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Audi A7 45 TDI quattro Pro Line S common faults.

2018–2023, hatchback, diesel, 231 HP.

The fault list covers: DDVE engine.

What you save stays on this device only. My saves

2 fault write-ups. Both are important. 3 recalls.

If you know the year, pick it. Faults for other years drop out of the list.

Before you buy

Known faults

2 important faults

The common rail high-pressure pump is lubricated and cooled by the diesel itself, because the pump produces over 2,000 bar and has no separate lubrication circuit. If that lubricating film breaks down, the internal running surface of the pump eats itself and metal debris is produced. The debris travels through the whole system with the diesel, the rail, the injectors and the tank as well, because the return line carries it back and the lift pump draws it in again at every start. From there flushing the injectors does not help, all of them have to be replaced and the tank cleaned too. The failure is reported between 120,000 and 160,000 km, and the repair runs from 1,500 to 15,000 euro depending on how far the debris got. The lubricating film is broken by misfuelling and by long runs with an almost empty tank, because below 5 litres the lift pump also draws air. Plain wear of the pump is a different case: there is no debris and only the pump has to be replaced.

between 120,000 and 160,000 km1,500–15,000 EUR

What to check

  • Ask when the fuel filter was last changed, and ask for the old filter if it is kept
  • Look for silvery, shiny metal particles in the filter housing and on the filter
  • Ask whether there has been a misfuelling, and whether the car often ran on an almost empty tank
2 more steps in the write-up

The timing chain of the longitudinal V6 diesel runs at the back of the engine, on the gearbox side, so replacing it means taking out the engine or the gearbox. That alone makes it expensive, but the mechanism is the point: the chains stretch and the hydraulic tensioners lose their pressure. The first and only early sign is a 2 to 3 second metallic rattle audible on a cold start. If that is ignored, the chain jumps or breaks, and the engine is badly damaged inside. The same chain kit also drives the oil pump: if that seizes, the engine is left without lubrication.

What to check

  • Start it cold, in a quiet place, with the bonnet open: the rattle is audible in the first 2 to 3 seconds
  • Stand at the gearbox side of the engine: the noise comes from there, not from the front
  • Ask whether the chain and the tensioner were replaced, and ask for the invoice (it involves removing the engine)
3 more steps in the write-up

Checklist

Audi A7 45 TDI quattro Pro Line S

First what you would check on any car. Then the faults of this model.

Before you buy

Checklist

The printed sheet starts with what you would check on any car. What you tick stays on this device only.

On every car

Ask the owner

vinkodex.com · Before you buy it, see what can go wrong.

Official recall3 recallsShow

The manufacturer fixes these for free at a franchised dealer. Ask with the VIN whether it was done.

A12/00752/21Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The vehicles may be fitted with a towbar with a swivel mechanism that may have a defective locking pin. As a result, the pin could break while driving, increasing the risk of an accident.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

The authority's notice

A12/0382/19Safety recallFireno date · EU Safety Gate

In certain vehicles, fuel can leak onto the engine fuel rail. Fuel leakage close to a source of ignition may increase the risk of the vehicle catching fire.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

The authority's notice

A12/0862/19Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The locking mechanism in the articulated trailer hitch may be defective. Consequently, the trailer hitch might not be correctly locked and could swing out, causing the trailer to drop while the vehicle is in motion.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

The authority's notice

Engine and transmission

DDVE

170 kW (231 HP) · diesel

We built the code from the model and the gear count. The factory sheet does not state it.

Variant data

What is in this version

Factory data

Trim
45 TDI quattro Pro Line S
Body
hatchback
Fuel
diesel
Transmission
automatic
Engine size
2967 cc
Power
170 kW (231 HP)
Drive
AWD
Production
2018–2023

Factory service interval

The manufacturer specifies this for this version. Of the mileage and the time, the one that comes first is the one that counts.

  • Air filter

    • 60,000 km or 4 years
  • Cabin (pollen) filter

    • 30,000 km or 2 years
  • Engine oil and oil filter

    • LongLife30,000 km or 2 years(valid only with LongLife-approved oil)
    • 15,000 km or 1 year
  • Brake fluid change

    • first: 3 years, then 2 years(first change at 3 years, then every two years)
  • Coolant (antifreeze) change

    • first: 193,000 km or 10 years, then 97,000 km or 5 years(G13 / G12++: first change at 120,000 miles or 10 years, then every 60,000 miles or 5 years)
  • Fuel filter, diesel

    • 60,000 km or 2 years

Information, not an expert opinion

We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.

  • A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
  • A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
  • You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.
Details in the terms