What 29 owners told NHTSA about the 2025 Audi Q6 Sportback E-tron

On XXX, I was driving my Audi Q6 e-tron southbound on [XXX] in the HOV lane at highway speed with my family inside. Without warning, the vehicle suffered a complete power failure, dropping instantly to zero acceleration.Because I had no propulsion, I was forced to coast the unpowered vehicle across three lanes of active traffic to reach the right shoulder. Trailing traffic approaching quickly from behind narrowly avoided rear-ending us, and the vehicle side-slipped multiple times during the coast. It is a miracle my family survived the maneuver.Once I managed to get the car stopped on the shoulder, the vehicle exhibited erratic and dangerous electronic behavior. The car remained running and flatly refused to shut off despite my attempts. Furthermore, for some completely unknown reason, the steering wheel would not stop moving and shaking back and forth (right and left) entirely on its own while the vehicle was stationary.The California Highway Patrol (CHP) arrived to secure the scene. I used the vehicle's emergency contact button to contact Audi. While waiting, I called Calabasas Audi, where the car was being towed, and spoke to an employee named Ark. Ark stated he had never heard of this happening (the car not shutting off and the steering wheel shaking). He instructed me to push the door lock/unlock button to see if it would reset the system, but this did nothing. The vehicle was completely disabled and unsafe to operate. This severe defect put my family's lives at risk, and I have zero trust in this vehicle. I request an immediate safety investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11748354

For more than three months, my Audi Q6 e-tron has been sitting at the dealership with an unresolved issue that they have failed to diagnose or repair. This prolonged inaction is unacceptable, and the near-total lack of communication or meaningful updates only compounds the problem. It is alarming that a premium vehicle equipped with advanced safety technology remains inoperable for such an extended period. This situation raises serious concerns about both the reliability of the vehicle and the dealership’s ability to address critical issues. When safety systems are involved, delays of this magnitude are not just inconvenient—they are dangerous and erode customer trust. I demand that Audi take immediate action to provide a definitive resolution, whether through a successful repair or an appropriate remedy under the vehicle’s warranty and applicable consumer protection laws. Leaving a customer without answers for months while a safety-related issue persists is unacceptable and must be addressed without further delay.

NHTSA ODI 11748366

CENTRAL LOCKING MALFUNCTION. Central locking malfunction will lock my kids INSIDE my car and my key not work. It will also lock me inside the car and the emergency not work. There is a class action lawsuit for this!!! And all of my electrical will completely go out.

NHTSA ODI 11742858

My Audi Q6 Etron has 1 year and 10,390 miles. I was informed by the dealership that tires are already showing excessive thread wear causing a safety hazard due to lack of traction. Replacement is needed. This was never disclosed by Manufacturer or dealership until last Friday during the 10,000 mile service. Short life span was hidden to me until my first service and is affecting all Audi Q6 Etron owners.

NHTSA ODI 11742496

On May 6, 2026, while operating the vehicle on a neighborhood street, the vehicle experienced a sudden, violent, and dangerous failure. After accelerating away from a stop sign, the vehicle was traveling at approximately 20-25 mph when, simultaneous with a warning message, it came to an immediate and abrupt stop. A number of error messages appeared in rapid succession on the vehicle’s MMI. Those messages referenced, among other things, drive battery errors, a major electrical system failure, and drivetrain issues. After the abrupt stop, the driver, attempted to restart the vehicle. Following one failed attempt, the vehicle restarted; however, after traveling approximately 30 feet, the vehicle again came to an abrupt, violent, and sudden stop. After several additional failed attempts to restart the vehicle, the driver allowed the vehicle to sit idle for approximately five minutes. The driver was then able to restart the vehicle and drive it, very cautiously and slowly, approximately two miles to a safe location. Once in a safe location, driver contacted the dealer who confirmed that the vehicle was unsafe to operate. The vehicle was towed to the dealership. On May 7, 2026, the dealer informed us that they had found “several different faults stored in the vehicle but those faults all basically contradict each other.” The dealer further informed us that they would need to contact Audi in Germany for guidance on how to proceed with diagnosis and repair. On May 22, 2026, the dealer informed us that "(w)e do need to drop the battery. There is a module in one of the battery cells that we are going to replace and also the module that controls the battery as well".

