YearToAvoid

2017 Audi Q7 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 16 Q7 years

The 2017 Audi Q7 ranks worst of all 16 model years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 100 and 319 complaints, mostly Electrical System issues (49%). It carries 7 recalls and is rated Avoid relative to other Q7 years.

Complaints
319
Recalls
7
Crashes / fires
7 / 3
Injuries / deaths
10 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
21.5
19.5 city / 25 hwy

Top 2017 Audi Q7 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System156 (49%)
  2. Engine63 (20%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires38 (12%)
  4. Other31 (10%)
  5. Fuel System19 (6%)
  6. Steering19 (6%)
  7. Brakes12 (4%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain10 (3%)
  9. Structure & Body9 (3%)
  10. Airbags6 (2%)

What owners report

  • Airbags fail to deploy during moderate to high-speed collisions, including a rear-end crash and a hydroplaning incident.
  • Airbags deploy with unexpected force during low-speed impacts, causing injury.
  • Electrical system faults, including a dashboard camera warning, preceded a fire that consumed the vehicle.
  • Steering column stops responding to driver input while backing up, leaving the vehicle unable to shift out of reverse.
  • A head-up display produces bright glare under certain sun angles that owners describe as a driving distraction.
  • Front suspension makes clicking or popping noises when turning the steering wheel at low speed.
  • Brakes develop excessive noise and vibration from rotor and pad friction material issues, worsening over time.
  • A fuel odor in the garage traced to a leaking high-pressure fuel pump fitting.
2017 Audi Q7 complaints: complaints filed per quarter332016 Q42018 Q12019 Q22020 Q32021 Q42023 Q12024 Q22025 Q3
376 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q1 (33).

2017 Audi Q7 recalls

7 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V149000Mar 16, 2020Steering229 vehicles

    Steering

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Audi Q8 and 2017-2019 Audi Q7 vehicles. The bolt connecting the steering shaft to the steering gear may loosen, possibly resulting in a loss of steering control.

    Risk: A sudden loss of loss of steering control may increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and Audi dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the steering shaft bolt, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2020. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 36A1.

  2. NHTSA 19V035000Jan 16, 2019Fuel System74,881 vehicles

    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. The left and right fuel rails may leak fuel.

    Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the left and right fuel rail, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 24DP.

  3. NHTSA 16V955000Dec 29, 2016Seat Belts5,947 vehicles

    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. Additionally, certain 2017 Audi Q7, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, and 2018 Audi Q5 vehicles are being recalled because the seat belt pretensioners may not activate properly.

    Risk: In the event of a crash, if the air bags and/or the seat belt pretensioners do not inflate or function properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.

    Remedy: Volkswagen and Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bags and seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.

See all 7 recalls for the 2017 Audi Q7 →

2017 Audi Q7 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19.5 MPG
Highway
25 MPG
Combined
21.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,725
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2017 compared with other Q7 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2015Good3344220
2016No verdict021—
2017Avoid100319721.5
2018Avoid87142321
2019Caution6762421

All Audi Q7 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Audi Q7 reliable?
NHTSA data ranks the 2017 Q7 as the worst of 16 model years for owner complaints, with a Complaint Index of 100 and 319 complaints, so it is rated Avoid relative to other Q7 years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2017 Audi Q7?
Electrical System issues dominate, accounting for 156 complaints, or 49% of all complaints, with a median mileage at failure of 63,815 miles.
Does the 2017 Audi Q7 have recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 7 recalls for the 2017 Q7, covering Steering, Fuel System, Seat Belts, Structure & Body, Electrical System, and Airbags.
How does the 2017 Q7 compare to other Q7 years?
With a Complaint Index of 100, the 2017 Q7 ranks worst among all Q7 model years; by comparison, 2010 and 2012 score 13 and 20 and are rated Best.
What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Audi Q7?
The 2017 Q7 gets 21.5 mpg combined (19.5 city / 25 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,725 according to EPA data.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.