Q7 Various Serious Problems

[dunny99]

I am hoping that I am not alone on this one. My Audi Q7 3.0TDI S-Line has many problems and Audi seem reluctant or incapable of fixing them.
The problems started back in November 07 when I started getting a smell of Diesel inside the car through the heating vents. I was told to monitor it
In December (when the weather was colder - yes it appears to be heating related) the smell got worse and I could smell diesel when exiting the car as well as inside (in fact if I had the window slightly open the problem was worse). Finally the dealer agreed to take the car in on December 21st and provided me with a loan car. They told me that the problem was due to an exhaust on an auxiliary engine (to do with the heating), which sits behind the right front wheel arch. Audi have issued a fix and they were awaiting parts (tape would you believe). The fix was to seal up the wheel arches and plenum chamber (whatever that is?). At the time I expressed my concern that this would just mask the problem (and maybe stop the smell getting inside the car) but it would not fix the smell. They told me to allow them to do the fix and then monitor the car afterwards. At the same time they performed a software upgrade which completely screwed up the whole car and blew the ECU - I now had to wait for a new ECU (more on the issues that this has caused later). After 7 weeks I finally got my car back and within 3 miles the smell of burnt diesel was inside the car. I immediately returned to the dealer and he told me it was probably residue from before the fix and it would go away. The smell issue was better for a few days, only occurring once every other day, however over the last 2 weeks it has been occurring up to 3 times a day. The car is going back into the dealer tomorrow, but in my opinion 'what can they do', this appears to be a design fault.

Has anyone else been suffering with this problem? According to my dealer they know of one other Q7 with the same issue.

Now on to the replacement ECU and Software upgrade.
First thing I noticed after this event was that my voice control of my bluetooth phone and names was no longer present. When I questioned the dealer they informed me that Voice Control was not a purchased option on my vehicle (which was correct). I explained that I did not have full voice control of everything just the names for dialing and assumed that this was part of the bluetooth package. I have written to Audi stating that I was given this functionality when I purchased the car and it has now been taken away - which they really shouldn't be able to do. I have asked for this functionality to be re-instated immediately. The letter went 4 weeks ago and, to date, no response. Customer Care? - I don't think so. It seems like a case of take your money (a considerable amount) and then pee off.

Other things that have gone wrong since the software upgrade, include:
1. Turbo Lag - it takes 2 to 3 seconds for the car to respond at low revs. Not good at junctions and roundabouts
2. Drivers window opens half way after locking the car on the key fob (happened 3 times - the last time when it rained all night and I had to out up with a soaking seat for 3 days - only knows what it has done to the leather)
3. Electric Drivers Seat keeps moving. Reset the memory. Exit car. Get back in and the seat has moved and the memory setting has not been saved. Tried loads of different things on this but to no avail.
4. This has always been a problem - The information on the Traffic Info is rubbish - road numbers wrong, etc. I have been told by the dealer that it only displays the information received from the radio stations that transmit TMC. However, my sister has a brand new VW Golf with the same feature and guess what all of the info is displayed correctly.

Anybody else had similar problems?

What started off being my pride and joy is rapidly turning into a nightmare and Audi don't seem to care. If it is not resolved soon I will have to reconsider my other option of a Range Rover sport.

Any help gratefully received.
Thanks for reading my long diatribe.

[connman]

I wish you lots of luck! I had a 07 A4 that had many problems and AOA did not do nothing and the dealers mechanics could not fix it. I told AOA to get... Now I drive a Volvo and it is not too bad... Best wishes!

[frizz]

Dunny99.
Before You consider the Range rover sport option, you might like to look at the RRS forum. rrsport.co.uk. you will find that the RRS has far more Design problems than the Audi Q7. I bought one last March, and I think it spent more time at the dealers than on the road. Apart from the annoying thump from the arc pump I had Suspension knock just like an old Mk 2 cortina. The dealer couldn't fix it and tried to fob me off with ' Its a Characteristic of the car'. The customer care for landrover is absolutely awful. In the end I gave the dealer the option of buying the car back or I take the case to litigation.
I now have a Q7 S line which I am far happier with, the dealer is good, and the Audi is actually far better put together and is in a different league to the RRS
Regards,
Frizz

[dunny99]

Thanks to connman and frizz for their replies and advice. I was hoping that other Q7 owners had similar problems to me (not that I want anyone else to suffer) so that we could collectively tackle Audi with these issues.

[Quacker]

Originally Posted by dunny99

I am hoping that I am not alone on this one. My Audi Q7 3.0TDI S-Line has many problems and Audi seem reluctant or incapable of fixing them.
The problems started back in November 07 when I started getting a smell of Diesel inside the car through the heating vents. I was told to monitor it
In December (when the weather was colder - yes it appears to be heating related) the smell got worse and I could smell diesel when exiting the car as well as inside (in fact if I had the window slightly open the problem was worse). Finally the dealer agreed to take the car in on December 21st and provided me with a loan car. They told me that the problem was due to an exhaust on an auxiliary engine (to do with the heating), which sits behind the right front wheel arch. Audi have issued a fix and they were awaiting parts (tape would you believe). The fix was to seal up the wheel arches and plenum chamber (whatever that is?). At the time I expressed my concern that this would just mask the problem (and maybe stop the smell getting inside the car) but it would not fix the smell. They told me to allow them to do the fix and then monitor the car afterwards. At the same time they performed a software upgrade which completely screwed up the whole car and blew the ECU - I now had to wait for a new ECU (more on the issues that this has caused later). After 7 weeks I finally got my car back and within 3 miles the smell of burnt diesel was inside the car. I immediately returned to the dealer and he told me it was probably residue from before the fix and it would go away. The smell issue was better for a few days, only occurring once every other day, however over the last 2 weeks it has been occurring up to 3 times a day. The car is going back into the dealer tomorrow, but in my opinion 'what can they do', this appears to be a design fault.

