Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 deaths.
What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?
A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim, NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.
The database below contains over 2,245,377 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports, when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.
How to interpret what you read
A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:
- One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report, that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
- Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
- Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
- Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.
If you've experienced a defect
File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints, specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened, feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.
Read more from our blog
Showing 16,369 complaints for AUDI
Incident date: May 26, 2021
Extreme oil consumption (burning 2+ quarts in less than 500 miles); cutting off while idling. Yes it is available for inspection upon request. If this is a leak, it could possibly catch on fire while my child is driving to school, or it could cut off while driving causing a bad accident. Yes it has been confirmed by a repair facility. Check/add oil indicator; check engine light; emits black smoke ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2021
I am writing about an incident that happened to my wife while she was driving my car from Los Angeles, CA to Phoenix, AZ on June 16, 2021. My wife was driving the Audi Q5 at approximately 75mph and 125 miles west of Phoenix (near the CA/AZ border) when the car suddenly loss power. She stepped on the gas and noticed the speed gradually dropping. Fortunately, she had the presence of mind and barely ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2021
I am writing about an incident that happened to my wife while she was driving my car from Los Angeles, CA to Phoenix, AZ on June 16, 2021. My wife was driving the Audi Q5 at approximately 75mph and 125 miles west of Phoenix (near the CA/AZ border) when the car suddenly loss power. She stepped on the gas and noticed the speed gradually dropping. Fortunately, she had the presence of mind and barely ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2019 Audi Q8. The contact stated that while attempting to exit the vehicle by pulling the interior door handles, the doors would not immediately open. The failure had occurred on the front driver and passenger side doors along with the rear passenger door. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet cont... Read more
Incident date: Jun 18, 2021
We got a screw in our tire while driving on the highway and received a low tire pressure indicator. We kept driving, not knowing it was a screw, until we could find a rest stop. Before we were able to reach a safe place to stop, the entire tread of the tire came off while we were driving, immediately disabling the car.
Incident date: Apr 4, 2020
I have received this recall infirmation multiple times with no remedy listed. The warning lights are constantly going on and off which is unnerving not knowing whether my passenger is protected. I drive for a living. It’s affecting my livlihood.
Incident date: Mar 22, 2021
The Passenger Occupant Detection System does not work correctly, and it fails to activate when detecting a passenger in the passenger front seat. This problem has been on going through Audi since 2018, and they have yet to remedy it. No fixes or remedies have been available and this round of recalls was issued March 22, 2021 but no remedy has been made which is a failure on the manufacturer.
Incident date: Jun 17, 2021
The panoramic Sunroof exploded while driving spontaneously. Luckily no one was injured due to the shattered glass due to the cloth screen being drawn fully. The problem was reported to Audi and to the local dealer. The vehicle has not been inspected by insurance or police. There were no warning indicators prior to the incident.
Incident date: Jan 11, 2021
Steering wheel doesn’t want stay center. Kicks left or right, in a kind of ‘notchy’ way. Almost feels like it wants to click from side to side and won’t stay centered. Vehicle was recently aligned and utilizes all OEM parts.
Incident date: Jun 17, 2021
My airbag light randomly goes off while driving or parked. Someone can be in or not in the seat. Shows they’re not buckled in while they are. It sounds with a ding. Documents at dealership where they told me it was my own issue. I was saving to do their repair recommendations.
Incident date: Jun 2, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, an abnormal rattling sound was coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that the coolant pump and serpentine belt needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2021
There is a module under the back seat called the J533 that I am told got wet. This completely shut down the entire car as my wife and child were driving down the highway. We were very disheartened to find out that this is an out of pocket expense for a common thing to happen in the back of an SUV. After searching online, I came across this link, which is an identical account: https://www.audiworld... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2021
There is a module under the back seat called the J533 that I am told got wet. This completely shut down the entire car as my wife and child were driving down the highway. We were very disheartened to find out that this is an out of pocket expense for a common thing to happen in the back of an SUV. After searching online, I came across this link, which is an identical account: https://www.audiworld... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2021 Audi S5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V295000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The con... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2020
On July 14, 2020, my daughter and I drove my leased Audi Q5 to Cari’s sister’s home. As I pulled in the driveway, and before I turned off the vehicle and exited the car, smoke began to billow from the engine compartment and enter the interior. My daughter and I were suddenly engulfed by white smoke, and evacuated the vehicle immediately. With the use of a garden hose and fire extinguishers, my... Read more
Fire
1 injured
Incident date: Jan 1, 2020
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2000 Audi A4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V056000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repai... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2021
This SUV has a 2.0 engine that consumes oil. I have to add a quart every 200-300 miles as the IP light indicates the engine is at the minimum oil level. This is not normal to be adding oil this frequently. Audi/VW has had problems in the past with vehicles that used excessive amounts of oil and a settlement was reached with owners. It seems they have not fixed the issue and I believe an investigat... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2021
The stock turbo when right in the middle of traffic at 60,000 miles. Almost died in traffic as the car would not move out of the road. This is not exclusive to A8 but to all the audi cars with the 4.0T engine across many vehicle years. An OEM turbo should last 150k-200k miles (half that if aftermarket). Cost $10k to replace.
