NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Audi Q7. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
Left Side Marker Light Defective Warning. There is a recall for limited 2017 Q7 vehicles. It needs to be a broader recall. The estimate is between $3000-$5000. Available for inspection.
•Component/System Failed: Front left marker light; available for inspection upon request. •Safety Risk: Reduced visibility to other drivers, especially at night or in low-light conditions, increasing the risk of a collision. •Reproduction/Confirmation: Confirmed by Audi, but not covered under an existing recall. •Warning Signs/Symptoms: Dash light reads "Front left marker light defective" ; first noticed on during a routine exterior light check. MANY VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL: NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V642000 Manufacturer Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. Components ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING Potential Number of Units Affected 79,895 Summary 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." Remedy 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.
On Oct. 7th, 2024, our Audi Q7 2017 needed software update because the front data screen (MMI system) was rebooting frequently while driving, causing the screen to go up and down to reset itself. The Mission Viejo, CA Audi dealership updated the software. We picked up our car on Oct 24th, 2024. By the evening of Oct 24th, 2024, an error message for ‘front right-side marker light defective’ appeared on the dashboard screen when we drove under bridges, dark areas, and at night. The error message appeared with multiple loud beeps each time it appeared. At night, the message would appear every 5-10 minutes, making the car undriveable at night. The dealership suggested they would have Audi corporate perform the Audi recall campaign 97CB – NHTSA campaign ID 16V642000. With the holidays, time dragged on. The update was finally attempted 1/7/25-1/8/25. The dealership said the update failed and suggested I either buy a new light ($4895) or contact a tune-shop to turn-off the front side markers via coding/programming, thus reducing my safety and augmenting the factory software by an outside vendor. Once the MMI software system was updated, it caused the front marker light coding to malfunction. After more research in the last few weeks, the front marker light (NHTSA campaign ID 16V642000) is a much broader issue than a light not working and still resides with Audi Q7 2017 this many years later.
This issue closely resembles Audi recall campaign 97CB (NHTSA campaign ID 16V642000), with details available at [XXX] . In my case, the marker light itself is functioning properly, but the vehicle is displaying a false error message: "Front Right Side Marker Light Defective." This poses safety risks because the erroneous warning distracts drivers from the road and could lead to the system failing to alert the driver of an actual side marker light issue in the future. Many owners of the same model and year are disabling their side marker lights entirely to avoid the error, as evidenced in discussions such as those on [XXX] . Repairing this issue typically requires replacing the entire headlight assembly, with costs ranging from $2,400 to $5,300, making it prohibitively expensive for many. Although Audi initiated a recall (97CB) for a similar issue, it was limited to a specific subset of vehicles, and the widespread nature of this problem in other vehicles outside the recall’s VIN range suggests a broader defect. Given these safety risks, high repair costs, and the frequency of the issue, I urge the NHTSA to investigate whether this problem warrants a broader recall or corrective actions by the manufacturer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Front left side marker defective fault code. Same issue was part of an existing recall but did not include this VIN. Fault first occurred on January 3rd, 2025. Was taken to Audi dealer who assessed there was in fact an error code in effect. The result is a $6,200 replacement of the entire left headlight. Related recall: Manufacturer's Report Date: September 06, 2016 NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 16V-642 16V642000 Manufacturer Campaign Number: 97CB Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE Potential Number of Units Affected: 79,895
Side marker light not working and throwing a dash light.
2017 Audi Q7 with approximately 112K miles consuming oil at a rate of approximately 1qt per 500-700 miles. Misfire occurred on highway and then cleared overnight. Took to dealer and had them swap all coil packs and spark plugs. Approximately 500 miles later, multiple misfires in cylinders 3,5, and 6 and loss of compression while driving on highway at 70 mph. Vehicle taken to dealership where they completed diagnostics. 0 psi compression in cylinder 6, damaged cylinder walls, and broken valve. Cost of repair estimated at $25K.
I keep on getting a message that states that my right side marker light is defective even though it is working just fine. I looked online and see that it is a common issue with 2017 Q7 in particular but not exclusively. The cost from the dealer is more than $7,000.00.
