Audi has recalled 2,616 Q5 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUVs from model year 2023 because their high-voltage batteries can overheat, which could trigger a vehicle fire.
Audi believes the problem occurs only in Q5 models built on specific dates and does not affect most of them.
But the company hasn’t been able to explain the problem fully. It tells the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that, analyzing reports of fires, it could not find “one root cause.” However, the supplier changed its production methods in mid-2023, and incidents so far seem limited to batteries built before the change.
Dealers will install “advanced onboard diagnostic software” to prevent the issue from developing. “This software detects potential issues with the performance of the battery modules and alerts the driver before problems may occur,” the company explains.
Some owners have already enrolled in an online data tracking service. For those, Audi says, “If the online data indicates a critical module, the affected modules or high-voltage batteries must be replaced.”
Audi is asking owners not to plug in their PHEVs to charge until their dealers have installed the new software.
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