NHTSA ODI 11741094

The car software at times disables all driving assistance features. The car also shuts down often with warning. Dealership cannot do anything or find a solution. It’s not safe to drive these vehicles

NHTSA ODI 11738214

he contact owns a 2026 Audi E6. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, another driver abruptly cut in front of the contact’s vehicle in ongoing traffic, causing the contact to t-bone the other vehicle. The contact stated that none of the air bags deployed in the contact’s vehicle; however, the other vehicle’s air bags did deploy. No warning lights were illuminated prior to the crash. No immediate medical attention was sought; however, the contact later experienced abdominal pain, chest pain, and extensive bruising. Additionally, the contact’s spouse suffered back, shoulder, and knee pain following the crash. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene and subsequently towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the air bags were not designed to deploy because the crash occurred at a low speed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11737776

Entire MMI including driving information, speed, milage and heads up including potential other systems went dark.

NHTSA ODI 11736368

[XXX] purchased a 2025 Audi Q6 e-tron (VIN: [XXX] ) on July 10, 2025. **Dec. 1–8, 2025 (4,236 mi):** Brought to Audi Denver with lane assist/front collision unavailable, driver profile error, and instrument cluster restarting while driving. Service Advisor Jeremy Bylsma diagnosed software issues and performed a KD2 update per TSB 2077141/4. Loaner provided. **Jan. 6, 2026 (4,773 mi):** Returned to Audi Denver reporting rear trunk would not fully close. Service Advisor Mathew Thurman confirmed concern, referenced TSB 2077064/7, readjusted hatch bump stops, and re-adapted the latch. Returned same day. **Apr. 1–9, 2026 (7,133 mi):** Returned reporting rear hatch stopping halfway when opening and failing to latch when closing. Thurman referenced TSB 2080913/3, performed rear lid electronics basic setting, and adjusted buffers to 40–60 Newton spec. Loaner provided. **Apr. 13–17, 2026 (7,489 mi):** Returned with the same rear hatch concern plus child lock malfunction, adaptive cruise unavailable, traffic sign recognition failure, high beam assist malfunction, MMI privacy settings wipe, and rear wheel loose warning. Thurman confirmed buffers within spec but stated no fix was available and an updated solution was not expected until Q3 2026. Child door latch replaced under warranty. Loaner provided. **Apr. 27, 2026:** Mr. [XXX] sent written notice to Renee Henderson at Volkswagen Group of America Customer Relations disputing VWGoA's denial of his Lemon Law claim, declining a cash settlement, and requesting either a comparable replacement or full purchase price refund per C.R.S. § 42-10-103. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11734950

While driving in the far left fast lane at approximately 70mph the vehicle suddenly began to show multiple malfunctions to include the following but not the complete list. Malfunctions noted High Voltage Malfunction, Chassis Malfunction, Suspension Malfunction, Driver Assist Malfunction. The vehicle then proceeded to slow down and I lost acceleration. Another alert showed regarding auto-braking. So with my wife and child in the car I had to cross four lanes of traffic to get to the shoulder. At the time I was not even sure if the signal lights were working as the vehicle began to shut down. This posed significant safety to myself, my wife and child and to all the other vehicles on the freeway as traffic was heavy which included several semi trucks. To have the vehicle slow on it own with no ability to accelerate to match speeds of vehicles coming behind and along side and no indication that any of my vehicle signal lights were still operable I repeat posed a significant safety risk to everyone in proximity. There was no warning or early indications that a failure was going to occur as it was immediate. This vehicle has had many alerts in the past that have cleared within minutes such as assistive driving and central locking malfunctions. When on the shoulder at the full stop the steering wheel was vibrating and continued to vibrate through to the next morning. When on the shoulder the Emergency Call button failed. The vehicle was towed 70 miles to a Audi dealership. The following morning the service representative observed the car in the same state where they were not able to start the vehicle on its own. The had to jump start to get the vehicle to the garage in order to do inspection. I was contacted on Monday and was told that the diagnostic showed no errors or malfunctions which in and of itself is alarming that no record of this was captured by the vehicle. Engineers in Germany were contacted and Service was advised to perform an update to the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11733000

