Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2019 Audi Q8 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2019 Audi Q8. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a central locking malfunction warning sign was displayed. The contact stated that later when a rear passenger attempted to exit the vehicle, the door failed to open. The driver's and passenger's side rear doors failed to open. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a failure related to Technical Service Bulletin: DTC B14FF29. The vehicle was repaired under Warranty. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and the dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact was informed that the vehicle was no longer under Warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that it was a known failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to have the vehicle diagnosed before any assistance would be provided. …
November 18, 2022 a warning lamp of electric system problem was displayed. There is no local Audi dealer and I decided to take the vehicle to my local automotive repair shop that does non warranty repair on Audis. I drove approximately 6-8 miles after the light came on and was one half mile from the service technicians when within 300 yards the vehicle became sequentially inoperable. First power steering, then transmission, brakes , ended with engine failure. I was in rush hour traffic and unable to steer off the road so I was blocking traffic near an intersection. My flashers and power windows were all that functioned. The doors were locked. When the tow truck arrived he let me out of the car. I was not injured and the vehicle was not hit either. …
While driving down the freeway to the dealership a electrical system malfunction message came across the display. I continued on to the dealership and suddenly started getting system failures. One by one it popped up and said every single system failure including brakes and steering system malfunctions. Then it said transmission malfunction and I immediately lost all forward propulsion. The engine just revved when I hit the gas. I had to fight my way over to the shoulder where the vehicle came to a stop and would not even let me set the parking brake or engage park. I sat I the vehicle on the freeway between an on ramp and the moving lanes until the tow truck showed up. The failure turned out to be the alternator which I'm told is a very common issue for most audi vehicles. …
While driving in heavy traffic on 12/23/22 the entire electrical system shut down and all power was lost. Fortunately I was not hit by another vehicle and coasted into a parking lot with no power. This is very dangerous. Per conversations with the dealership and with Audi (1/10/23), alternators on thousands of vehicles are failing (possibly due to a software issue). The vehicles are sitting on dealer lots and in driveways useless. Audi online forums confirm this as well. There are no alternators available. No recall has been issued and no warning of this unsafe situation has been made by Audi. Per the dealership, they are largely in the dark as well as there has been no meaningful communication by Audi. Someone will get hurt when their car dies on a highway. People are paying thousands for their cars to be undrivable. …
- Vehicle: 2019 Audi Q8, VIN [redacted] - Recall: Campaign 25V900 (90TV), Rearview Camera Software - Dealer: Audi Marin, 700 Francisco Blvd W, San Rafael CA, BAR# [redacted] - What happened: Recall attempted April 1, 2026. Technician logged Error 005A - communication failure with front driver assistance - on RO #[redacted]. Vehicle returned with rearview camera non-functional and driver assistance systems unavailable. - Current status: Dealer claims recall was performed. Rearview camera remains non-functional. The specific defect the recall addresses is present in the vehicle. - Dealer conduct: Dealer is attempting to charge $345 diagnostic fee for damage introduced during the recall attempt, claiming fault is pre-existing. No documentation supports pre-existing claim. Dealer's own intake inspection (January 15) recorded systems as functional.
2019 Audi Q8. The car is back in the Dealer Shop for almost 2 months. We don't really know what is wrong with the main issue on ALTERNATOR OR 48 V battery problems. And the excuse Service gave us is No ETA on the Parts From Germany. They have new cars coming in and they don't have parts coming in??. We are stuck in the middle, can't trade in or sell our cars. Right now this Q8 is a huge junk without any functional purpose. Some of the owners have been waiting for this fix for 3, 4 months. The government really should step in to find out what is going on on AUDI. It can't be parts shortage. It is some problem what AUDI simply can't fix. AUDI USA is also very unreliable. They direct us to our individual dealer, saying they can't do anything about it. They don't take any responsibly. We have no one to file complaint to.Most of the cars are still in the warranty, it is simply unbelievable.
I was driving home from work when all of a sudden I got error messages: Electrical system malfunction! Please contact service; Start/ stop system: malfunction! Function unavailable. Please contact Service, yellow battery light and the car died. None of the safety features, locks, engine, or air condition worked and the car had to be towed to the dealership. Within 1 mile of the lights appearing the car died, putting my safety and those on the road at risk. I left in the middle of the street and had it towed a few hours later. I spoke to the dealership and was diagnosed and confirmed as a alternator- starter-generator issue and reading the Audi threads it is a common issue. The car has about 38,000 miles. I am the second owner and have had the car for less than 6 months and it has been well maintained.
On 12/12/2022 I was driving and the Q8 lost power and I coasted to a stop. All lights on driver panel were flashing or sequencing through. After sitting on the side of the road for 5 or so minutes I tried starting the car again. This time it started and I drove another 8 miles almost to my home when the car again just died in the road. This time I couldn't get it to restart. I had to have it towed to my local garage as my dealership was an hour and fifteen minutes away. The car has been diagnosed with needing an alternator, which no one including the dealerships have because this is a problem with many vehicles. It has now been over two months without my car.
Engine overheated and dash warning light did not illuminate until coolant was completely overheated. i followed the light, pulled off the road and let the engine idle until the light when away as directed and proceeded to drive approx 10 miles total distance to work from first warning light to full engine failure with electrical system failure due to being melted and three of my cylinders were misfiring. Audi states i need a full engine replacement at my expense and is not taking ownership of failed warning system. Engine for car quoted 25-30k for replacement. total car value with approx. 80k miles is 17k. Absolutely ridiculous.
Got Electrical System Malfunction to start. I called service and they said car was safe to drive. Continued driving got a fault for automatic start/Stop malfunction, followed by: Right lug nut loose Right brake light malfunction Parking brake malfunction Distance indicator malfunction Power Steering malfunction Drive train ,malfunction. Car engine started hesitating and dash went totally blank. Car was hard to steer , luckily I live near the dealership. Dealer said there are 30 cars in their service department with the same problem. I am #3000 on Audis waitlist for parts to fix problem. 48 volt battery and alternator.
Electrical complaints in other Q8 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2019 Audi Q8?
NHTSA has 44 complaints about the electrical system of the 2019 Audi Q8, 40% of the model year's 110 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2019 Audi Q8 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2019 Audi Q8, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2019 Audi Q8 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 10,000 miles, and 100% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.