2017 Audi Q7: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
319 NHTSA owner complaints · 7 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2017 Q7, which has 319 owner complaints and a score of 29, the 2018 car at 43 on 141 complaints, and the 2021 car at 31 on 71. Buy a 2011 to 2015 car, which scores 86 to 88 on 23 to 45 complaints a year, though with evidence the site marks low, or the 2020 at 79 on 26 complaints. Read the full note on the model page. 2017 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 319 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Used Audi Q5 and Q7: the years to avoid, including 2017 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 319 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 35.44
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
On my 2017 Audi Q7 with 93169 miles, I am getting the error message along with a warning lamp that states: "Front right side marker light defective." The light actually works however I am getting this message. If the light were to actually go out it would affect the safety of my vehicle. I hear this is a common issue with the 2017 Audi Q7s and is very costly to fix at the dealer because the entire headlight assem…
Front right Marker light defect alert keeps pooping up and sounding an audible alarm while I am driving even through the marker light is working perfectly. Drive train alert comes on after I add oil and the vehicle starts hesitating while I accelerate.I just got a tune up which included new spark plus and a new coils. Problem came back even after the tune up within 3000 miles. Excessive oil loss. I constantly hav…
As per the Audi dealership inspection: Driver's-side rear coil spring is broken (also noted that the passenger-side spring is "swollen" and will need to be replaced). Appears to be a known issue; many complaints can be found online for the exact same issue (google 2017 Audi Q7 rear broken spring). The NHTSA issued a recall for a similar issue within the VW/Audi group for the VW Atlas (a similar vehicle in the Audi/VW…
Recalls: 7 campaigns (6 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 16V641000 | Seats:Mid/Rear Assembly | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi Q7 vehicles manufactured August 30, 2015, to July 10, 2016. |
| 16V642000 | Electrical System:Software | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 TT roadster, A3 cabriolet, A3 sedan and A3 e-tron, 2016-2017 TT coupe, 2017 A4 sedan and Q7 and 2015-2017 Q3 vehicles. |
| 16V519000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module-Inactive | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Audi Q7 vehicles manufactured August 30, 2015, to May 8, 2016. |
| 16V648000 | Steering:Electric Power Assist System | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi Q7 vehicles manufactured November 11, 2015, to November 23, 2015. |
| 19V035000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Fuel Rail | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Q7, A6 and A7 vehicles, and 2015-2018 Audi A8 vehicles. |
| 20V149000 | Steering | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Audi Q8 and 2017-2019 Audi Q7 vehicles. |
| 16V955000 | Seat Belts:Pretensioner | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi A7, A4, A6, Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan vehicles and 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf vehicles for driver frontal air bags, passenger frontal air bags or head air bags that may not deploy properly. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size premium car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,600
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Exterior Lighting133 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
- Engine60 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System53 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Suspension32 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Unknown Or Other30 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Steering19 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
Other Audi Q7 years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2017 Audi Q7?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Exterior Lighting (133 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2017 Audi Q7 a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 29/100, computed from 319 NHTSA complaints and 7 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2017 Audi Q7's most common problem?
133 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2017 Audi Q7 sit in the Exterior Lighting group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement: about 1.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $360–$1,380 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2017 Audi Q7 cost to run per year?
About $6,203 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $31,015 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2017 Audi Q7 have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for the 2017 Audi Q7, 6 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 06/09/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other luxury midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2017 Audi Q7 really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 319 complaints, 7 recalls on record
- 319 NHTSA complaints on record (35.4/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (4.3/yr)
- 7 recall campaigns, 6 touching safety-critical systems