At approximately 52,000 miles, on August 11,2026 (or earlier), my vehicle developed a coolant leak that was traced to a failed coolant shut off valve. The coolant shut-off valve failure allowed coolant to migrate into the vacuum harness, vacuum reservoir which contaminated the water pump. This resulted in the vacuum system becoming filled with coolant, compromising components that rely on vacuum pressure to function correctly. The combination of these failures — water pump contamination, coolant shut-off valve failure, and a coolant-contaminated vacuum system — points to a defect in the design or manufacturing of these components rather than an isolated or wear-related issue.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11757601 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Belt Starter Generator failure rendered car undrivable -- power steering failed while in motion. Issue is subject to Class Action Settlement in USDistrict Court, Case # 3:23-cv-02291-RK-RLS. But this should have been a recall because of danger of Injury or Death. A recall would provide notice that the notice of settlement failed to provide. This failure happened to me on March 29, 2026. Dealer is not able to do the repair work in a timely manner.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11727957 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Purchased my car used from Volkswagen of west islip. After a few months I was doing regular maintenance when I noticed that the brake sensor was missing and the harness was tampered with. The brake wear sensor was removed from the front driver side and a small price of wire/ conductive material was inserted into the harness to trick the cars system into on seeing the sensor in a safe and working manner. This would prevent the cars system from alerting me when the brakes need to be replaced which could have resulted in resulted in a serious accident due to brake failure. I feel like this was either deliberately done by the dealer before selling the car to save a few dollars or was overlooked during what should have been a basic safety inspection before listing the vehicle for sale. After reaching out to the dealer- they refused to fix the issue.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11672145 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

On multiple occasions, the car states there is a steering malfunction and to stop the car immediately. Power steering fails. The last time I left the car to the dealership to have a recall serviced - it did this. I let the Audi (Fred Lavery Birmingham Michigan) know. They did not respond / did nothing. It has happens at least 10x at varying speeds (some high, med and low speed) since the day I left the dealership

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11755728 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 AUDI Q8. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, HE LEANED FORWARD AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS TIGHTENED WHICH CAUSED HIM SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND CHEST PAIN. MEDICAL TREATMENT WAS LATER RECEIVED FOR HIS INJURIES. AUDI RANCHO MIRAGE (71265 CA-111, RANCHO MIRAGE, CA 92270) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS TIGHTENED AS A PART OF THE SAFETY FEATURE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD VERIFY WHETHER OR NOT THE SAFETY FEATURE COULD BE DISABLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11412868 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Subject: Spontaneous Sunroof Shattering – 2021 Audi Q8 Summary: On 8/5/2025, while driving my 2021 Audi Q8 under normal conditions, the sunroof suddenly shattered without warning. There was a loud popping sound, followed by glass breaking and falling onto the closed sunroof shade. There were no visible signs of impact from external objects, and weather conditions were normal at the time of the incident. The vehicle was not involved in a collision and was being operated safely. This incident created a serious safety hazard, as the loud popping sound once the sunroof ruptured could have cause me to get into an accident. I am also lucky that the sun roof shade was closed or the pieces could have struck me inside my vehicle. I will be contacting insurance and Audi dealership regarding the damage. However, after researching online, I found similar complaints from other Audi owners, suggesting this may be a recurring issue with panoramic sunroofs across multiple models. I am reporting this to the NHTSA because I believe this could indicate a potential defect in the sunroof glass or its installation. I request an investigation into this matter to ensure the safety of other drivers who may be at risk.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11678611 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov