2017 Audi Q7 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 320 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Q7 years
Far more complaints than other years 1st of 20 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 320 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Audi Q7. That is the most of any Q7 model year in the database (20 years). The most reported problem area is exterior lighting (133 complaints, 42%), typically at around 67,000 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 3 fires, 10 injuries. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year.

Audi Q7
Satellite Silver Metallic Audi Q7 4M FL2 3.0 V6 MHEV quattro. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Ethan Llamas, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

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Most common 2017 Audi Q7 problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Exterior Lighting133 · ~67,000 mi
Engine60 · ~57,000 mi
Electrical System53 · ~63,500 mi
Suspension33 · ~6,700 mi
Unknown or Other30 · ~16,800 mi
Steering19 · ~32,300 mi
Fuel/propulsion System17 · ~5,000 mi
Power Train10 · ~114,000 mi
Service Brakes9 · ~8,350 mi
Wheels7 · ~15,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Exterior Lighting problems13342%67,000“side marker” (81%)$5,500
Engine problems6019%57,000“water pump” (28%)$1,550
Electrical System problems5317%63,500“side marker” (60%)—
Suspension3310%6,700——
Unknown or Other309%16,800——
Steering196%32,300——
Fuel/propulsion System175%5,000——
Power Train103%114,000——
Service Brakes93%8,350——
Wheels72%15,000——
Air Bags62%40,000——
Structure62%7,150——
Visibility/wiper52%4,000——
Seat Belts41%32,000——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)31%17,500——
Forward Collision Avoidance21%———
Fuel System, Gasoline21%100,000——
Latches/locks/linkages21%70,000——
Vehicle Speed Control21%25,509——
Back Over Prevention10%———
Engine and Engine Cooling10%———
Firerelated10%———
Lane Departure10%100——
Seats10%100,000——
Visibility10%100——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2024, with 85 complaints
2016: 3201632017: 182017182018: 122018122019: 102019102020: 7202072021: 302021302022: 322022322023: 432023432024: 852024852025: 592025592026: 21202621

n = 320 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2017 Audi Q7 recalls (7)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

SteeringMar 16, 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V149000 · 229 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Audi Q8 and 2017-2019 Audi Q7 vehicles. The bolt connecting the steering shaft to the steering gear may loosen, possibly resulting in a loss of steering control.

Risk: A sudden loss of loss of steering control may increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system:fuel railJan 16, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V035000 · 74,881 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Q7, A6 and A7 vehicles, and 2015-2018 Audi A8 vehicles. The left and right fuel rails may leak fuel.

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase risk of a fire.

Fix: 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.

Seat belts:pretensioner; air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module; air bags:side/window; air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleDec 29, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V955000 · 5,947 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi A7, A4, A6, Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan vehicles and 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf vehicles for driver frontal air bags, passenger frontal air bags or head air bags that may not deploy properly. Additionally, certain 2017 Audi Q7, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, and 2018 Audi Q5 vehicles are being recalled because the seat belt pretensioners may not activate properly.

Risk: In the event of a crash, if the air bags and/or the seat belt pretensioners do not inflate or function properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.

Fix: Volkswagen and Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bags and seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.

Steering:electric power assist systemSep 8, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V648000 · 8 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi Q7 vehicles manufactured November 11, 2015, to November 23, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the electric power steering assist control unit may short circuit resulting in a loss of power steering assist.

Risk: With a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required, especially at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering rack, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 48M5.

Seats:mid/rear assemblySep 6, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V641000 · 19,205 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi Q7 vehicles manufactured August 30, 2015, to July 10, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the third row seat back may move forward under load, such as in a frontal collision. As such, the vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."

Risk: If the third row seat does not remain in its adjusted position, there may be an increased risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.

Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional support bracket to the seat, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 72F8.

Exterior lighting; electrical system:softwareSep 6, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V642000 · 79,895 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 TT roadster, A3 cabriolet, A3 sedan and A3 e-tron, 2016-2017 TT coupe, 2017 A4 sedan and Q7 and 2015-2017 Q3 vehicles. The affected vehicles may have been programmed with new software that inadvertently makes the side marker lights inoperative in conjunction with the parking lights or the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Risk: If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97CB.

Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactiveJul 8, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V519000 · 14,535 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Audi Q7 vehicles manufactured August 30, 2015, to May 8, 2016. Due to a software issue within the air bag control module, the frontal air bags may deploy with more force than required in certain crashes. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk: Air bags that deploy with excessive force may increase the risk of injury.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the air bag control module software, free of charge. The recall began September 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69O3.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

I was backing out of a retail shopping parking lot and heard a loud bang, then a horrible noise from the front driver side. The car went on a lock down - was useless. The front driver wheel was pushed out and we could see control arms. broken underneath. I had no warning, no indicators on the dash…

Suspension · received Oct 5, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11769101

The vehicle has a recurring electrical failure involving the camshaft position sensor circuit (DTC P0365). The sensor itself is functional, but the wiring harness leading to the sensor develops internal copper fatigue due to a design flaw in the factory routing. The harness is bent tightly behind…

Electrical System · received Sep 5, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11762386

The 2017 Audi Q7 Prestige was purchased on November 7,2016. Since the purchase, all service was provided by one or the other of two Audi dealerships. During this period, the Audi recommended 10K, 20K,30K, 40K, 50K, 60K, 70K, and 80K mile services had all been performed. In the almost ten years that…

Engine · received Aug 29, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11760564

My 2017 Audi Q7 with the 3.0T engine has experienced repeated engine/ignition system failures. The vehicle displays a "System Malfunction" warning light accompanied by shaking and stalling. This same malfunction has occurred at least 3 separate times over the past few years. Each time, a repair…

Engine · received Jul 31, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11754079

On my 2017 Audi Q7 with 93169 miles, I am getting the error message along with a warning lamp that states: "Front right side marker light defective." The light actually works however I am getting this message. If the light were to actually go out it would affect the safety of my vehicle. I hear…

Exterior Lighting · received Jul 2, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11748055

Other Audi Q7 years

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2017 Audi Q7?

Owners most often report exterior lighting, engine, electrical system problems. The top one, exterior lighting, accounts for 133 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2017 Audi Q7?

Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2017 Audi Q7 a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Q7 model years, the 2017 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.