2021 Audi Q7 Non-powered Axle Assembly Recall (21V295)

Recall 21V295 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2021 Audi Q7 in recall 21V295?

The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Is it safe to drive a 2021 Q7 with recall 21V295?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.

There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Q7 shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the non-powered axle assembly, have it checked before driving further.

Which vehicles are included in recall 21V295?

Recall 21V295 covers 40,993 vehicles: 2021 Audi A4; 2021 Audi A5; 2021 Audi A6; 2021 Audi A7; 2021 Audi A8; 2021 Audi Q5; 2021 Audi Q7; 2021 Audi Q8; 2021 Audi RS 5; 2021 Audi RS 6 Avant; 2021 Audi RS 7; 2021 Audi RS Q8; 2021 Audi S4; 2021 Audi S5; 2021 Audi S5 Cabriolet; 2021 Audi S6; 2021 Audi S7; 2021 Audi S8; 2021 Audi SQ5.

NHTSA lists 40,993 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the Q7 non-powered axle assembly recall?

Yes. Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge.

Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.

When was recall 21V295 announced?

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. reported recall 21V295 to NHTSA on April 26, 2021. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as June 4, 2021.

This recall was filed 66 months ago. If your Q7 was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my Q7 is part of recall 21V295?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 21V295 is open on your Q7, it will be listed there.

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 21V295000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.

What should Q7 owners do about recall 21V295?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 21V295000 applies to your Q7.
2. Book the recall appointment with any authorized Audi dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
3. Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the non-powered axle assembly happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.

What are Q7 owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 258 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 11 of them about the suspension, wheels and tires.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 258 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 11 of them involve the suspension, wheels and tires. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.

• 2021 Audi Q7: 75 complaints in total, 4 about the suspension, wheels and tires
• 2021 Audi Q5: 74 complaints in total, 3 about the suspension, wheels and tires
• 2021 Audi Q8: 30 complaints in total, 0 about the suspension, wheels and tires
• 2021 Audi A6: 17 complaints in total, 0 about the suspension, wheels and tires
• 2021 Audi SQ5: 13 complaints in total, 0 about the suspension, wheels and tires
• 2021 Audi A4: 11 complaints in total, 3 about the suspension, wheels and tires
• 2021 Audi A5: 8 complaints in total, 0 about the suspension, wheels and tires
• 2021 Audi A7: 6 complaints in total, 0 about the suspension, wheels and tires

A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):

The contact owns a 2021 Audi S5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V295000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available.

2021 Audi S5 owner, NC, NHTSA complaint 11421184, filed June 16, 2021

My 2021 Audi Q5 has a manufacturing recall (Safety Recall 42L1 – Rear Axle Trailing Arm Lock Nut) on it and my dealer cancelled my appointment and informed me that they will not perform the recall repair unless I schedule (something that I have to pay for) at the same time – they will not…

2021 Audi Q5 owner, MN, NHTSA complaint 11434472, filed September 27, 2021

On September 18, 2025, while driving at ~65–70 mph on the Saw Mill Parkway in Mount Kisco, NY, a Michelin Latitude Tour HP tire (235/55R19) suffered a sudden circumferential tread/belt separation. The tread detached completely from the casing while the sidewall remained intact.

2021 Audi Q5 owner, NY, NHTSA complaint 11689439, filed September 24, 2025

Can recall 21V295 make my Q7 a lemon in California?

Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.

A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

Suspension, wheel and tire defects can affect handling and control. Clunks, pulling and vibration that return after a repair point to a defect that has not been fixed.

The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.

Civil Code 1793.22(b) sets out a presumption that applies in the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more attempts for the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service for repairs. Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases. Owners outside that window can still have a claim.

An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Frequently asked questions about recall 21V295