During a routine start up of the vehicle, I received countless errors and warnings that caused the vehicle to be determined unsafe to operate. Drive system, Air Suspension, Loose wheel warning, Lane change warning, blind spot indicator malfunctions. There is an exhaustive list of errors that were received, over 10 different malfunctions with one stating to drive slow at a max rate of 35mph. This has happen on multiple occasions in which the braking system does not operate properly and caused more force from the drive to stop the vehicle. Causes the suspension to not operate properly and making the vehicle less stable to operate. The vehicle was towed into my local Audi dealer where they state a "software update is required" and after 10 days it has not been resolved.

NHTSA ODI 11733021

The vehicle exhibits multiple critical safety defects that pose a severe risk to my life and the lives of my children. Most notably, the steering system performs sudden, unintended maneuvers and the steering wheel moves with dangerous abruptness without driver input. Additionally, severe electrical failures frequently prevent the doors from opening or the vehicle from powering down, creating a high risk of entrapment. The seat belts frequently jam, making it impossible for passengers to release them in an emergency. Power windows operate spontaneously, and the car often refuses to lock or unlock. This vehicle has been out of service for a total of 63 days across 5 separate repair attempts. As of today, the vehicle has been at the dealership for 8 consecutive days with no updates or progress reports from the manufacturer. Despite these repeated failures and the car being unusable for over two months, Audi refuses to provide a buyback, claiming the vehicle is 'operating as designed.' This is a blatant disregard for public safety, as the vehicle remains unpredictable and prone to total system failure while on the road.

NHTSA ODI 11727428

I am experiencing repeated and unpredictable software failures in my vehicle that create serious safety concerns. While driving, the vehicle will intermittently trigger system faults that: •Disable advanced safety features (including driver assistance systems) without warning •Emit a frequent, high-pitched warning tone that is distracting and disruptive •Occur mid-drive, forcing me to manage the vehicle without expected safety support At the same time, the vehicle exhibits broader system instability, including: •Inability to charge or unexpected charging interruptions •Failure of keyless entry and locking/unlocking functions, sometimes preventing me from entering the vehicle •General electronic system unreliability across multiple vehicle functions These issues appear to stem from software instability and occur without a clear trigger. The loss of safety systems while driving, combined with persistent audible warnings, creates a dangerous driving environment by increasing distraction and reducing available safety protections. This is not an isolated incident—it has happened multiple times. Safety Risk: The unexpected disabling of driver assistance and safety systems while the vehicle is in motion presents a significant safety hazard. The accompanying high-pitched warning noise further distracts the driver during critical moments. Together, these issues increase the risk of an accident. Frequency: Intermittent but recurring

NHTSA ODI 11727107

While driving on the freeway in the carpool lane, our Audi Q6 malfunctioned and lost power. There were numerous malfunction lights all at once. No other warning that the car was about to lose power. I was forced to coast across lanes avoiding traffic to the side of the road. Steering wheel was also violently shaking. The car has been out of service at the dealer for 58 days as of today. The manufacturer and dealer have both spent time analyzing the car and replaced the 12 volt battery and some control modules. Here is the text message I received from the service advisor at the dealer: “the following are the latest notes from the technician and techline audi :The control module for engine and suspension control is the module that has the static low voltage faults. Tech line thinks this control module staying awake is what’s killing the 12 volt battery. A faulty or discharged 12 volt can cause several problems in an electric vehicle” My concern is that there is no advance warning that the control module or suspension control is draining the battery and there is no advance warning that the 12 volt battery is going to die or is discharged. Audi has not been able to provide reassurance or confirmation that we will know in advance of this issue happening again. We were fortunate to be able to get out of traffic and to the shoulder, but it was a dangerous situation for me and my family to be in. With no advance warning, it seems a good possibility this can happen again.

