Audi Recalls Over 9,000 Q4 E-Tron EVs for Battery Fires

Volkswagen is recalling 9,048 units of the Audi Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron due to potential high-voltage battery defects that could trigger a vehicle fire.

The campaign impacts select 2024 and 2025 model-year vehicles. While engineers work to establish a permanent fix, Audi is urging owners to limit charging to a maximum of 80 percent battery capacity to mitigate the risk of thermal runaway. This is the same condition affecting the Volkswagen ID.4, the two vehicles share a platform.

Thermal Propagation Linked to Full Charges

According to recall documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the exact root cause remains under active investigation. However, preliminary findings suggest manufacturing deviations occurred during battery production, leaving certain cell packs below required quality specifications.

In these defective units, charging past an 80 percent state of charge combined with specific charging profiles can initiate thermal propagation inside the battery pack, potentially leading to an uncontrollable fire.

The issue came to light on September 21, 2026, when the Audi Product Safety Committee received reports of high-voltage battery thermal events in other Volkswagen Group vehicles using the identical battery architecture. Subsequent reviews confirmed that the same suspect battery packs were installed in a specific batch of Audi Q4 E-Tron models primarily built for the North American market.

On October 14, 2026, the committee opted to initiate a voluntary safety recall out of caution. Audi stated it has not received any field reports, warranty claims, crash reports, fire incidents, or injuries involving Audi-badged vehicles.

The Remedy and Owner Guidance

Audi is currently developing a permanent software or hardware remedy. In the interim, drivers should adjust their vehicle charging limits via the infotainment display or smartphone app so the battery does not exceed 80 percent capacity.

Interim notification letters outlining the safety risks will be mailed to registered owners starting December 18, 2026, followed by a second notice once the final remedy is ready. Affected Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 23, 2026.

This article was written using AI and was then edited and optimized by our editorial team.

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