Audi has just issued a recall for the 2020 Q7 in the United States but fortunately for it, fewer than two dozen vehicles need to be fixed.
A total of 19 Audi Q7 models built between October 25, 2019 and November 20, 2019, suffer from a fault where the heating film used for the front camera on the windshield could overheat. The recall notice specifies that major overheating may occur at low temperatures or when the heated element is activated after the ignition is switched on.
While you could be excused for thinking this is a small, localized issue, Audi says that it can lead to smoldering and even a vehicle fire. The problem has been caused by an incompatibility between the activation software and the heating film used.
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This isn’t the first time the Audi Q7 has suffered from this issue. Indeed, Audi first issued a recall for the heating film in late 2019, recalling vehicles in Europe which at the time was the only market the updated Q7 had been launched in. Audi had believed that U.S.-bound vehicles were held and remedied at the ports.
On February 27 this year, however, a Q7 in the U.S. was found to be suffering from the issue. Audi soon discovered that 19 vehicles in the U.S. had not been either remedied in the port or not been correctly flashed by the factory.
Audi will fix the issue by updating the control software for the front camera. The heater element for the front camera will also be replaced. Dealers and owners will be informed of the recall on or before May 26, 2023.