NHTSA ODI 11718670

Car continuously has errors popping up on the screen saying that the driver assist functions are unavailable while I'm in the middle of driving. Other times, when I get in and turn on the car, none of the clusters or screens show any information, so I am essentially driving blind with no information as to speed, or anything.

NHTSA ODI 11710065

Car software has multiple error notifications at once (Forward collision error, active lane assist error, traffic sign recognition error, emergency assist error, active cruise assist error, lane departure warning error, active front assist/distance, proactive occupant protection, high beam assistant) Error happens about once a week consistently, and disappears/reappears with no change in the car.

NHTSA ODI 11708848

System has become confused while cruise control engaged. On highway, it has veered to right shoulder after misreading construction. Has occurred multiple times, I no longer engage the feature. Second issue is failure of front camera causing many safety functions to be disabled. Third issue was failure of GPS receiver while navigating. Car attempted to direct me off the road into a lake! Constant issues engaging carplay reliably. Issues became more frequent after applying latest KD2 software patches which took two weeks. During that upgrade backup camera was made inoperative. Car is very unreliable with only 7500 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11707306

10/21/25-electric drive:malfunction, cooling system Car abruptly inoperable(while on Highway)-@412pm on 10/21/25 Inspected-by Insurance in <24hours and took @2 weeks by dealer service , and in shop last 60 days as of today 12/25/25-no end in site ! There was warning-“YELLOW” light-10/21/25 @915am,so on contacting dealer same @920am, 10/21/25 , dealer gave a service appointment for Nov 28th, 2025, “inoperable”incident happened 10/21/25 evening

NHTSA ODI 11707013

•Numerous error codes appeared on the dashboard. •All lights shut off while driving, creating a dangerous situation. •The doors locked automatically when I parked and attempted to exit the vehicle. •The SOS system activated while driving, instructing me to stop the vehicle immediately. •The alarm system sounded unexpectedly when I left the car. •I received false notifications on my iPhone indicating that children were in the rear seats.

NHTSA ODI 11703705

1.We were driving down a 4-lane divided road and the car abruptly and rapidly slow down at a cross road causing the car behind me to hit their brakes just barely avoiding a collision. There was no reason for this, there wasn’t a stop sign or signal just, a cross road. 2.Audi setup my wife’s phone so that she could use her phone and leave the key at home, guess what? The app(?) stopped working while she was shopping and when she came out the phone couldn’t open the door. Fortunately, she left her key in her purse and was able to operate her car. What would have happened if she was out in the wilderness or in an unsafe place when this happened? This issue could have put her well-being or life in jeopardy. 3.Driving down the highway with driver assist working is enjoyable until the road dips or the lines have faded and disappear for a “short” distance and then the car swerves. Again, this is putting lives in jeopardy. 4.Driving from Atlanta to my home with a car full of grandchildren my app stopped working, why? We decided to get off the highway and My Audi couldn’t figure out where a high voltage charging station was. Audi didn’t tell us we were low on power nor did it tell us where or when we needed to charge. So, we’re in the mountains with little power left trying to find an internet signal to find a charging station. The closest was at a private Country Club in the mountains, we went there but it was only 110v, no help. We finally found a small town with what I think was a 240v station and we had to wait 6-hours to get enough charge to make it back home. This could have been a real disaster. 5.My Audi App was restored by magic a day later. How and why did this happen when I struggled to get it to work when I had my grandchildren in the mountains? 6.My wife’s app still won’t login. The login just disappeared after working for 3 weeks. She’s made multiple attempts to get logged back in to no avail. 7.We have now been told that we can’t jo

NHTSA ODI 11697053

As I was driving northbound on Interstate 580 in Reno, NV, the sunroof exploded.

