Based on the success of the Audi A6, the bigshot German automaker introduced a sportier, more stylish, and more practical version of the sedan for the 2013 model year, the A7. VAG has been inching away from the image as a brand making problematic vehicles, and the Audi A7 does justice to the efforts as well. For a newly launched car, the A7 has a solid reliability department with only 89 complaints officially so far. The car has been recalled 5 times for some problems such as fuel leakage and improper deployment of the airbags. In the complaint section, there are reports against the airbag, powertrain, and electrical system of the vehicle while other miscellaneous aspects have seen only a few complaints. In its class, the 2012 Audi A7 competes with the Porsche Panamera, the Mercedes-Benz CLS Class, and the BMW 5 Series GT.
Audi A7 user complaints and problems
Engine problems
- Coolant leakage: The coolant leakage problem directly affects the transmission and the engine resulting in stalling. A faulty coolant control valve resulted in leakages into the transmission solenoid which damaged the transmission control module.
Electrical problems
- Loss of power steering and acceleration: A single problem mentioning these issues has been reported against the 2012 Audi A7. The owner states that while driving, he lost control of the power steering and acceleration. Even after sending his car to the dealership three times, the dealership was unable to determine the cause of the failures and repair the vehicle.
Safety problems
- Passenger detection system failure: The passenger detection system sensor failed in some models of the 2012 Audi A7. As a result, the system fails to detect any passengers sitting on the front seats of the vehicles and keeps the airbags deactivated.
2012 Audi A7 recalls
|
S.No. |
Recall Date |
NHTSA Campaign ID |
Issues noticed |
Additional remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
January 20, 2015 |
15V019000 |
Fuel Injection System Fuel Leak |
A fuel leak in the injection system in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire. |
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails and corresponding seals, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. |
|
2 |
December 8, 2015 |
15V823000 |
Passenger Seat Occupant Detection System may Fail |
An airbag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of occupant injury in a crash. |
Volkswagen will notify owners, and Audi dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2016. |
|
3 |
September 7, 2016 |
16V646000 |
Engine Compartment Fuel Hose may Degrade and Leak |
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. |
Audi will notify the owners, and dealers will replace the underhood fuel pump and fuel hose, free of charge. The recall began on November 2016. |
|
4 |
December 6, 2017 |
17V781000 |
Fuel Line May Leak Fuel |
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire. |
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2018. |
|
5 |
June 4, 2018 |
18V370000 |
Passenger's Airbag may Deploy Improperly |
If the PODS module malfunctions, the front passenger airbag may not deploy properly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury. |
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began on November 29, 2018. |
Should you buy a used Audi A7?
The Audi A7 poses as a stylish and sportier alternative to the regular A6 whereas it does compromise on rear-seat headroom due to its rakish roofline. Apart from that, the handsome list of standard features, a plush and well-equipped cabin along with a cavernous boot with the practicality of a hatchback makes the A7 a preferable daily driver too. The car also makes an option from the used car market too since you’ll be getting it more at a reduced price. However, do carry out a thorough inspection of the used model for the known coolant leakage and airbag sensor failure issues.
