Selling a dead or junk Audi e-tron
The electrical system is the biggest part of the Audi e-tron's complaint file at NHTSA, and nearly half of the file sits on the first year. Owners filed 176 complaints on the 2019-2023 e-tron as of October 10, 2026. Eighty name the electrical system, and 81 are on the 2019. Six complaints report a fire.
- Model years
- 2019-2023, no longer sold
- Complaints to NHTSA
- 176
- Year with the most complaints
- 2019 (81)
- Component named most
- Electrical system (80)
- Recall campaigns
- 14
- Powertrain
- Battery electric
An electric SUV with a battery or brake problem can be worth less than the repair. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, EVs included. You sell the whole car as it sits, with free pickup anywhere in the US.
The battery recalls
The e-tron was Audi's electric SUV from 2019 to 2023, with the Sportback body added to EPA's listings. Two recalls go to the high-voltage battery itself:
- 19V434 (2019): moisture could get into the battery system through a faulty seal on the charging socket. Dealers install a new seal and replace affected parts. 1,646 e-trons.
- 23V867 (2019-2022): certain battery modules may overheat. Dealers install software that watches module performance and replace modules where needed. The 26,866 vehicles are e-tron and e-tron Sportback models only.
A third, 23V842, steers owners away from the 220V/240V portable charger; Audi's advice is the 110-volt home cord or a public charger. That campaign's 93,196 vehicles cover several electric and plug-in Audis.
The brake recalls
Four campaigns deal with the brake system, and the 2022 has 7 brake complaints on its own:
- 21V569 (2020-2021): a badly welded rotor and shaft may separate inside the integrated brake system. Dealers replace the brake booster. 498 vehicles.
- 21V707 (2021): corrosion in the brake booster can affect anti-lock brakes and stability control. 38 vehicles.
- 24V621 (2019): the fastener between the brake pedal and the booster may have been put together wrong. 1,453 vehicles.
- 26V240 (2020-2023): dealers check and tighten the brake pushrod screw joint. Its 18,853 vehicles include the Q8 e-tron and SQ8 e-tron, not only this model.
By year group
2019: 81 complaints, 32 of them electrical. It also has the most fire reports (3) and crash reports (4) of any year.
2020-2021: 45 complaints, with 4 on the 2020 and 41 on the 2021. Ten recall campaigns name the 2021 e-tron, more than any other year. Several are shared across many Audis, such as middle rear seat belts (21V606) and rearview camera software. One is small and specific: 21V595 secures a glove box hinge pin on 58 cars.
2022-2023: 50 complaints, 45 of them on the 2022. Electrical leads with 21, then service brakes with 7. The 2023 has 5. Those last e-trons are the youngest, so owners have had the least time to report.
e-tron complaints and recalls, year by year
Complaints logged with NHTSA through October 10, 2026, by e-tron model year; a recall counts under each year it names.
| Year | Complaints | Fires reported | Crashes | Recall campaigns | Top component |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 81 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Electrical system (32) |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Electrical system (3) |
| 2021 | 41 | 1 | 0 | 10 | Electrical system (23) |
| 2022 | 45 | 2 | 1 | 6 | Electrical system (21) |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | Three components, 1 each |
Before you decide
- Run the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup. If 23V867 is open on your car, ask a dealer what it covers before paying for battery work.
- Battery warnings or no charge? Our EV battery guide explains how to weigh a repair against selling.
- Brake warnings? See bad or seized brakes, and check the four brake recalls above.
Selling your e-tron whole
- Have the VIN, the mileage and the warning messages ready. Say whether it's an e-tron or e-tron Sportback.
- Get an offer online or call (877) 421-6008.
- Say where the e-tron is sitting and whether it can roll. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
- Include the e-tron's charging cord if it's still around, and leave the parts on.
- The driver takes your e-tron title and checks your ID, and before that day, go through wipe your data.
Questions people ask
- Is there a battery recall on the Audi e-tron?
- Two. Campaign 23V867 covers 2019-2022 e-tron and 2020-2022 e-tron Sportback models whose battery modules may overheat; dealers add monitoring software and replace modules where needed. Campaign 19V434 covered 2019 cars where moisture could get into the battery through a faulty charging socket seal. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Which e-tron year has the most complaints?
- The 2019 e-tron leads with 81 of the 176 complaints at NHTSA on October 10, 2026. The 2022 follows with 45, then the 2021 with 41. The 2023 shows 5, though the last e-trons have had far fewer years for owners to file.
- Will you buy an e-tron with a dead battery?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, electric ones included, and pickup is free anywhere in the US. Sell the whole car as it sits and tell us what warnings it shows.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.
- NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), Audi e-tron, downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 19V434: battery moisture through charging socket seal, 2019 e-tron nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 23V867: battery modules may overheat, 2019-2022 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 23V842: portable charging cable nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 21V569: integrated brake system, 2020-2021 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 21V707: brake booster corrosion, 2021 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 24V621: brake pedal fastener, 2019 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 26V240: brake pushrod joint, 2020-2023 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 21V595: glove box hinge pin, 2021 nhtsa.gov
- EPA fuel economy data (model years and variants) fueleconomy.gov