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ProblemsByVin Index / 2016-AUDI-S7 / COMPLAINTS
Full complaint record · NHTSA

2016 Audi S7 owner complaints

15 complaints filed with NHTSA on this vehicle , including 1 reporting a crash, fire, injury, or fatality. Listed by category, newest first within each section.

engine 7 complaints shown

7 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $3,100 · see engine cluster analysis →
12/29/2018 35,000 mi ODI #11164032.0

Biturbo failure caused engine to turn off without warning at highway speeds. No power. I had to merge through two lanes to the shoulder without power. Car would not restart. I was told by the dealer that this is a known problem and that some have been on fire. Need to replace the turbo. Internet says at least $14,000.00, though I am covered under warranty.

12/02/2020 45,118 mi ODI #11377446.0

Both turbochargers failed due to oil starvation at just over 45000 miles. This happened while driving and required the vehicle to be transported directly to the dealer as a major failure.

08/19/2021 ODI #11429704.0

The car drove normally at highway speed for approximately 4 hours. Upon leaving the highway and attempting to accelerate onto a secondary road into oncoming traffic, the engine shuttered. The car drove erratically for about a mile with hesitation and shuttering. After stopping at a stop sign at a very busy intersection, the engine failed completely. The Electronic Power Control warning light appeared. The engine would not restart on repeated attempts. After dealing with following traffic for several minutes, a passer by assisted with pushing the car to the side of the road. During this time, the steering and brakes barely worked and I was just able to avoid hitting a parked car due to these disablements. Note that the manual for the car includes very little information about this

06/04/2021 ODI #11419693.0

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.

04/03/2021 50,223 mi ODI #11406204.0

Turbo failure. First start up of the day, vehicle would cut off and die. Took it to the Audi dealer and it was diagnose with turbo failure.

03/22/2021 74,000 mi ODI #11404348.0

At 74000 miles, the turbochargers failed. I was in traffic on a busy thoroughfare and engine quit working. Could not drive, or turn car. I was stopped.. Thankfully police came quickly. This a known problem with this model car that Audi is aware of.

02/17/2022 ODI #11452584.0

The engine died on the New Jersey turnpike going 70 mph. Had to coast to shoulder. Sat on the side of the highway with children in back seat for 45 mins waiting for tow which is extremely dangerous. No warning lights before or after the issue. Had to be towed to dealer. Dealer confirmed turbo system failed.

electrical 3 complaints shown

3 total in this category · severe · avg repair $850 · see electrical cluster analysis →
07/15/2025 Fire ODI #11673598.0

Carvana sold me a 2016 Audi S7 (VIN [XXX] ) with what was later discovered to be an odometer discrepancy. I submitted a formal complaint to the Ohio Attorney General, and Carvana subsequently issued a refund. However, after refunding me, I learned that Carvana resold the vehicle at auction without disclosing the odometer issue or branding the title as required under federal law. Play also did disclose the damage that was done to the engine, turbo chargers, or from the car catching on fire. This raises serious concerns about odometer fraud and title washing, and I believe it warrants federal investigation under 49 U.S. Code § 32705. I request NHTSA open a case on this matter and audit Carvana’s practices relating to odometer disclosures and resale. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FR

07/13/2020 130,740 mi ODI #11339046.0

Accelerated from a stop to about 20 MPH, when it went into 2nd gear the engine revved and skipped into 3rd gear. Warning stated "transmission malfunction. No reverse gear. You can continue driving." reverse no longer works. Engine revs to 5000 RPM when driving 20-25 MPH.

03/08/2024 ODI #11576319.0

The car was driving perfectly fine until last week heading to drop my kids to school and the vehicle stopped on the middle of the street. I had no previous issues or notice. I had multiple warnings on the dashboard and now the car won't crank. I have seen several post with people with this same issue and can't find a clear answer. I had to push the vehicle out of the road with traffic behind

powertrain 3 complaints shown

3 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain cluster analysis →
04/30/2021 40,000 mi ODI #11414578.0

At 40k miles, I've been noticing the symptoms of a dying mech unit (bang/jerk to stop, shifting from drive to reverse), etc. Those symptoms happened when I pull up from stationary, put the car in reverse. Car will also throw transmission error code on dashboard and put in "limp mode" from time to time. Since it was out of warranty, Audi quoted me $5800 to replace the entire mechatronic unit. Many threads on the Audi forum confirm the issue was due to quality control on Audi's part, and Audi refused to issue a callback or pay for the expense for out-of-warranty cars with faluty 7-speed dsg transmission.

04/12/2022 ODI #11460580.0

I have a 2016 Audi S7 that uses the notorious 7-speed DSG transmission. I started to notice some random jerking when I pull the car from the red light a month before the car completely dead on me in April 2021. One time when I was driving on the highway at 70mph it throws a "transmission malfunction" code on my dash and put my car in Limp Mode (only 1,3,5,7 gear available). I also experience gear slipping when putting the car in reverse, when putting the car in reverse, 9/10 times the R gear won't engage at all, and the onetime the R gear will only engage when the gas pedal is pressed way down, resulting in the car shooting backward and potentially putting anyone behind the car in danger. One time I almost got rear-ended when the car suddenly stalled at a crossroad when pulling from a r

04/07/2021 ODI #11406821.0

Experienced turbocharger failure when coming to a stop after getting off the interstate after approximate 2.5 hours of driving. Engine died as car slowed down so suspect the turbos failed while driving but Ram air from interstate speeds was adequate to maintain the engine until it slowed down. The extended run time with failed turbos resulted in metal fragments in the oil so after inspection, the engine was replaced under an extended warranty with a used engine. This engine has approximately 58k miles on it and I think the replacement engine had 11k or so on it. This occurred on dec 26th, 2019. This past february, 2021, noted an odd whistle sound from the turbo but no warning lights and slightly sluggish acceleration. The following day it seemed to run fine on my way to work but on the way

other 1 complaint shown

06/21/2022 ODI #11470277.0

Submitting an official complaint since there has been a lack of status update or repair resolution. I am concerned that I will have a failure resulting in injury or death since I cannot get this fixed.

steering 1 complaint shown

03/17/2021 44,800 mi ODI #11403430.0

As I was pulling off the interstate to use the restroom, my engine lost all power. I lost control of power steering and power brakes while in motion. I was able to come to a complete stop at the stop sign. I was able to restart the car temporarily and enough to pull into the gas station right off the interstate. I did not think there was anything wrong and went to use the bathroom. When I came back outside to the car it would not start. I had to use my insurance company roadside assistance to have the car towed to an Audi dealership. The Audi service department informed me that I had a turbo failure. There was scorching present when the sr tech viewed the turbo with a borescope. The car is known for this issue and hasn't been recalled. There are 2 tsbs that are related to turbo failure for

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaint database. Last synced 2026-07-15. Complaints are owner-submitted and unverified — the existence of a complaint is not proof of a defect, but a pattern of complaints around the same component is a signal worth weighing. Verify any specific filing at nhtsa.gov.
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