2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: June 18, 2026 · Filed: September 17, 2026

- Vehicle was brought in operable condition to Audi service center for NHTSA recall numbers 25V900 and 26V240 on 06/18/26. - On 06/19/26, the Audi service center informed me after completing the 90TV software update (25V900) that every single light is on, on the dash and that they have to do a battery evaluation. - On 06/23/26, the Audi service center informed me a TAC ticket was created and they were waiting for a response. - On 06/30/26, the Audi service center informed me that they will have to replace a gateway control module after being informed by their TAC department while adding that the module is on backorder. - The vehicle as of today (09/17/26) is still at the Audi service center and unavailable to me, any inspection would need to be coordinated with them. - Audi’s safety recall notice states the work would take about half a day to complete. Including today (09/17/26) it has been 92 days since presentation of the vehicle, showing failure to repair the motor vehicle or replace equipment adequately within 60 days after its presentation
under 49 U.S. Code § 30120. - Given the the repair has not been done adequately within a reasonable time, under 49 U.S. Code § 30120, I am requesting the manufacturer replace the vehicle without charge with an identical or reasonably equivalent vehicle or equipment; or refund the purchase price, less a reasonable allowance for depreciation.

Incident: April 21, 2026 · Filed: September 14, 2026

2021 Audi e-tron, 44,749 miles. Right after a scheduled service at Audi [XXX] on XXX, I noticed a loud droning/humming noise from the drivetrain while driving. The noise tracks with vehicle speed - it gets louder and higher-pitched as the car goes faster. I called the dealership to report it as soon as I got the car back in late XXX. Nobody responded. The noise is still present today, roughly five months later, at about 48,000 miles. The symptom matches Audi's own technical service bulletin 2047920 (rev 7), which covers 2020-2025 Audi vehicles including the e-tron: a humming/booming noise while driving whose frequency rises with speed, caused by mechanical damage to the front wheel bearing. Multiple other e-tron owners report the same speed-correlated drone on owner forums, including a bearing failure inside the drive motor and a full rear drive unit failure. I am concerned that a failing drivetrain bearing could degrade suddenly at highway speed. Manufacturer response to date: my phone report right after the April 2026 service got no response. I raised the noise in writing to Audi of America on XXX (their reference XXX). Audi's XXX reply addressed only warranty expiration and pointed me back to the dealer; no inspection or diagnosis of the noise has been offered. A dealer-scheduled service visit is set for XXX. Separate context on dealer handling: in XXX Audi of [XXX] told me to pay out of pocket for covered service while my Audi Care plan was still active (through XXX). An [XXX] service advisor later wrote to Audi regional staff that 'the service may have been eligible for coverage at the time of the visit.' I am asking NHTSA to investigate this as a defect pattern across 2020-2025 e-tron vehicles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident: April 1, 2026 · Filed: June 26, 2026

While driving my 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback Prestige, the high-voltage battery warning light illuminated on the dashboard. At the same time, regenerative braking stopped functioning, resulting in reduced energy recovery and a noticeable decrease in driving range. Before taking the vehicle to an Audi dealership, I had the diagnostic trouble codes read by an independent repair shop. The technician advised me to take the vehicle to Audi because the diagnostic information reportedly indicated a potential high-voltage battery thermal runaway condition. I took the vehicle to an authorized Audi dealership. The dealer cleared the fault codes and returned the vehicle to me without replacing any high-voltage battery components or performing repairs. I was not advised that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. A few weeks later, the high-voltage battery warning light returned. I brought the vehicle back to the dealership, where I was informed that a high-voltage battery module had failed. The dealer has now recommended replacing the battery module at an estimated cost of approximately $12,000. I am concerned that the vehicle was returned to me after a reported high-voltage battery fault was simply cleared rather than repaired. I am also concerned that replacing only a single battery module may not address the underlying issue. Additionally, I am aware of high-voltage battery recalls involving other Audi, Porsche, and Volkswagen electric vehicles, and I believe this failure should be evaluated to determine whether it represents a similar safety defect. This issue presents a significant safety concern because it involves the high-voltage battery system, loss of regenerative braking, reduced vehicle range, and a reported battery thermal-related fault. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this is a broader safety issue affecting 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback vehicles.

Incident: January 28, 2025 · Filed: January 28, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V867000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The VIN was not available.

Incident: December 19, 2023 · Filed: August 5, 2024

This is in regards to Safety Recall Code: 93U8. Audi USA has failed to provided an updated 220V/240V charging unit cable and a compact/portable charging system software update for my vehicle in the 230 days since the product recall.