There are 2 owner-reported visibility & wipers complaints for the 2018 Audi Q7in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
HVAC flap motors (2 of them) failed for the second time impairing visibility during inclement weather. The first time was under warranty. This second time is costing me $1550 plus tax. When these flap motors fail, they remain closed and do not allow the heating or AC to blow into the vehicle which results in windows fogging up completely. It is impossible to drive without windows open which is not practical in the winter cold rainy season.
Twice now, the front windshield defroster has malfunctioned. First time was late last winter and the car was undriveable due to almost no visibility out of the windshield (and it malfunctioned during my wife's daily commute). We had it repaired under warranty at the time. The same issue occurred again yesterday (2/27/2023) evening while commuting to my son's school. Due to inclement weather, visibility was extremely poor without the defroster and had to drive with the windows partly rolled down. As the vehicle is out of warranty now, the repair costs will be out of pocket. In a span of a year or less, this issue has occurred twice now.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026