— An Audi alternator class action lawsuit settlement is awaiting final approval of the judge in a case which has vehicle owners asserting the alternators, also called belt starter generators, are defective in these Audi models.
- 2019-2023 Audi A6
- 2019-2023 Audi A7
- 2019-2023 Audi A8
- 2019-2023 Audi Q8
- 2020-2023 Audi Q7
- 2020-2023 Audi RSQ8
- 2020-2023 Audi S6
- 2020-2023 Audi S7
- 2020-2023 Audi S8
- 2020-2023 Audi allroad
- 2021-2023 Audi RS6
- 2021-2023 Audi RS7
The first Audi alternator class action lawsuit was filed in March 2023 titled Steinhardt v. Volkswagen, and a second Audi belt starter generator failure class action lawsuit was filed in May 2023 and titled, Maximillian Reis v. Volkswagen.
In June 2023, the lawsuits were consolidated in a New Jersey court.
One plaintiff says his 2019 Audi A6 had electrical problems in August 2021 which caused numerous warning lights.
The plaintiff replaced the alternator and recharged the 48-volt battery, and in early 2023 the plaintiff received a letter from Audi which said the alternator was covered by a seven-year extended warranty. The plaintiff then filed the alternator class action lawsuit for more than $5 million.
Volkswagen/Audi deny the allegations and told the judge there is nothing wrong with the vehicles, but as with most automotive class actions, VW/Audi decided to settle to put an end to the expensive litigation.
According to the Audi belt starter generator failure class action lawsuit, the automaker should buy back the vehicles and pay damages to customers due to electrical system malfunctions.
Audi Alternator Lawsuit Settlement
Prior to the lawsuit and settlement, Audi had issued technical service bulletins and extended warranties regarding the alternators and batteries.
Audi Warranty Extension / Reimbursements
Unless the vehicle is still under its original four-year warranty, owners will be stuck paying a percentage for 12-volt and 48-volt battery replacements as only partial reimbursements are available.
Audi will extend the warranty to cover the cost of repair or replacement by a dealer of a failed belt starter generator for a period of 10 years from the in-service date of the vehicle.
This applies to the cost to recharge a 12-volt or 48-volt battery or a percentage of the cost to replace the 12-volt or 48-volt battery after the original four-year warranty expires. Note a replacement of the battery is only partially covered which sticks an owner with paying a percentage based on the age of the vehicle.
Note all the conditions must be due to failure of the belt starter generator.
The Audi alternator extended warranty will not apply if the belt starter generator failure was caused by abuse, a collision, modifications to the components or damage from outside sources.
An Audi customer may be reimbursed for a rental car or alternative transportation beginning four days after the vehicle entered the repair shop for a belt starter generator failure repair and for up to 140 days continuously thereafter that the vehicle remained in the repair shop.
"If said BSG repair was performed by an authorized Audi dealer, the Settlement Class Member must provide proof (by sworn declaration) that he/she/they/it requested and was not provided a substitute vehicle such as a loaner or rental car from the dealer during the time in which the rental car or other alternative transportation was obtained because the Settlement Class Vehicle was at the dealer for a BSG repair." — Audi alternator class action lawsuit settlement
A customer may also be eligible if they paid to have a vehicle towed to a dealer or repair shop because the alternator failed.
Reimbursement amounts may be decreased if a non-Audi dealership did the work.
Audi customers must provide documentation showing the expenses.
According to the Audi settlement, these customers who filed the lawsuit will receive up to $5,000 each:
Jason Steinhardt, Robert Asuncion, James Quann, Maximilian Reis, Elpidio Sanchez, Concepcion Saenz Cambra and Rikard Bandebo and Ji Wang.
The settlement says the attorneys representing owners will receive $3,999,000.
The Audi alternator class action lawsuit final fairness hearing is October 7, 2024.
The Audi alternator failure class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey: Jason Steinhardt v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., et al.
The plaintiffs are represented by Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith LLP, and Ahdoot & Wolfson, PC.
