2019 Audi E-Tron Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2019 Audi e-tron most often write about the high-voltage battery recall (23V867000) and what it meant in practice: reduced charging limits, repeated or pending battery work, and long waits for parts. A second cluster of complaints describes a sudden loss of drive power, often traced by dealers to a drive motor or control module, and a third covers charging problems ranging from a stuck charge handle to vehicles that would not charge. Many reports also involve water entering through the sunroof or poor rear-camera and driver-assist behavior.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   High-voltage battery recall: charge limits and long waits

   • 25 complaints (32%)
   • median 80,500 mi at 3.3 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2024–2026

   Complaints describe being told to limit charging below a full charge and waiting many months or longer for a battery remedy. Some owners report battery modules or cells replaced, charge failures, or the vehicle becoming undriveable after service; others say they cannot get the recall work scheduled at all. A few describe overheating or smoke while charging, and owners say the dealer referred them back to the manufacturer for timing. Reported across a very wide mileage range, from nearly new vehicles to ones with well over a hundred thousand miles.

   Recall 23V8670003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for the recall status of the specific vehicle and whether a battery module replacement has already been done, and check what charge limit the car currently accepts. Ask for service records showing any battery work and how long the car sat awaiting parts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I discovered the following recall on your site but the AudiUSA site does not show the issue. I am alarm at the serious nature of this recall and Audi is only saying it does no have a remedy yet. that is unacceptable considering what could happen. We need a faster remedy to this very dangerous situation. A timely manner is right now, not later in the year. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11565809, filed 2024-01

   “We have several recalls for this car the battery and the ball joints are bad we called the dealer for help with the issue and never received any update , we can not drive this car due to a fire hazard and it is a real safety issue for all the public and our selves we need help. Please help my family thanks and god bless.”

   NHTSA complaint #11567520, filed 2024-01
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Electrical malfunction and loss of drive power

   • 22 complaints (29%)
   • median 11,434 mi at 2.1 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2020–2026

   Owners describe dashboard warnings such as an electrical system malfunction with instructions to stop safely, sometimes followed by a complete loss of power and a tow. Several complaints state the dealer traced the problem to the front or rear drive motor or a control module, with coolant said to have entered the motor; others report multiple warning lights and no clear diagnosis. Repairs are described as lengthy, sometimes involving several parts orders. Reported from a few thousand miles up to well beyond a hundred thousand miles, often while driving at speed.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the drive motors or control modules have been replaced and request the repair invoices. Before buying, scan for stored fault codes and confirm the car drives normally through a full charge and discharge cycle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The Etron is an EV. At approximately 63,000 miles, I received an alert stating electric failure and move immediately off the road. I took it to Audi and apparently the front electric motor flooded. After it was repaired, I drove the car another 2500 miles and received an alert stating electric failure and get off the road. Apparently, this may be related to a bad battery module. Both times the incident occurred on the freeway. My car is still in the shop.”

   NHTSA complaint #11510475, filed 2023-03

   “My wife was driving our Audi e-tron and after several minutes driving she got she got very large red alert that said ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: MALFUNCTION! - SAFELY STOP VEHICLE . She immediately pulled over to the side of the road into a parking lot just before the electric motors shut down completely. This put my wife in an extremely dangerous situation, and we consider her to be very lucky that she was not on a highway or in the middle of an intersection when this happened. The car became COMPLETELY immobile, just dead. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11460082, filed 2022-04
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Charging faults: stuck handle, port failures, no charge

   • 21 complaints (27%)
   • median 57,550 mi at 3.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2020–2026

   Complaints describe a charge handle that would not release and required the charging port to be disassembled, charge doors that fail to latch with a repeated warning chime, and vehicles that would not charge or stopped charging at certain stations. Owners also report unexpectedly slow charging at public stations. Dealers are described as charging for the repair in some cases and citing software or warranty limits in others. Reported at varied mileage, sometimes shortly after related recall or service work.

