2017 Audi S7 Problems: 14 Known Issues

On the 2013-2018 Audi S7 4.0T TFSI Biturbo V8 (EA824), the 4.0T's two turbochargers sit in the 'hot-V' between the cylinder banks, where trapped heat coks oil and wears the turbo bearings and wastegate hardware over time. A very common failure is wastegate-linkage wear: the hole in the wastegate arm where the actuator peg sits elongates, so the wastegate no longer seals tightly at rest. This produces a distinct metallic rattle on throttle-off or at idle and can cause boost-control problems and a P0299 underboost code. This is distinct from the NHTSA oil-strainer-blockage stall recall and from coolant-line failures — it is a mechanical wear issue of the turbo/wastegate itself in the heat-soaked hot-V location.

On the 2013-2017 Audi S7 4.0 TFSI, on certain 2013-2017 S7 vehicles, the turbocharger oil-supply strainer can block, starve the turbo bearings, and allow the shaft or turbine to fail, potentially stalling the engine.

On the 2013-2018 Audi S7 4.0T TFSI Biturbo V8 (EA824), the eight individual coil-on-plug ignition coils on the 4.0T V8 are a recurring misfire source as they age, especially on tuned cars where higher cylinder pressures stress the spark. A failing coil produces a cylinder-specific misfire (P030X) and a flashing or steady check engine light. Owners and shops commonly diagnose by swapping a suspected coil to a different cylinder — if the misfire code follows the coil, the coil is confirmed bad. This is distinct from the already-documented fuel-injector deposit misfires and carbon-buildup issues: here the root cause is the ignition coil itself (or its companion spark plug), not fueling.

On the 2013-2018 Audi S7 4.0 TFSI V8 (EA824), on the C7/C7.5 S7's 4.0T TFSI (EA824) V8, the PCV valve integrated into the oil separator is a high-failure item. The diaphragm fails and the crankcase ventilation system loses its ability to regulate pressure, leading to elevated oil consumption (often 1 quart per ~500-1000 miles), a vacuum whistle or knocking noise, oil pulled into the intake, and frequently a damaged rear main seal from over-pressurization. Owners and German motor-talk threads on the S7 4.0 TFSI specifically list the Ölabscheider/PCV and the breather hose as routine replacement items, typically appearing between 60,000-100,000 miles.

On the 2013-2018 Audi S7, on certain 2013-2018 S7 vehicles with basic front seats, stress or wear in the body-sensing mat can make the passenger occupant-detection system malfunction and prevent proper airbag deployment.

On the 2013-2018 Audi S7 4.0 TFSI V8 (EA824), the 4.0T TFSI V8 in the S7 uses two cam-driven high-pressure fuel pumps (one per bank). A failing HPFP cannot maintain rail pressure, producing long cranking, no-start (especially when warm or cold), stalling, rough idle, and reduced power, typically with low fuel-rail pressure codes. German S7 owners report the Hochdruckpumpe as a replacement item alongside the PCV/oil separator. The cam follower that rides the pump tappet should always be replaced with the pump to avoid damaging the new pump and camshaft.

On the 2013-2018 Audi S7 4.0 TFSI V8 (EA824), c7 S7s (US and EU) paired the 4.0T with the 7-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission (DL501 / 0B5). Owners report clutch judder/shudder when pulling away from a standstill, hesitation and jerky low-speed shifts, and in severe cases loss of drive. The dominant failure modes are mechatronic valve-body solenoid wear and dual-clutch pack wear, both accelerated by heavy city traffic, towing, or missed fluid services. Symptoms typically begin once clutch packs glaze or the mechatronic internal pump/solenoids degrade.

On the 2013-2018 Audi S7 4.0T TFSI Biturbo V8 (EA824), the C7 S7's sunroof drainage channels route water down through the A- and C-pillars to exit beneath the car. The drain tubes clog with debris, and the snap-fit connector where the tube attaches to the sunroof frame can loosen as its bonding ages, so water overflows into the cabin instead of draining. Owners report wet headliners, water behind the dash on the passenger side, water pooling near the rear window, and — critically — water reaching sensitive electronic modules and floor-mounted control units, where it can cause shorts and intermittent electrical faults. Left unaddressed it leads to musty smells, mold, and expensive interior/electronics damage.

On the 2013-2022 Audi S7, the S7's large Sportback hatch uses a power liftgate driven by spindle/lift motors and supported by gas struts. Over time the gas struts lose pressure and the motors wear, so the hatch opens slowly or struggles, opens a few inches and stops, won't stay up (slowly drifting closed — a pinch/safety hazard), or fails to pull itself fully closed and latched. On closely related Audi models (A7 2019-2021, RS 7 2021 and 2023), Audi TSBs 2064020/2 and 2072431/1 address a blocked rear-lid closing-assist (cinching) motor in the latch mechanism; if the latch won't release, the lift motors cannot open the gate at all. The S7 is not listed in those bulletins. The heavy Sportback glass/panel accelerates strut fatigue.

On the 2013-2018 Audi S7 4.0 TFSI V8 (EA824), on the C7 A7/S7, the reversing camera frequently goes to a black screen (or shows an intermittent 'No Signal' banner) when reverse is selected, even though the parking sensors still beep. The usual root cause is broken conductors in the flexible wiring loom that flexes at the tailgate hinge, not the camera itself; less often the camera module or MMI head unit is at fault. Owners also report the retractable/MMI display mechanism and occasional MMI freezes/restarts on this platform.

On the 2013-2018 Audi S7 4.0T Biturbo V8 (4.0 TFSI), the roof-mounted 'shark fin' antenna module on the C7 A6/A7/S6/S7/RS7 packages GPS, SiriusXM satellite, and phone/telematics antennas together. The base rubber gasket degrades and the FAKRA coax terminals corrode, allowing water intrusion that damages the antenna's internal circuit board. The result is loss of GPS lock (MMI shows the vehicle in the wrong location or fails to acquire satellites), degraded or dead satellite radio, and in some cases water dripping into the headliner. Failures are commonly triggered or worsened by pressure washing. A poor FAKRA coax connection at the antenna base is a frequent contributor. Audi TSB 2045106/3 (NHTSA-hosted) covers GPS/satellite reception loss from a poorly seated coax connection at the shark-fin antenna on the platform-mate 2015-2019 A6/A7; the S7 is not named in it.

On the 2013-2018 Audi S7 4.0T TFSI Biturbo V8 (EA824), separate from the adaptive air-suspension struts, the C7 S7's multi-link front suspension uses several aluminum control arms whose rubber bushings and ball joints are common wear items. Failures are widely reported between 70k-100k miles (and sometimes as early as 30k-40k on hard-driven cars), producing clunking over bumps and steering wander as the worn bushings and ball joints can no longer hold the steering knuckle securely. Because the arms are an integrated assembly, worn bushings or ball joints generally require replacing the affected arms rather than the rubber alone. The heavy nose and the S7's performance use accelerate wear.

On the 2013-2022 Audi S7, owners of the heavy A7/S7 frequently report premature front brake wear and rotor warping, with some replacing front rotors multiple times in well under 50k miles. The OEM rotors are relatively soft and reach minimum thickness after roughly one pad set, and uneven pad engagement leads to glazing, brake squeal, and pulsation/vibration through the pedal and steering wheel under braking. Some cases trace to manufacturing 'hard spots' from improper rotor tempering. The S7's mass and performance use intensify thermal stress on the front brakes.

On the 2013-2018 Audi S7 4.0T TFSI Biturbo V8 (EA824), distinct from the engine motor mounts, the C7 S7's quattro driveline develops play as the rear differential mount and driveshaft center support bearing age. The factory rear diff mount has large voids in its rubber, allowing excessive differential movement under load that produces a clunk or slop on acceleration, deceleration, and shifting (Park-to-Drive, Drive-to-Reverse). The driveshaft center support bearing also wears as the car ages, adding to the drivetrain clunk. Owners commonly chase these noises and the community fix is well known.