2021 Audi Q7 Problems and Recalls (69 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2021 Audi Q7 is Electrical (32% of 69 owner reports). There are 9 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Electrical — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
What problems show up on the 2021 Audi Q7?
22 of 69 filings named Electrical (32% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Engine (12 reports).
There are 9 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags, Suspension, Fuel system, 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 2020 has 26 reports on file; this year has 69. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
- Crashes 3
- Fires 0
- Injuries 5
- Deaths 0
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) | 22 | 31.9% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 12 | 17.4% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) | 5 | 7.3% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION) | 4 | 5.8% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) | 3 | 4.4% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 2 | 2.9% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) | 2 | 2.9% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 2 | 2.9% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) | 2 | 2.9% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 24 | 34.8% | 3 crashes · 0 fires |
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 25V201000 was reported 1,290 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 25V900000 was reported 550 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2025-Q2 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2026-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2026-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V749000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V078000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V295000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V606000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V034000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V516000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V742000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 25V201000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 25V900000 |
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, Suspension, Fuel system, Rear camera / backup safety, and Electrical.
-
Recall campaign 20V749000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- A detached connector can delay the activation of the restraint systems, including the side air bag, curtain air bag and/or seat-belt pretensioners during a side impact crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and as necessary, replace the crash sensors in both front doors, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2020. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69BM.
-
Recall campaign 21V078000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- During a crash necessitating the deployment of the passenger air bag, the second stage may deploy too quickly when a child is in the front passenger seat, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the air bag control module, free of charge. The recall began March 5, 2021. Owners can contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69BV.
-
Recall campaign 21V295000
Suspension
- Report date
- Component:
- Suspension (SUSPENSION)
- Consequence:
- A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.
-
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 22V034000
Suspension
- Report date
- Component:
- Suspension (SUSPENSION)
- Consequence:
- Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.
-
Recall campaign 22V516000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 22, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 20DR.
-
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 25V201000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will update the instrument panel module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90VC.
-
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.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2021 Audi Q7?
Owners named Electrical most often — 22 of 69 reports (32%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2021 Audi Q7?
NHTSA lists 9 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags, Suspension, Fuel system, 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 Q7?
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
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.