2018 Audi Q7: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
141 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 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. 2018 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 141 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Used Audi Q5 and Q7: the years to avoid, including 2018 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 141 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 17.62
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Start/stop malfunction failed; yes it is available for inspection. Driving down highway vehicle stopped with 2 adult passengers and 2 children. Yes 3 mechanics completed a diagnostic. Vehicle has not been inspected by insurance, manufacturer or police but by VW dealer, and two registered mechanics. No other warnings or symptoms.
The right rear passenger heated seat in my 2018 Audi Q7 overheated and burned through the leather and foam. Fortunately, my disabled [XXX] daughter, who normally sits in that seat, was not in the vehicle at the time. The failure occurred without warning and during normal use. This defect presents a serious safety risk and could have caused injury or fire. Request: Please investigate this issue in the 2018 Audi Q7 rea…
I am getting front left side marker light faulty problem. i was told this is very common for 2018 audi q7. please investigate this issue and see if i am qualified to get this replaced by audi. apparently, the replacing the lamp isn't easy but woudl require to replace the whole lighting fixture which could cost over $2k. thank you.
Recalls: 3 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| 20V658000 | Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Audi Q7 vehicles. |
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.
- Engine37 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Exterior Lighting23 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
- Unknown Or Other19 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Suspension16 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Electrical System16 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Service Brakes12 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Audi Q7 years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Audi Q7?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (37 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2018 Audi Q7 a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 43/100, computed from 141 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2018 Audi Q7's most common problem?
37 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2018 Audi Q7 sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 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 2018 Audi Q7 cost to run per year?
About $5,724 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $28,622 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 2018 Audi Q7 have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Audi Q7, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 16/01/2019. 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 2018 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.
Moderate evidence — 141 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 141 NHTSA complaints on record (17.6/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (4.3/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems