10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
0 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2021 Audi e-tron engine problems

engine problem

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2021 Audi e-tron Owner Comments

problem #6

Jul 102023

e-tron

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This issue occurred with my Audi a year after purchasing it and the vehicle had 19,282 miles on it at the time. I received an "Electrical System Malfunction - Please contact service" error message (in yellow) on my 2021 Audi etron vehicle display. The message was displayed for a few minutes as I was traveling home from work and then disappeared. The following day, I was on my commute into work on the highway, traveling 70 mph, and received an "Electrical System Malfunction - Safety stop vehicle" error message. The vehicle immediately started displaying other error messages and the motor turned off, while the vehicle was in motion. Luckily, I was able to move to the shoulder of the highway safely. The experience was frightening as I was traveling 70 mph and experienced a complete vehicle shut down with little to no warning. The Audi etron had to be towed to the dealership to be repaired. The dealership had my vehicle for 3.5 weeks while they repaired the car. They inspected the vehicle and determined it was a front motor failure and it had to be replaced. I am extremely concerned about the safety issues the Audi etron has created for me and others, especially given that it is a newer vehicle with low mileage.

- O'fallon, IL, USA

problem #5

Sep 022023

e-tron

  • miles
Twice in the span of 3 months my 2021 Audi eTron with less than 25K miles shutdown while driving with an error message "Electrical system: malfunction! Safely stop vehicle." At this point the drive train is completely disengaged and all that can be done is coast to a stop with limited ability to steer or control the vehicle. The vehicle must then be towed to a dealership. If this had happened on a busy multi-lane highway, there is a high probability of an accident occurring putting occupants of the car and other cars at risk. In both cases there was no prior warning of any problem with the vehicle. The first repair in July required Audi to replace the master controller located in the battery pack and replace the front engine due to a fluid leak. This took 6+ weeks to complete. I had the car back 5 weeks after the first repair when it happened again. I am still waiting diagnosis on second repair.

- Folsom, CA, USA

problem #4

May 232023

e-tron

  • miles
2022 Audi etron. 20,759 miles. Electrical malfunction light came on. Took it to the dealer. Advised Entire front motor needed to be replaced due to coolant seepage into the front motor. Seems to be a very common problem and a 2 week+ turnaround

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #3

Oct 112022

e-tron

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While on the highway, the car threw the following error message: "Electrical system: malfunction! Safely stop vehicle" I was able to drive for a mile or so to pull into a residential street and at that point, the vehicle just wouldn't move. It was essentially stalled, and I had to call roadside assistance to have it towed. After a few days, I receive an update from the dealer that the motor needs to be replaced - this car has done like 19,000 miles and the motor has apparently died abruptly. On further research, I noticed that there have been other etron owners that have had to deal with similar issues, often happening abruptly and while their car was in use. I'm glad that I was able to pull over to safety and there was no other serious injury - this could have ended very differently.

- Ashburn, VA, USA

problem #2

May 192022

e-tron

  • miles
E-Tron with 9300 miles, received Electrical Malfunction: Contact Service. Audi service said to bring vehicle in. On way to dealer, warning changed to Electrical Malfunction: Pull over safely and then, before being able to do so, the vehicle jerked and died while in traffic. Fortunately, I had decided not to take the freeway and had enough momentum to coast to the side of the road, but the experience certainly stressed my nerves, especially since I could have chosen to be on the freeway in heavy, fast, multilane traffic. Dealer said it was a coolant leak into the front motor which killed the electrical motor. Subsequently discovered from research this has been happening since the 2019 model year in E-trons, and is likely related to a faulty gasket. I have not received my car back from repair so cannot yet confirm that this was the cause in my case. But a properly designed electric vehicle should not allow coolant to get into an electrical motor. Having a vehicle stop in traffic is a definite safety risk. In addition, I don-??t know if Audi has redesigned the faulty parts to prevent this from reoccurring.

- Rockledge, FL, USA

problem #1

Oct 132021

e-tron

  • miles
While I was on vacation a couple states away, I drove the Audi Etron Sportback for the first time since three days before when I drove to the vacation destination. After several minutes driving I got an "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION - PLEASE CONTACT SERVICE" notification. Several minutes later I got very large red alert that said "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION - STOP VEHICLE". I immediately pulled over to the side of the road into a parking lot just before the electric motors shut down completely. This put myself and my dog in danger. Car was towed to local Audi Dealership and they informed me that coolant had infiltrated the front motor and needed to be replaced. Then other hoses and parts had to be replaced. I am at 4 weeks without my vehicle. The car had 9800 miles on it and was roughly 9.5 months old. Upon searching the internet, there's MANY complaints of coolant infiltrating the motors after a long road trip or after many miles. This kills the motor and some owners report horror stories of having no electrical power in the middle of traffic and in the middle of streets. This is apparent that it is a not a stray issue - but it is a routine issue with the Audi Etron Sportback. And with two motors, and each one costing about $15,000 each - it is likely a very serious and expensive problem that Audi doesn't want to be known. Loss of drive ability (along with other systems) in an EV in traffic or highways is an extremely dangerous and terrible activity, especially for first responders and hazard workers that assist an owner in a vehicle that is very difficult to move when in this state.

- Winter Garden, FL, USA

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