Incident date: May 28, 2021
When I powered on the car, I got a message "Electrical system failure", and was unable to start the car. After multiple tries, the car started, but had the check engine light on. Had this failure happened while the car was moving, this could have been a very dangerous situation. We live in Arizona, and could have easily been stranded in the desert without cell service, creating another life threat... Read more
Incident date: Oct 4, 2020
WHEN I FIRST GOT THE VEHICLE IT WOULD START WITH NO ISSUES AND NOW IT WONT START AN I CANT FIGURE OUT WHY AND NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE REASON I CANT THINK OF WHAT ELSE IT COULD BE IT ACTS LIKE ITS NOT GETTING ANY FUEL OR SOMETHING TO GET STARTED.
Incident date: Oct 4, 2020
WHEN I FIRST GOT THE VEHICLE IT WOULD START WITH NO ISSUES AND NOW IT WONT START AN I CANT FIGURE OUT WHY AND NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE REASON I CANT THINK OF WHAT ELSE IT COULD BE IT ACTS LIKE ITS NOT GETTING ANY FUEL OR SOMETHING TO GET STARTED.
Incident date: May 5, 2021
A vehicle service center noticed that the rubber on the surface of the tire tread appeared to be failing /deteriorating on all four tires in a way that was not normal. Cracks at least .25 inches deep are forming and some small chunks are separating. Given that the same condition exists on all four tires, this appears to be a manufacturing defect. The dealership examined the tires and agreed ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2021
Per dealer repair: GUEST STATES DISPLAY SHOWED ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTION THEN SEAT BELT STATED STO SHOW ON DISPLAY, DISPLAY SHOWED PUT CAR IN PARK AFTER TURNED OFF CAR THEN RESTARTED ALL LIGHTS WENT AWAY. CHECK AND ADVISE Comments: fault is for a micro switch inside shift mechanism that is sporadically failing. the complete shift mechanism needs replacement. when micro switch completely fails the sh... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2020
Multiple turbo failures. Engine shook violently then suddenly stopped in the middle of the road. This same issue happened 3 times affecting both turbos. It may be due to faulty oil filter/strainer. From online research (link below) this is a common problem for C7 Audi s6. https://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/851578-2016-S6-4-0T-Turbo-Failure
Crash
Incident date: Nov 15, 2020
Multiple turbo failures. Engine shook violently then suddenly stopped in the middle of the road. This same issue happened 3 times affecting both turbos. It may be due to faulty oil filter/strainer. From online research (link below) this is a common problem for C7 Audi s6. https://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/851578-2016-S6-4-0T-Turbo-Failure
Crash
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
Check Engine ON. Diagnosed as cam shaft timing chain failure
Incident date: Jun 10, 2019
The contact owns a 2011 AUDI A8. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that the camshaft and timing chain failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2015 Audi Q3. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the horn was depressed however, no sound was heard. The contact also stated that all the buttons on the steering wheel failed to operate when engaged such as the radio and windshield wipers. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the failure was diagnosed as an improper ground wire connected to the steer... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2021
The intake pipe between the intercooler and turbo consists of 2 pieces joined with 2 bolts. I was told by the Audi service tech that both of these bolts backed out and the pipe dislodged mid operation, disrupting air flow. Throttle was suddenly completely unresponsive and I was forced to coast to the shoulder of the highway with no throttle control. Link to video sent by service tech: https://ap... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2021
Premature Water Pump Failure. I took our 2017 Audi Q7 into the dealer for a 60k mi service. The vehicle has been serviced as recommended by Audi at the dealership at every interval. On this visit everything looked normal but they discovered a leak in the water pump. Quoted a $2100 repair. We are out of warranty. Talking to other Audi Q7 owners, many have had premature water pump failures. Some wer... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2021
Clockspring in the steering wheel premature failure. 2017 Audi Q7, 60k miles. The steering wheel has been making grinding noises when turning. Took the car into the dealership for the scheduled 60k service and reported the issue. They diagnosed and said that the Clockspring is going bad. It will fail, just a matter of time. Talking to other Audi owners, they are having the same issue at low mileag... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2021
While driving on the highway, there was a message that flashed on the dashboard about the coolant system, within a couple minutes, I felt like the car was shutting down while going 65 miles per hour. So I pulled over on the shoulder of the Turnpike Southbound in Miami. This cased a great safety problem for me, as this happened while I was driving on the highway then I had to be on the right shoul... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2021
While driving on the highway, there was a message that flashed on the dashboard about the coolant system, within a couple minutes, I felt like the car was shutting down while going 65 miles per hour. So I pulled over on the shoulder of the Turnpike Southbound in Miami. This cased a great safety problem for me, as this happened while I was driving on the highway then I had to be on the right shoul... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2021
After exiting the highway the car just stopped running. There was no warning and all power was lost. Engine would not start up and vehicle had to be towed from the road. It was at night and the car stopped dead at an intersection (safety). We are grateful that the problem did not happen on the Ohio Turnpike we just exited. There was a clunk sound before it stopped. I suspect the turbo let loose... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2020
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2000 Audi TT. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V056000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2021
Passenger air bag notification on gauge cluster indicates that passenger airbag is off when occupied and unoccupied multiple times in a small time period. The indicator goes back and forth between airbag on and airbag off constantly activating an alarm.
