Axle shaft replacement on 2019 Qy w/21k miles?
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AudiWorld Newcomer
Joined: Mar 2022
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Axle shaft replacement on 2019 Qy w/21k miles?
Hello all,
I'm new here, just purchased our first Audi - a 2019 Q7 Prestige trim with 21K miles. We purchased through Carvana and they delivered last Friday - on very first test drive, my husband heard a knocking noise. We called Carvana, took it to a nearby repair facility who then referred us on to Audi. Audi is saying the rear passenger axle shaft needs replacement and the differential may need to be sealed - both will be covered under warranty.
My question is this - is replacement of an axle shaft at 21k miles indicative of a poorly maintained or recklessly driven vehicle? The car is gorgeous and we'd like to keep it but we're still in the return window with Carvana so could opt to return and find something else. We're not terribly car-savvy so would be grateful for guidance from you expert Audi owners!
Thanks in advance for responses!
I'm new here, just purchased our first Audi - a 2019 Q7 Prestige trim with 21K miles. We purchased through Carvana and they delivered last Friday - on very first test drive, my husband heard a knocking noise. We called Carvana, took it to a nearby repair facility who then referred us on to Audi. Audi is saying the rear passenger axle shaft needs replacement and the differential may need to be sealed - both will be covered under warranty.
My question is this - is replacement of an axle shaft at 21k miles indicative of a poorly maintained or recklessly driven vehicle? The car is gorgeous and we'd like to keep it but we're still in the return window with Carvana so could opt to return and find something else. We're not terribly car-savvy so would be grateful for guidance from you expert Audi owners!
Thanks in advance for responses!
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 406
Likes: 78
Welcome to the forum. 2019 with 21K miles is a low miles car, about 7K miles a year. That is otherwise desirable. Normally there is no maintenance on the differential or axle. The differential fluid is IIRC lifetime fill.
If it was an off-lease car, then I would be surprised the original Audi dealer did not just fix it up and sell it themselves -- with today's supply chain problems and lack of cars to sell. Therefore I suspect the previous owner decided to get rid of it fast through Carvana because of the axle problem. I am not sure why warranty repair was not claimed before that.
Were there signs of curb rash on the wheel? Signs of leaks around the differential?
With the 2016-and-up generation of Q7 (called Mk-II for 2nd generation), there are control arm bushing problems, engine mount problems and water pump failures (both 2.0T and 3.0T). The rear coil springs can break on some cars. Each would be around $1500-2000 to fix. 3.0T can have oil consumption problems nearing 100K miles and the engine may be a goner. The transfer case (aka center differential) can also develope a rumble but can often be resolved with an oil change. You can read up on the threads.
You might want to look into an extended Audi Care Platinum warranty (up to 10-years 120K miles) if you decide to keep the car, but that may only be available as CPO.
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-...ilure-2916483/
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-...miles-3003955/
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-...ition-2863609/
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-...umble-3003251/
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-...pring-3036276/
Audi care plans:
https://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/...O-Brochure.pdf
If it was an off-lease car, then I would be surprised the original Audi dealer did not just fix it up and sell it themselves -- with today's supply chain problems and lack of cars to sell. Therefore I suspect the previous owner decided to get rid of it fast through Carvana because of the axle problem. I am not sure why warranty repair was not claimed before that.
Were there signs of curb rash on the wheel? Signs of leaks around the differential?
With the 2016-and-up generation of Q7 (called Mk-II for 2nd generation), there are control arm bushing problems, engine mount problems and water pump failures (both 2.0T and 3.0T). The rear coil springs can break on some cars. Each would be around $1500-2000 to fix. 3.0T can have oil consumption problems nearing 100K miles and the engine may be a goner. The transfer case (aka center differential) can also develope a rumble but can often be resolved with an oil change. You can read up on the threads.
You might want to look into an extended Audi Care Platinum warranty (up to 10-years 120K miles) if you decide to keep the car, but that may only be available as CPO.
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-...ilure-2916483/
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-...miles-3003955/
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-...ition-2863609/
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-...umble-3003251/
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-...pring-3036276/
Audi care plans:
https://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/...O-Brochure.pdf
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 4,565
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From: USA - NM
+1 on wrong forum; still, it's an interesting issue. I once took a car into Ford dealer and while it was in their storage/lockup area, a really big storm came through and literally blew a parts shipping/storage container into the side of the car, pretty much straight-line into the front, right wheel. You could clearly see the damage to the fender sheet metal, but what you couldn't see was the damage from all the kinetic energy transmitted when it hit against the tire/wheel. I went to pick it up from the paint shop and it drove like it had flat tires...it was a Focus SVT, mind you. They ended up replacing the CV axles and a couple other bent parts related to the damage sustained from force of the impact, and the tire developed a couple bulges in sidewall, and was replaced. Weird things happen. Personally, in my youthful inexperience/exuberance, I pulled a handbrake in a '78 VW Scirocco on a rain-slicked road, went into a spin, ran out of room to recover, and stopped rather rapidly with rear wheel kissing a storm drain. That car never drove straight down the road again; bent the frame on it. Transfer of kinetic energy via nature or running into immovable objects can mess things up in a highly localized force vector...and I thought I slept through physics class. 
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Newcomer
Joined: Mar 2022
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Thanks for responding! No sign of curb rash on wheel but I don't know about leaks around differential. We are wondering the same as to why the warranty wasn't utilized - the Carfax report shows one owner and solid maintenance history so the whole thing is odd. Audi is waiting on the part so hoping we'll have the car back soon so we can drive ourselves - it's been a bummer to receive such a lovely vehicle and then hand it off 20 minutes later! Again, thanks for your reply.
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