There are 2 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2021 Audi Q8in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Belt Starter Generator failure rendered car undrivable -- power steering failed while in motion. Issue is subject to Class Action Settlement in USDistrict Court, Case # 3:23-cv-02291-RK-RLS. But this should have been a recall because of danger of Injury or Death. A recall would provide notice that the notice of settlement failed to provide. This failure happened to me on March 29, 2026. Dealer is not able to do the repair work in a timely manner.
Complete loss of electrical power while driving due to faulty alternator at only 35K miles. This resulted in total loss of steering, suspension failure, and any other electrical systems in the car. Making the car almost impossible to control specially for a new driver. Apparently the issue is widespread with any Audi car or SUV equipped with a V6 3 liter engine. The repair requires the replacement of the alternator and the 12v (an in some cases 48v) battery. The issue happens suddenly with no prior warning and completely disables the vehicle while driving. To the best of my knowledge Audi replaces the alternator with the same faulty design, which may lead to the issue to appear again at a later time.
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 25, 2026