AI Damage2016 Audi S7: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Audi S7 filed 15 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. The maker issued 557 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 15
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 557
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 73% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 20% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 7% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 7% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
- Engine: 11 complaints (73% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 30.
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 108.
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 18.
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (7% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 34.
- Steering: 1 complaints (7% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 25.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4 L · petrol · turbo · 8 cyl
- dual-clutch (DCT), 7-speednamed in 2 complaints
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 15 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 11 | 0 | 30 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 108 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 34 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 25 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 161 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 51 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 37 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Suspension | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Tires | 0 | 0 | 13 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
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 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
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).
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.
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.
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 back it ran rough and then died so I had to steer off the road into a parking lot as I lost power steering.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,349 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 36% least complained about).
On average one model year of the S7 has 3 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 15, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has…
This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
- This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations
- This TSB describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases
- This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer
- This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the…
This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the App Store for Android and Apple phones.
- This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped
- This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning
- This bulletin provides information when there is a paint issue on alloy wheels
- This bulletin provides information about leather care and seat repair
- This bulletin provides information about the general approach for brake vibration concerns
- This bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor
- This bulletin provides information on the GFF test plan required for AC compressor replacements regardless…
NHTSA lists 557 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Audi S7?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electrical system, powertrain. Total complaints: 15. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (27%), loss of power / limp mode (20%), engine failure or replacement (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Audi S7?
NHTSA lists 557 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2016 Audi S7 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2016 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.