Drive system malfunction warning while driving on the highway at 75 mph and the car began sputtering, lugging, jerking and had to be manually shifted to get it safely off the highway. If we had been in traffic we would have been rear ended as the car drastically lost speed on the highway. Dealership initial diagnosis was a misfire in cylinder 4. Upon further inspection we were told that a piece of the exhaust manifold had broken off resulting in catastrophic engine failure and we needed to replace the long block at a quote of $32,000. Car had been serviced only at the Audi dealer and all Audi care maintenance had been completed. We had informed the dealer that the car was burning oil on two previous service visits and we were adding a quart every 1000 miles or so and we were told that was normal for a 2017 Q7 with over 80,000 miles on it. Last service inspection and Audi care package in September 2024 we were told the car was in great shape. Catastrophic engine failure in December 2024.
"Front left side marker light failure" notification. Appears to be a common issue with 2017 Audi Q7's as there was a recall with limited vin support. Audi Recall Campaign Number 97CB NHTSA Campaign ID 16V642000
The contact owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 40 MPH, the front end started shaking violently, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The following messages "Drive Malfunction and Oil Consumption" were displayed. The contact immediately pulled over and had the vehicle towed to a local independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine was faulty due to oil consumption and needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 108,000.
The front left side marker lighting is defective. This was a recall but only on certain VIN numbers, although it appears the recall should’ve covered more VINs.
Every week the vehicle is saying add 1 quart of oil to continue driving
Oil consumption issue began June 2021 with my 2017 Audi Q7 with the 3.0 engine, we were at 78,841 miles. Our vehicle was always serviced at the dealer on the recommended schedule. The dealer stated high oil consumption of 1 quart per 1,000-2,000 miles was normal. The high oil consumption issues continued. At 99,559 miles the car began shaking on the way home from a routine oil change. They found cylinder 3 spark plug covered in oil and replaced all spark plugs to clear misfires. At 104,002 miles the N428 oil pressure regulation valve was replaced, which seemed to improve oil consumption temporarily, but gradually got worse with frequent top offs. On 1 December 2024 at 123,616 miles the car started to shake while traveling at 70mph on the interstate, with the engine lights on. The dealer found crusted spark plugs and identified that cylinder 1 had a burnt/broken exhaust valve due to excessive oil consumption and residue buildup. The required long block replacement would exceed the value of the car. Clearly a defect in the 3.0 Audi engine.
Daytime running light safety hazard led not working Tbone accident in waiting yes yes yes Dash warning light malfunction the internet is overwhelmed with complaints on these AUDI s
The contact owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated that while attempting to shift into reverse, the transmission failed to recognize that the vehicle was in reverse. The message “Transmission Malfunction – You can Continue Driving” was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the failure was temporarily fixed; however, the failure had gotten progressively worse. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission had malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 143,000.
2017 Q7 owner. "front left side marker light defective" message on my car. Audi recall campaign 97CB (NHTSA campaign ID 16V642000) addresses this exact issue and applies to some affected VIN numbers but not all. My car is not included. It is available for inspection. I've taken the car to the dealer and a private auto repair who both diagnosed the problem and the repair cost of $5,000.
Front right side marker light defective message. Audi/VW recall campaign 97CB (NHTSA campaign ID 16V642000) addresses this exact issue and applies to some affected VIN numbers but NOT ALL. This issue is happening to MANY more owners outside of the VIN numbers that qualify for the recall. However, my vehicle does not qualify.
2017 Audi Q7 Premium Plus. 85000 miles. The car runs normal and has no warning lights and has been regularly services at Audi dealership. 1. Rear driver side spring broken. This is stated as a common problem with this model as researched on Audi Forums. 2. Engine burning excessive oil. Have to add a quart every 500 miles. This is also stated as a common problem with this model as researched on Audi Forums. Both incidents have a potential safety concern as a damaged suspension and engine can be detrimental for driving
Car indicated "Front left side marker light defective" Upon further research, some VIN's were included in a recall for this problem, but some were left off. My vehicle was left off, despite the warning coming on while driving. The marker light being defective increases likelihood of a crash or other incident.
Driving with the family on interstate 81South when suddenly the car went from riding smoothly to a rough rumbling sensation. Then all sorts of alarms sounded and the engine light, oil light and system malfunction indicator light came on simultaneously. We pulled over immediately and turned the car off. We looked in the manual to check the severity of the indication lights. We wanted to determine if we could drive to the nearest exit. We started it back up to see if it was some sort of glitch. It remained so thankfully we were right near an exit and exited and called for roadside service. It was towed from Christiansburg, VA back to Roanoke Audi at 2006 Peterscreek Rd Roanoke, VA 24017 on Nov 9th. The dealership concluded that cylinder 1 was burned out with a possible damaged long block assy. I have had all services and taken great care of the car. However, in between services the car would always require an additional 1qt of oil.
