— An Audi alternator failure lawsuit settlement has been granted final approval for several Audi models allegedly equipped with defective alternators, also known as belt starter generators or starter generators.
Drivers are allegedly faced with several electrical malfunction warning lights due to alternator failures, including:
- “Electrical system: malfunction! Safely stop vehicle”
- “Electrical system: malfunction! Please contact Service”
- “Parking aid: malfunction!”
- “Transmission: malfunction!”
- “Rear spoiler: malfunction!”
- “Drive system: malfunction! Stop vehicle safely”
- “Traction control: malfunction!”
- “Tire pressure monitoring system: malfunction!”
- “Parking brake: malfunction!”
- “Automatic start/stop system: malfunction!”
- “Start/stop system: malfunction!"
The Audi alternator lawsuit involves these vehicles.
- 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
According to the class action lawsuit, Audi owners may need to pay thousands of dollars to repair the belt starter generator problems.
The starter generator lawsuit was combined from two class action lawsuits. Steinhardt v. Volkswagen was filed in March 2023 and two months later Maximillian Reis v. Volkswagen was filed by owners.
Audi Alternator Class Action Lawsuit Settlement
Although Volkswagen decided to settle the Audi belt starter generator lawsuit, the automaker did it to end the ongoing expensive litigation and Audi denies all the allegations in the class action.
The owners who sued insisted that Audi repurchase the vehicles from customers as well as pay damages to vehicle owners. However, the settlement offers far less.
Also keep in mind Audi had issued technical service bulletins and extended warranties before the lawsuit was filed.
Audi Alternator Warranty Extension
Audi will extend the warranty to cover the cost of repair or replacement of a failed belt starter generator for a period of 10 years from the in-service date of the vehicle.
However, owners must still pay a percentage for 12-volt and 48-volt battery replacements as only partial reimbursements are available unless the vehicle is still under its original four-year warranty.
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.
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.
Audi Alternator-Related Reimbursements
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 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, and a customer must provide proof of expenses.
According to the Audi alternator 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 attorneys representing vehicle owners will receive $3,999,000.
The Audi alternator failure 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.
