Reliable Auto DB

2016 Audi S7 reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2016 Audi S7 has 15 complaints with NHTSA after 11 years, or 0 per year. That is more complaints per year than most S7 years here — over the median of the other years, which is 0. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Turbocharger and Occupant classification.

2013 Audi S7
Photo by Artaxerxes, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
Complaints

15

Per year

0

Recalls

2

Years on the road

11

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (11 of 15), then Electrical system (3) and Powertrain (3). The most filings arrived in 2021 (7 of 15). Those filings include 1 that reports a fire.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 S7 has 1 complaint, 0 per year, and the 2017 has 5 complaints, 0 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2017.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2016 Audi S7. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall engine and cooling, engine, gasoline, turbocharger 2022-03-23 · NHTSA campaign 22V178000
Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2013-2017 A8, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, and 2014-2017 RS7 vehicles. The turbocharger oil supply strainer can become blocked, causing wear to the bearings due to lack of lubrication.
Remedy Dealers will replace the oil strainer and perform an oil change, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 4, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 21H7.
Recall air bags, sensor, occupant classification 2018-06-04 · NHTSA campaign 18V370000
Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Audi S6 and S7, 2012-2018 A7 and A6 Sedan, and 2014-2018 RS7 vehicles equipped with basic seats (with or without heating). Stress or wear of the body-sensing mat within the front passenger seat may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) control module to malfunction.
Remedy Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D5.

Complaints by component (15 total)

Engine
11
Electrical system
3
Powertrain
3
Fuel and propulsion system
1
Service brakes
1
Speed control
1
Steering
1
Crash-flagged

0

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

120182202072021320221202412025
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Carvana sold me a 2016 Audi S7 (VIN [XXX] ) with what was later discovered to be an odometer discrepancy. I submitted a formal complaint to the Ohio Attorney General, and Carvana subsequently issued a refund. However,…"
    Electrical system, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2025-07-15
  • "The car was driving perfectly fine until last week heading to drop my kids to school and the vehicle stopped on the middle of the street. I had no previous issues or notice. I had multiple warnings on the dashboard and…"
    Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine · filed 2024-03-08
  • "Submitting an official complaint since there has been a lack of status update or repair resolution. I am concerned that I will have a failure resulting in injury or death since I cannot get this fixed."
    Unknown or other · filed 2022-06-21
  • "I have a 2016 Audi S7 that uses the notorious 7-speed DSG transmission. I started to notice some random jerking when I pull the car from the red light a month before the car completely dead on me in April 2021. One time…"
    Powertrain · filed 2022-04-12
  • "The engine died on the New Jersey turnpike going 70 mph. Had to coast to shoulder. Sat on the side of the highway with children in back seat for 45 mins waiting for tow which is extremely dangerous. No warning lights…"
    Engine · filed 2022-02-17

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2016 Audi S7 4 DR AWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
S7 4L, 8-cyl Automatic (AM-S7) All-wheel drive 17 27 21 MPG $3800

Specs and fitment

C7 generation, 2013–2018
Body styles Sportback
Oil 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30, or 5W-40 (engine dependent; confirm on cap)
Tire size 255/40R19 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 18V370000 covers certain 2013-2018 Audi S7 models (with S6, A6/A7, and RS7 with basic seats) where the front-passenger seat body-sensing mat may cause the PODS module to malfunction so the passenger air bag may not deploy properly; dealers install a PODS repair kit. Recall 13V450000 covers certain 2013-2014 S7 and S6 models for fuel-line issues. Recall 22V178000 covers certain 2013-2017 S7 models (with A8, S6, S8, and RS7) where the turbocharger oil supply strainer can become blocked and wear bearings, which can stall the engine.

Compare

Next year 2017 Audi S7 See every Audi S7 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Audi S7 reliable?

The 2016 Audi S7 has 15 complaints with NHTSA after 11 years, or 0 per year. That is more complaints per year than most S7 years here — over the median of the other years, which is 0. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Turbocharger and Occupant classification.

What are common problems with a 2016 Audi S7?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (11 of 15), then Electrical system (3) and Powertrain (3). The most filings arrived in 2021 (7 of 15). Those filings include 1 that reports a fire.

Is the 2016 Audi S7 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 S7 has 1 complaint, 0 per year, and the 2017 has 5 complaints, 0 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2017.

Has the 2016 Audi S7 been recalled?

The 2016 Audi S7 has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 Audi S7?

Owners have filed 15 complaints about the 2016 Audi S7 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Audi S7 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 Audi S7 is 21 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a US Audi S7 use?

0W-30 (confirm on cap)

What tire sizes fit a US Audi S7?

Published US specs commonly list front 255/40R20 (trim dependent) and rear 255/40R20 (trim dependent); confirm on the door jamb placard for your trim.

What NHTSA recalls affect the US Audi S7?

Recall 21V159000 covers certain 2020-2021 S7 models (with RS6 Avant, RS7, A6 Allroad, and S6) for an air bag concern as stated in NHTSA's summary. Recall 22V155000 and 22V861000 cover overlapping 2020-2022 S7 models for fuel-gauge and electrical issues shared with S6, A6 Allroad, RS6, and RS7. Recall 25V900000 covers certain 2019-2026 Audi models including S7 where rearview camera software may prevent the image from displaying.