Incident date: Apr 28, 2021
The rear doors have a Lock All button, which cannot be disabled with the driver side child lock, and no Unlock button in the rear doors. This is extremely unsafe, as the following scenario (which has happened to my wife several times) will illustrate: - Wife approaches car with our toddler - Places purse (containing key and phone) on front passenger seat in order to free up her arms to help load ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 23, 2021
On the dark evening of 23 January 2021 a deer from the side of the Ohio Turnpike came onto the edge of my lane of roadway, did a Uturn and kicked the front fascia of my car. I slowed but couldn’t avoid the collision because of NHTSA rule Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108. I did not see the deer in time to slow further, which would have allowed emergency maneuvers. If I was dr... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 30, 2021
1: My passenger door sensitive door closing sensor is not working 2: my sunroof is off track and makes noises 3: battery cord is corroded. There is no where in the world to get 1 right now apparently. I bought a brand new battery and car still doesn’t pull energy from the battery so I’m scared the car won’t start very soon
Incident date: Apr 30, 2021
1: My passenger door sensitive door closing sensor is not working 2: my sunroof is off track and makes noises 3: battery cord is corroded. There is no where in the world to get 1 right now apparently. I bought a brand new battery and car still doesn’t pull energy from the battery so I’m scared the car won’t start very soon
Incident date: Jun 5, 2021
When turning the steering wheel there is a noise that sounds like something rubbing. It can be felt in the wheel.
Incident date: May 30, 2021
The contact owns a 2012 Audi A7. The contact stated that after driving from a stop sign into a four-way intersection at approximately 10 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. Upon inspection, it was discovered that fuel had leaked from the engine compartment and was caused by a detached fuel line due to a failed fuel line coupling. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired un... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2021
sUN ROOF EXPLODED ON MT AUDIS8 2013. 6/03/2021.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
Car only has 29,489 miles and has been serviced at Audi for every 1yr and now has turbo failure at a cost of 12k.
Incident date: Jun 2, 2021
Manufacturer Recall Number69BY NHTSA Recall Number21V198
Incident date: May 31, 2021
The gas pedal must have been stuck, as the car raced across parking lot, into the first parked car there. that car was pushed into the next car, fortunately a big, sturdy car. and fortunately into the wheel of that next car. Also, fortunately, no people there at that time. I contacted my Audi dealer . they sent truck for pick-up by GUY TOWING LLC, tel.( 737) 333-7334. There were no warning signs ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 3, 2021
while driving, got a notification on the dash board "transmission malfunction, limited functionality" and a "tpms malfunction" notification. Car seemed like it was skipping 1st and 2nd gear after i continued driving.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2019
I was recently made aware of a nationwide safety recall for all Audi A3’s 2016 to present. I received a mailer with safety concern and warning for this recall. Audi has not been able to identify the root cause and believe it is more than just the initial air bags/PODS system in the vehicle. This has been in place for some time after I researched the site checking for updates to repair. I am v... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2021
For technician report, go to: https://getpe.co/4ZT0j2 While driving on a major central NJ highway, slowing to exit, the vehicle shuddered and stalled in lane. The engine EPC light came on and a message to put the car in park to start the engine followed. This made it impossible to move the car off the road. It was necessary to stand behind the vehicle and wave traffic around. A passerby was able t... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2021
For technician report, go to: https://getpe.co/4ZT0j2 While driving on a major central NJ highway, slowing to exit, the vehicle shuddered and stalled in lane. The engine EPC light came on and a message to put the car in park to start the engine followed. This made it impossible to move the car off the road. It was necessary to stand behind the vehicle and wave traffic around. A passerby was able t... Read more