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ProblemsByVin Model / AUDI A7
14 model years · 2012–2025

Audi A7 reliability by year

24 recall campaigns and 132 owner complaints across 14 model years. Best year to buy: 2012. Year to avoid: 2019.

Best year to buy
2012
7.4/10
5 recalls · 30 complaints
See the 2012 A7 →
Year to avoid
2019
7.0/10
6 recalls · 43 complaints
See the 2019 A7 →

Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.

At-a-glance: every year color-coded

Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. best year · year to avoid.

Year-by-year reliability 14 model years · newest first

2025
9.8/10
1 recall · 0 complaints
2024
9.8/10
1 recall · 0 complaints
2023
9.8/10
1 recall · 0 complaints
2022
8.8/10
6 recalls · 0 complaints
2021
6.8/10
11 recalls · 6 complaints
2020
7.8/10
8 recalls · 2 complaints
2019
7.0/10
6 recalls · 43 complaints
Caveats
2018
9.6/10
2 recalls · 0 complaints
2017
8.8/10
4 recalls · 1 complaint
2016
8.0/10
3 recalls · 15 complaints
Caveats
2015
8.6/10
3 recalls · 5 complaints
2014
8.4/10
2 recalls · 11 complaints
OK
2013
7.6/10
5 recalls · 19 complaints
Caveats
2012
7.4/10
5 recalls · 30 complaints
Caveats

Per-year recall counts add up to 58, more than the 24 campaigns above, because a single NHTSA campaign often covers several model years and is counted once in each.

Common trouble spots across the A7 aggregated across 14 model years

electrical
27 complaints across 3 years · avg $850
steering
13 complaints across 3 years · avg $700
powertrain
11 complaints across 3 years · avg $2,500
airbags
10 complaints across 2 years · avg $1,100
engine
7 complaints across 2 years · avg $3,100
cruise control
7 complaints across 2 years · avg $600

Common questions

What's the best year to buy a Audi A7?

Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2012 Audi A7 scores 7.4/10 — the strongest in the 2012–2025 range. 30 complaints on file, 5 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.

Which Audi A7 year should I avoid?

The 2019 Audi A7 scores 7.0/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 43 owner complaints with NHTSA, 6 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2019 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.

Which years of the Audi A7 should I avoid?

No Audi A7 model year currently rises to an "avoid" or "high-risk" verdict on the NHTSA data — either the record is clean or sample sizes are still too thin for a confident call. The year-by-year breakdown below shows what's on file regardless.

How many years of the Audi A7 are tracked?

14 model years (2012 through 2025) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 24 distinct recall campaigns and 132 owner complaints. Those campaigns land on 58 model-year entries in total, because one campaign often covers several years at once — which is why per-year recall counts add up to more than the campaign count.

What's the most-reported problem on the Audi A7?

electrical is the most-reported category — 27 complaints across 3 model years. Average shop repair runs about $850.

Year-over-year reliability scores derived from NHTSA recall and owner complaint volume, severity weighted by reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Best/worst year calls require a minimum complaint sample per year so single-data-point years aren't crowned by chance. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with Audi.
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