NHTSA ODI 11696447

5’8” 105lb person sitting in the front seat will result in the airbag indicator showing “off” for up to 15 mins of driving before turning “on”. Is happening on purchased vehicle and courtesy vehicle. I suspect the advanced airbag system is faulty.

NHTSA ODI 11694652

This vehicle was purchased from Audi Fort Lauderdale on July 31, 2025 and on the drive home, 9 safety systems were reported as not working. This has continued for 7 weeks and the dealer has attempted repair 5 times including software updates, front camera replacement, camera alignments and finally the major ECU replacement to no avail. There are many people on the Audi Etron forum complaining of the same or similar issues. My car has not functioned safely for a single day since purchase and Audi is dragging their feet on a buyback. The executive case manager said that they would ordinarily replace the vehicle but that ALL Q6 models are having safety issues!! See this video of what happens on car start: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11694673

Thank you for your response and for acknowledging the difficulties I have experienced with my Audi Q6 e-tron. I appreciate your willingness to escalate my concerns and ensure they are properly reviewed. I had originally sent this to you on 9/10/2025 for escalation. As requested, here is the information: •Vehicle VIN: [XXX] •Current Mileage: 1,204 •Date Vehicle Went in for Service (current visit): 9/10/2025 (3rd visit) •Consent to Share with Audi Dallas: Yes, you have my full consent to share this information with Audi Dallas for review and coordination. I want to emphasize that the vehicle has now been in the shop three times and is currently still there, meaning it has spent more time in Audi’s possession than in mine. Despite raising my concerns directly with the General Manager of Audi Dallas and the Service Department, there has been a lack of coordination and resolution, which has left me in the position of paying for a vehicle I cannot reliably drive. My expectation is to move beyond repeated repair attempts. I am respectfully requesting that Audi consider a goodwill lease exchange into a Q8 Sport or comparable gas-powered vehicle. While I understand the financing complexities of my original lease, and the Q8’s higher positioning within the lineup, I do not believe it is reasonable to expect me to continue paying for a defective vehicle. “In addition to the goodwill lease exchange I’m requesting, I would also like consideration for the payments I’ve already made on this lease, as well as the $700 I spent customizing the vehicle’s rims. Since the car has spent more time in Audi’s possession than mine, I believe it is fair to have those payments and costs credited toward the new lease.” Traffic light warning, lights I look forward to your confirmation of my case number, assignment of a case manager, and the next steps toward resolution. I am not willing to return to Audi until a new deal for another vehicle has been established. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11688638

The vehicle presented multiple malfunctions in the high-voltage electrical system, braking system, and charging system. Errors included: high voltage electrical system malfunction, failure to shift gears (stuck in Drive), inaccurate battery level reporting, brake system malfunction, and air conditioning failure. The vehicle lost braking capability and acceleration while in motion, representing an imminent danger that could have caused a serious accident or fatality. Additionally, the car previously failed to start and became stuck in gear, which could prevent the driver from moving the vehicle in a critical situation or emergency. Yes. The vehicle was accepted by Audi San Juan after it lost braking capability on July 19. The malfunctions were recorded on video and shared with Audi. The vehicle has been inspected by the manufacturer’s dealer (Audi San Juan). At this time, there has been no inspection by police or insurance representatives. Yes. On June 20, warning messages appeared regarding the charging system malfunction, high-voltage electrical system, and battery at 0 miles despite showing 30% charge. On July 19, additional warnings appeared regarding brake malfunction, a loose tire, and again the high-voltage system error. These were accompanied by failure of the air conditioning, loss of acceleration, and loss of braking power.

NHTSA ODI 11685593