Audi Q7 customer claims new SUV has engineering defects? Do you believe this?

While driving on the highway in France (at approximately 130 km/h), the front wheel on the right side got loss (absolutely no obstacle on the way), stayed for a while under the car while the car went in one move to the right (the wheel pushed the interior side of the car inside breaking the leg of my daughter). The right wheel also got deformed, while the car was sliding to the right. The car flew into the outside landscape then hit (almost) frontally the land hill, obviously first with the right front side and immediately afterwards also with the left front side.

It went then up to an angle of approximately 45 degrees, then fell back on the ground and hit it first with its right corner at its bottom, then fell completely on its right side.

It is a model TDI 3.0 l (233 HP), 7 seats. It has a weight of approximately 2.5 ton.

Isolated cases, or a new Audi disaster on horizon?


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AlexTx - 8/28/2006 10:56:55 AM

0 Boost

It's amazing where one incident can be translated into something general.
Until there is a verdict there should be no asumption.

PlanoA4 - 8/28/2006 11:13:19 AM

0 Boost

It is way too soon to tell what went on. Remember it is NEVER driver error in these cases. But Audi does need to investigate this to make sure it is indeed a one off issue. The original TT had high-speed stability issues that required a rear spoiler to be mounted to help the more novice drivers at speeds over 130 mph. Don’t ever assume that any manufacturer covered all of their bases in design.

YZFracer23 - 8/28/2006 11:31:43 AM

-1 Boost

ha, so true PlanoA4. People always blame the darn car, think that maybe the driver did something stupid? Plus, as stated above, one incident cannot be considered a fault in all the cars of that model. There is something called a lemon vehicle.

TheRogue - 8/28/2006 12:11:07 PM

+1 Boost

That is a rather pretentious view, "required a rear spoiler to be mounted to help the more novice drivers at speeds over 130 mph." So using that logic, The Stig from Top Gear is also a novice driver because he lost the CCX due to its lack of rear downforce. After Koenigsegg mounted a wing, the Stig came back to set a track record. Pretty damn good for a "novice" drive.

TimE - 8/28/2006 12:28:06 PM

+2 Boost

I really hope this is a single case accident only.

Could be a lemon. But would you buy I car risking to get a lemon that can lose a wheel at high speeds, and no airbag working when they should? I wouldn't.

Also I've read in another blog that a brand new Q7 (parked) went on fire somewhere in Croatia. Cause: technical problem on electric circuit. Another lemon?

But these lemons are very sour, don't you think: wheels falling away, self-ignition fires going on etc.

PlanoA4 - 8/28/2006 1:28:47 PM

+1 Boost

therogue- Audi realized that there are a variety of skill levels out there and they decided to compensate some topend for those that might be less skilled.

iown1 - 8/28/2006 1:32:37 PM

0 Boost

I agree. Need to wait and find out the facts. Still... I know I wouldn't want to tell my insurance co. that I just trashed a new car and it was my fault. Curious to hear what the engineers have to say.

PlanoA4 - 8/28/2006 1:41:54 PM

0 Boost

TimE- A fire really? Well I saw a MB the other day that hit a truck. Should I assume that all MB need to be looked at for brake issues? Using your logic of course.

TimE - 8/28/2006 2:17:53 PM

+2 Boost

PlanoA4 - yes, a self - ignition of parked Q7. It was confirmed by forensics a technical fault on electrical circuit caused the fire.

I didn't say ALL Q7 cars have such faults, but some of them obviously do. And I definitely would not buy one risking to get such a dangerous lemon.

Btw, have you read the entire blog of that poor Belgian guy? He said independent witnesses can confirm the Q7's wheel fall away out of the blue when driving straight on highway - and no obstacles on the road. Also: brakes stopped to work due the brake circuit was damaged by broken wheel, and airbags & seat-belt pre-tensioners didn't work at all.

Thanks got everyone survied that horror.

Imagine: driving (on a highway at 90mph) a luxury advertised as a engineering marvel when a wheel suddenly fall away making you crash, and no safey systems activate. A total horror!

Chip - 8/28/2006 7:32:25 PM

+2 Boost

Whats more scary is that this "lemon' Q7 left the factory.

I for one would never buy an Audi/VW product after something like that !!!

chewy - 8/28/2006 8:53:18 PM

-2 Boost

Just like the whole 60 minutes thing was made up this could also be made up. Who knows, BMW might be behind that site.

TheGenius - 8/28/2006 11:59:45 PM

0 Boost

There's always something out there so you have to be careful to draw conclusion unless some scientic investigation was conducted. Remember the 60 mins episode? It was later shown that the cars did not acclerate by themselves, but the throttle was to close to the brake so a few retards pressed both at the same time. Also, earlier this year there was an article about a Prius that supposedly triggered an apartment building fire. Don't know what happened to the investigation and never heard anything else after that so its difficult to know what really happened.. But if there were a real problem, I'm sure it will be front page news by now..

chewy - 8/29/2006 12:41:40 AM

-1 Boost

TheGenius

That is true, actually 60 minutes rigged the transmision with an air compressor to screw the car up.

BMW530i - 8/29/2006 8:07:32 AM

+1 Boost

Perhaps the wheel wasn't screwed on properly. It could be that simple.

TimE - 8/29/2006 9:04:53 AM

+2 Boost

BMW530i - Have you read the blog? The front wheel arm broke, not only the tire & rim falling away - but the whole wheel with the broken arm part.

Can somebody please explain to me why else would the front arm broke while high-speed driving straight on a highway with no bumps if not due technical defect. And no airbags deployed despite car being bumped here and there, and in the end even felt on its right side.

I hope Audi comes with some good explanation soon - untill then I'm delaying my Q7 purchase.

TimE - 8/29/2006 9:54:30 AM

0 Boost

Even Toyota has factories in Eastern Europe, won't you believe. ;)

crackityjones - 8/29/2006 2:19:06 PM

0 Boost

This is just a really horrible story. That daughter's broken leg, fortunately it was not worse. I think we can all agree the only safe and reasonable thing Audi can do is shut down the Q7 until a cause has been determined.

chewy - 8/30/2006 2:09:03 AM

0 Boost

There is very little evidence on that site. The pictures can't be enlarged. You can't trust every thing that you see on the web. They might have had an accident, somehting could have gone wrong, but there is no evidence.

crackityjones - 8/30/2006 3:20:44 AM

0 Boost

You know what's funny ... these Audi-iots tanking our boost scores--for reacting to a horrible quality issue--are the same people who throw Audi under the bus when they don't get a loaner for an oil change. They're like, we're the only ones who can call out Audi. Not you!

Keep tankin'.

TimE - 8/30/2006 7:19:20 AM

+2 Boost

chewy - do you really believe it is some kind of construct / conspiracy going on??? Just because your beloved brand being involved?

Btw, you can get the pics emailing the guy, and he will send them to you.

Also the guy posted all his info (name, mail, phone, etc). Why would a managing director of some company risk his reputation lying about Audi over the net?

There are independent witnesses of the accident available.

Read the last post in the blog: all parties agreed "something broke" and that there was no evidence the accident was caused due something being hit. So, the arm broke out of the blue. Audi & insurance wanted analisys the material & airbag chips (to find why airbags weren't deployed). So also Audi acknowledged something "technical" had gone wrong.