. Fortunately, my disabled [XXX] daughter, who normally sits in that seat, was not in the vehicle at the time. The failure occurred without warning and during normal use. This defect presents a serious safety risk and could have caused injury or fire. Request: Please investigate this issue in the 2018 Audi Q7 rear heated seats and determine whether a recall or repair campaign is necessary. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2026-07-01FUEL SYSTEM
NHTSA ODI 11747856
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My 2018 Audi Q7 3.0T Quattro is experiencing extreme oil consumption — dropping from full to minimum level in approximately 230 miles. This is approximately 14x beyond Audi's own threshold for excessive oil consumption of 0.5 quarts per 1,000 miles. Documented timeline: May 2026 (88,692 miles): Oil change required 2.2 extra quarts beyond standard 7.2qt fill. Low oil light triggered during highway travel. June 27, 2026 (90,200 miles): Authorized Audi dealer formally documented "oil consumption is very high" in their service system and scheduled an official oil consumption test. June 28, 2026 (90,351 miles): Audi MMI system showed oil near minimum after only 151 miles. June 30, 2026 (90,397 miles): Audi MMI showed oil at Stage 2 warning after 197 miles. June 30, 2026 (90,430 miles): Audi MMI showed oil at minimum line after 230 miles total. All readings documented with timestamped photographs from Audi's own MMI system. The authorized Audi dealer has documented repeated oil top-offs in their service system. Audi USA Customer Care was contacted on June 30, 2026 and denied goodwill repair citing no active recall and vehicle out of warranty. An open case has been filed with Audi USA. The engine lubrication system appears defective. Oil dropping to minimum in under 230 miles without adequate warning poses serious safety risk of catastrophic engine failure while driving at highway speeds. The authorized Audi dealer has scheduled an official oil consumption test and inspection for July 2, 2026. Results will be available upon request. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
2026-05-23Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
NHTSA ODI 11739746
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I AM GETTING FRONT LEFT SIDE MARKER LIGHT FAULTY PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THIS IS VERY COMMON FOR 2018 AUDI Q7. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND SEE IF I AM QUALIFIED TO GET THIS REPLACED BY AUDI. APPARENTLY, THE REPLACING THE LAMP ISN'T EASY BUT WOUDL REQUIRE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE LIGHTING FIXTURE WHICH COULD COST OVER $2K. THANK YOU.
2026-05-19Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
NHTSA ODI 11738684
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Parking light defective message on dash board. Looked at the light and all lights present. Talked to a dealer and the headlight assembly to replace is 6K plus. For a small yellow side light inside of headlight that is still on, but the message on dashboard says otherwise. Was told that it isn't outputting enough light power.
2026-04-13Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11730885
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I am reporting suspected odometer fraud on my 2018 Audi Q7 3.0T Prestige (VIN: [XXX] ). Between May 8 and June 13, 2025, while I was the sole driver of the vehicle, Audi dealership service records show an odometer increase of 5,282 miles (from 78,260 to 83,542). However, independently verified GPS trip data from the Audi Connect system confirms I drove only approximately 2,103 miles during this period — a discrepancy of approximately 3,178 miles. The vehicle was serviced at two Penske-owned dealerships: Audi of Arlington (3200 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA 22204) and Audi of Chantilly (14839 Stonecroft Center Ct, Chantilly, VA 20151). Only authorized dealer diagnostic equipment can alter odometer values. This manipulation resulted in the wrongful denial of my extended warranty coverage and a $37,567.16 out-of-pocket engine replacement. I have a fully documented demand letter with ten supporting exhibits including service records, Audi Connect trip data, and a detailed timeline. The dealerships did not respond to my demand letter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2018 Audi Q7?

Owners named Engine most often — 30 of 139 reports (22%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2018 Audi Q7?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Fuel system and Body / frame. 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 2018 Audi Q7?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. 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.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints 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.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources