Verified government source

NHTSA complaint #11728044

This page summarizes an official U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration owner complaint. Use the verification links below to confirm the record directly with NHTSA.

Vehicle

2019 AUDI Q7

Manufacturer

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Components

SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

Dates

Incident: 03/25/2026
Filed: 03/30/2026

Owner complaint summary

My car has experienced unintended automatic emergency braking while driving in active traffic with no obstruction present. This created a serious risk of a rear-end collision from vehicles behind. Prior to this, the car had ongoing alignment and steering issues beginning shortly after purchase. The car consistently pulls while driving and has required multiple repair attempts, including alignments and inspections of steering and suspension components. These repairs have not resolved the issue. The problem appears to be worsening. In addition to the unintended braking, the vehicle intermittently displays safety system warnings related to driver assistance features. The failure involves both mechanical and electronic systems, including steering alignment and automatic emergency braking. It's believed that incorrect alignment or suspension issues may be affecting sensor calibration and causing false collision detection. The car has been inspected multiple times by the dealership, but the issue has not been diagnosed or permanently repaired. The car's unsafe to operate due to unpredictable braking behavior. The warning signs that the car gives are “Traffic jam assist unavailable” and “Safety system malfunction” while driving.These warning messages and system malfunctions have been occurring intermittently since shortly after purchase in early 2025 and were previously reported to the dealership. The warnings continued after the incident and are documented with photos taken the following day. The safety systems appear to be unreliable and malfunctioning in real-time operation.

This is an owner complaint filed with NHTSA (ODI #11728044). It is not automatically an official recall, investigation outcome, or manufacturer admission unless the complaint text itself describes one.

Official record ID (ODI): 11728044. This page is the human-readable source link used across afterwarranty. The raw JSON link proxies NHTSA's public API for machine verification; prefer this page when reading the complaint.