Has anyone else been suffering with this problem? According to my dealer they know of one other Q7 with the same issue.

The diesel fumes, and there can be considerable smoke externally, is due to an auxilliary heater which heats the interior and engine up rapidly. It has an exhaust exiting on the left hand side just in front of and below the front passenger door [right hand drive]. There is a similar device fitted to BMW X5 and Range Rover and optionally [it wasn't fitted to mine] to the Mercedes ML.
It is actuated automatically as ambient temperature drops. Optionally it can be fitted with a timer and remote control so that the car is warm when you enter it.
The fumes occur mainly when the unit switches off and purges. It should not be noticable while driving with closed windows but will be noticed while at a standstill and if the windows or doors are opened it can be rather pungent.

However, it is NOT a fault unless it is noticable whilst on the move. You will find that as the weather warms the system will not be active.

Now on to the replacement ECU and Software upgrade.
First thing I noticed after this event was that my voice control of my bluetooth phone and names was no longer present. When I questioned the dealer they informed me that Voice Control was not a purchased option on my vehicle (which was correct). I explained that I did not have full voice control of everything just the names for dialing and assumed that this was part of the bluetooth package. I have written to Audi stating that I was given this functionality when I purchased the car and it has now been taken away - which they really shouldn't be able to do. I have asked for this functionality to be re-instated immediately. The letter went 4 weeks ago and, to date, no response. Customer Care? - I don't think so. It seems like a case of take your money (a considerable amount) and then pee off.

I had a couple of software updates installed when my car was in having a failed bluetooth module replaced. I have the same phone version as you but have never used the voice dial facility so can't honestly say whether it is still functional

Other things that have gone wrong since the software upgrade, include:
1. Turbo Lag - it takes 2 to 3 seconds for the car to respond at low revs. Not good at junctions and roundabouts

No such problem on mine which has no lag whatsoever. Torque output seems to drop off a cliff at under 1500 revs though and sometimes it holds onto a high gear for too long making me kick the accelerator pedal down to change down and get some oomph.

2. Drivers window opens half way after locking the car on the key fob (happened 3 times - the last time when it rained all night and I had to out up with a soaking seat for 3 days - only knows what it has done to the leather)
3. Electric Drivers Seat keeps moving. Reset the memory. Exit car. Get back in and the seat has moved and the memory setting has not been saved. Tried loads of different things on this but to no avail.
4. This has always been a problem - The information on the Traffic Info is rubbish - road numbers wrong, etc. I have been told by the dealer that it only displays the information received from the radio stations that transmit TMC. However, my sister has a brand new VW Golf with the same feature and guess what all of the info is displayed correctly.

Anybody else had similar problems?

What started off being my pride and joy is rapidly turning into a nightmare and Audi don't seem to care. If it is not resolved soon I will have to reconsider my other option of a Range Rover sport.

Any help gratefully received.
Thanks for reading my long diatribe.

[securitydave]

Hi dunny99,
I too have a Q7 from the same date and it too has been in now 6 times for exhaust fumes coming into the vehicle this time they had had it a week and have told me they have put a new aux heater with new software on, i pick it up again today if they can confirm the issue is solved otherwise it is going back.

Other then that I must say it is a fine motor car.

[tomi8hu]

I had my Q7 amongst the first, in 2006. should say that it is a fine car, especially compared to similar categories of other manufacturers.

I have been an Audi fan since long, still having an S8, A3 3,2L, a Coupé of 450Hp, a V8 of 600Hp and am waiting delivery of A5. Just to tell you that I am not a BMW fan who wants to blasphem the Q7.

Similar problems: bluetooth would not work, back door recall, camera will switch off somtimes when really needed. Changed brake discs at 3,000 km, then at 7,000 and 9,000km. And since the last change I drove 30,000km without wear or vibrations.

Lately, I complained to my dealer that the Verano leather is wearing off. To which the reply was: "it is a wear&tear category element which they can not replace". Hell, the car is still under warranty, it has 39,000km!!!

WOW, WOW! Bloody all those 20 year Audis that I have, and their leather look like new. Audi should have done something wrong 20 yrs back.

Not to really criticise problems that they ca not figure out. Put it in reverse and it has a drilling noise and vibration. Now it has started doing it in "D" mode too. But my dealer says, we have to wait for the effective problem to show up... EVEN AT THE COST OF HUMAN LIVES - hoping problem doesn't generate an accident???

where are we going with AUDI??

[Sportingmac]

Hi Dunny99 & Quacker

I have been afflicted by this strong diesel smell too - comes from the front left side. I asked teh local dealer to look at the issue - but as you can imagine NFF.

So thanks for the technical explanation Quacker - I'm off back to the dealer to see why (at 10ºC) it still smells bad.

[tomi8hu]

Hi!
on my side, even though I am very meticulous about the slightest smell or noise (vibration) in a car, I never had any problems with the heating/smell. Nor do I know anyone who had any problems of the sort. seems that problems crop up adhoc in the Q7, i.e, there is no "typical" problem...