Audi Q7 Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 884 NHTSA complaints, the Audi Q7 years to avoid are 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 — the worst logged up to 7.3× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by engine failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
No standout best year
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 32 | 20 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2009 | 21 | 13 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2010 | 29 | 20 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2011 | 23 | 9 | 4 | SOLID |
| 2012 | 29 | 24 | 4 | SOLID |
| 2013 | 38 | 27 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2014 | 44 | 30 | 2 | CAUTION |
| 2015 | 44 | 27 | 2 | CAUTION |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| 2017 | 316 | 109 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2018 | 139 | 67 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2019 | 61 | 32 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2020 | 25 | 16 | 5 | CAUTION |
| 2021 | 67 | 29 | 9 | AVOID |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 3 | N/A |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 3 | N/A |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 3 | N/A |
| 2025 | 13 | 2 | 2 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Audi Q7. Full methodology.
Common Audi Q7 problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Audi Q7 are engine, fuel, electrical. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Excessive engine oil consumption
· Audi Q7 2012–2020Corroborated by 22 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 134 engine complaints across 2012–2020, typically 0–90,430 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $7,000–$12,000.
Fuel tank leak
· Audi Q7 2008–2021Corroborated by 36 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 96 fuel complaints across 2008–2021, typically 38,000–215,000 miles.
Side marker light warning malfunction
· Audi Q7 2008–2019Corroborated by 21 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 81 electrical complaints across 2008–2019, typically 60,000–84,901 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $2,000–$5,300.
Why these years stand out
2017 Audi Q7: 316 owner complaints on federal record, 109 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Audi Q7.
2018 Audi Q7: 139 owner complaints on federal record, 67 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Audi Q7.
2019 Audi Q7: 61 owner complaints on federal record, 32 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Audi Q7.
2021 Audi Q7: 67 owner complaints on federal record, 29 of them severe, plus 9 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Audi Q7.
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FAQ
What years of the Audi Q7 should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Audi Q7 years to avoid are 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by engine issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Audi Q7?
No single Audi Q7 year stands out as a clear "best" in the federal data yet; the year-by-year table shows the full spread of verdicts.
How is the Audi Q7 verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Audi Q7's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Audi Q7 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Audi Q7 reliable?
The Audi Q7's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 884 NHTSA owner complaints, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 rate "avoid" — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Audi Q7?
The most-reported problem area for the Audi Q7 is engine, followed by fuel and electrical. Confirmed failures include excessive engine oil consumption, fuel tank leak, side marker light warning malfunction. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Audi Q7 across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Audi Q7, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.