The rear coils springs snapped. The vehicle has 66k miles, which is very low for this type of component to fail. I have not used the vehicle for towing or heaving hauling. From what I have read online, many owners of 2017 Audi Q7s have experience this same issue. There is a clear defect in the springs that is causing this to happen.
WE WERE DRIVING THE CAR AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A ERROR CAME THAT SAID "FRONT RIGHT SIDE MARKER LIGHT DEFECTIVE" MY LIGHTS ARE WORKING PERFECTLY FINE.THERE IS NO ISSUE WITH THE LIGHTS AT ALL. THIS IS A FALSE SENSOR ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND RECALLED.
Front left and right marker lights show up as defective on the dashboard, intermittently, but the lights are working. Have seen on different forums that this is not uncommon with this vehicle. Many complaints. Tried working with Audi/USA and have followed their advice with needing a dealership assessments. I have done this on two occasions, but they said that they will not be responsible, but that the dealership will offer a labor discount of 10%. These quotes are over $7000 to replace the lights and modules (that are working), if you don’t want to keep listening to the dinging warning bells. And it forces the customer to fix it because you will never be able to sell the car even though the lights are working. Think at least Audi should pay for the parts on all complaints. There is such a term as “good will” and they should broaden the recall on this item. My vehicle had a recall on this that the dealership repaired before I even purchased the vehicle which was NEW. Audi informed them when it was on the lot, but they say it was for the same thing but they just had to do an update on it? How did they know that when the car only had maybe 10 miles on it when we took delivery. Hopefully, someone in your department has some clout and back Audi up against the wall and take responsibility. Thank you [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Front right side marker light defective warning on dash - request to include in Audi recall campaign 97CB (NHTSA campaign ID 16V642000)
The computer keeps showing that we have a malfunction in the side marker lights. They still work but we get the notice daily. Have taken it to the the dealer and they state that there is a recall but our vin number is not in the listing. There repair cost is over $4000. It's the same problem, my vehicle is in the 2017 Q7 range. Our number needs to be added to the recall of the same problem.
My 7 year old car now display the below error and Audi says it will cost $6000 to fix this. $6K to fix a broken light is unacceptable especially because it is a known issue. Audi recall campaign 97CB (NHTSA campaign ID 16V642000) addresses this exact issue.
My 2017 Audi Q7 is reporting a "front right side marker light defective" message. This happened after the car was brought into the dealer. The light is functional according to the dealer and visual inspection but I was told this is a nuisance error message. The dealer said even though it is working fine, I can pay $4,000 to have the light replaced to make the message go away. Or the other option is to just live with it, which means when it does go out I won't know that it has failed. This seems like a defective part that should be recalled.
The contact owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil level warning light illuminated with a message that the engine was 1-quart low on engine oil. The contact added 1-quart of engine oil. However, after driving 1,000 miles, a message indicated that the engine was 1-quart low on engine oil. The contact became aware that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The low oil warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,000.
Oil consumption issue began June 2021 with my 2017 Audi Q7 with the 3.0 engine. Dealer advised this was normal for high performance engines, and it could continue where every 1,000-1,500 miles would need a quart of oil. Vehicle was serviced at the dealer on their regular recommended schedule. With continued oil consumption issues this past year they did part 1 of their oil consumption test September of 2024. A few weeks later the car started to shake when started and the start/stop system malfunction light came on. In cylinder 3 they found oil on the spark plug and changed out the spark plug and ignition coil. A week later the car began shaking again and they performed part 2 of their oil consumption test. It showed oil consumption a 3.61 quarts per 1,000 miles. They then performed a flush of the engine, and said that cylinder 3 was burned up and the engine had to be replaced. The Service manager after seeing how the car was serviced over the 6 years that there has to be a defect in the 3.0 Audi engine.
"front left" or "front right" "side marker light defective" message
"Front Right Side Marker Light Defective" Error Audi recall campaign 97CB (NHTSA campaign ID 16V642000) addresses this exact issue and applies to some affected VIN numbers but not all. My VIN is not included in the recall.
Engine malfunctioned with 126,292 miles on it after always servicing it at dealer. Diagnosis was "broken valve". This was after communicating with dealer regarding excessive oil consumption and "drive system malfunction". Dealer repaired spark plugs.