   Recall 23V842000Recall 19V4340002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test a full charging session at home and at a public DC station before purchase, and confirm the charge door latches and the handle releases cleanly. Ask whether the vehicle has had charge-port or battery software campaigns applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I received the recall notice and I attempted to get my battery inspected and interim software installed on my vehicle on 9/9 at Audi North Atlanta. I was told that neither can be done because they do not have the parts needed for the inspection or the software install. When I pressed for more information, I was told that the inspection and software update will make the vehicle undriveable until they have the required parts. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11614374, filed 2024-09

   “I plugged my Grizzle home charger into the driver side charger on my 2019 Audi E-Tron. The Vehicle charged but did not disengage the charging handle. I called Audi and followed all their instructions but nothing worked. The car was towed to the Audi dealer where they had to disassemble the vehicle's charging port on the car to get the charging cable handle out. Although the car is still under warrantee, Audi refused to to repair the car under warrantee And charged me upwards of $500.00 for the repair. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11551452, filed 2023-10
4. 4
   Forward collision avoidance

   Rear camera and driver-assist warnings or false braking

   • 12 complaints (16%)
   • median 5,775 mi at 1.7 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2020–2026

   Owners describe a blank rear-camera image in reverse and a camera image too dark to be useful at night. Others report adaptive cruise and Pre Sense messages saying the systems are unavailable, and in some cases the car braking hard with no obstacle present. Complaints mention that dealers could not reproduce the issue or that no repair was made. Reported at low to moderate mileage, in varied driving and lighting conditions.

   Recall 25V9000001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Verify the rear camera works in reverse day and night, and check whether the rearview camera software recall has been applied. Ask whether any driver-assist warnings have been logged and whether sensors or calibration work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was traveling down a dip in the road and the Audi Pre Sense initiated emergency braking. There was no vehicle in front, the road ahead was totally clear. The vehicle behind me nearly ran into the back of my car.”

   NHTSA complaint #11428558, filed 2021-08

   “I am reporting a serious safety concern with the rear backup camera on my 2019 Audi e tron. The camera provides extremely poor visibility at night and in low light conditions, to the point that it is effectively unusable. The image is very dark and grainy, making it difficult or impossible to see pedestrians, vehicles, curbs, or other obstacles while reversing. This creates a significant safety hazard, especially in residential areas, parking lots, and garages where pedestrians may be present. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11707702, filed 2025-12
5. 5
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Water leaking through the sunroof into electronics

   • 5 complaints (6%)
   • median 87,500 mi at 4.9 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2023–2026

   Owners report water entering the cabin through a fully closed sunroof during rain, dripping onto the touchscreen, shifter area and footwells. Some say the dealer found the sunroof as the source and repaired it under warranty, while others report the vehicle was not covered and no repair was made. Complaints reference a warranty extension or service bulletin for sunroof leakage. Reported from low mileage to vehicles with well over a hundred thousand miles, typically after rain.

   What to check: Check headliner, footwells and the area around the display for water stains or musty smells, and run water over the roof during an inspection. Ask whether sunroof drains were serviced or a leakage repair was performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I talked to an Audi representative and it appears there are recalls for sunroof leaking in various cars it was installed upon that include Volkswagen and Audi. My 2019 Audi was not included and the representative cannot explain why even though I have an identical issue with leakage from the sunroof. The exact problems that plagues other cars that were already given a recall. Instead of a recall, a TSB, was offered for my car but because it is not an actual recall, Audi will not pay for any repairs. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11583567, filed 2024-04

   “Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Water Ingress and Electrical Damage – Seeking Damages Dear Audi Customer Service, I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding significant issues with my Audi vehicle, which have led to severe damage and financial loss. Below are the details of the incidents: Initial Incident of Water Ingress: A few months ago, my Audi experienced water ingress through the sunroof, causing water to enter the front of the vehicle. This issue was addressed and repaired by your dealership under warranty. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11595973, filed 2024-06

Buying note. Check the recall status and any completed battery or camera work on the specific car, since several complaints center on recalls still open or repeated service visits. A full charging test plus a look for water intrusion around the sunroof and footwells will show more than the mileage on the odometer.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.