Light comes on dash when you cut in lights only that says Front side marker light defective All lights work can’t sell or trade with out repairs that dealer wonts $8000 for a car that’s not worth that was a old recall for this problem still exist Please help
The front side marker lights are defective see manual warning. Called dealer and they said the headlight needs replacement at a cost of over 6 thousand dollars. There is a recall for this but my vin number is not included.
My car side marker light defective code is on. These cars had a recall “ Audi recall campaign 97CB (NHTSA campaign ID 16V642000” dealer says I need to replace the headlight assembly. But I believe dealers should fix the issue as it’ was a safety recall. Please assist me with this issue. Thank you
Oil consumption increased over time to 1qt per 400 miles causing engine misfire in cyclinder 5 then 2,3. Engine now requires exhaust valve replacement and or complete replacement or overhaul at 140k mileage. Problem started at 90k miles.
The front left side market light defective message is coming up. I read a recall had been done for this for some VINS but not all. How do I get it on the recall list?
Received “left front side marker deficient” warning. Warning appears when lights are turned on. Have been made aware that this issue may have been addressed for some, but not all, 2017 Q7s in a previous recall. This is a safety issue as the car could be less visible at night. Audi charging several thousand dollars for a new headlight assembly; should fix problem for free as it is a well known issue for this year of Q7 at this point.
Engine oil consumption, suv requires a quart of oil in between oil changes. Also head light gives warning sign of the side marker being faulty.
The contact owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the driveway, the contact exited the vehicle to remove her three-year-old from of the driver's rear seat; however, all four doors inadvertently locked. The contact stated that the State Police were called, and the contact allowed the State Police to break the driver's side rear glass to enter the vehicle. The contact stated that her child was locked inside of the hot vehicle for 18 minutes. The contact stated that the child was sweating and terrified due to the failure. The contact stated that the key fob was locked inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer per the manufacturer's instructions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired; however, the dealer stated that all the doors could be locked from the rear seat. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to replace the broken window. The manufacturer was made of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
I keep getting a "Front right side marker light defective." error. There is nothing wrong with the lamp but Audi wants to charge $4,000 to fix. This appears to be happening to other Q7 owners so I am reporting.
System malfunction regarding the "right side marker light being defective. There was a NHTSA recall campaign #16v642000 that covered some but not all of the Audi Q7 vehicles. The recall should include ALL Q7 vehicles.
Error front left side marker light defective error message but no issue with the actual marker light. To be clear the marker light is operating perfectly as noted by my dealer. It is a known system error code malfunction and exact issue for my vehicle year and make - recall code 97cb. I contacted Audi and they claim my VIN was not impacted by the production line issue but obviously that is not true. Audi is not standing by their product and dealer charge is $6,889 to replace left headlight. VIN [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
There is an existing recall for certain Audi Q7 front side marker lights (Audi recall campaign 97CB, NHTSA campaign ID 16V642000) but this recall is too narrow. It does not include my vehicle but I have the same problem. Many other Q7 owners do as well. The Audi dealership will not honor repair or replacement, not even under warranty. The only way to fix this problem according to Audi is to purchase a new light assembly for over $6,000. Please expand the existing recall to cover all impacted owners.
The suspension spring on the passenger side rear wheel broke.
The left front marker light is not working and a warning shows up on the dashboard. It's a safety issue as the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash. I took my vehicle to an Audi dealership. The person helping me knew immediately what the issue was as he has seen it many times. When I looked up the issue online, I saw many other Audi owners (not only Q7 either) have the same issue of a side maker light not illuminating. I also saw that there was a recall for side marker lights, however, it seems my VIN was not included in the recall. Audi should be responsible for fixing this known issue that occurs in many of its cars. The dealership told me it would be $5K-$6K to replace the small light bulb! Truly outrageous!
Both rear coil springs snapped, broke and became detached, wedging against lower control arm. Coil spring had no signs of other damage; seems to be defective metallurgy. From online search, there seems to be a high number of Audi Q5's and Q7's from 2017 model year with this problem, but Audi dealers claim it is a 'normal wear' item and is not covered.
The contact's husband owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated while driving and activating the headlights, there was a message stating that the side marker lights were inoperable displayed. The contact stated that the failure recurred whenever the headlights were activated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V642000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting) and could not be repaired under the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
Front Right Side marker light defective appears on my dash. No light out, But noticed it turned off and on.