Audi Q4 e-tron Recall: Battery Fire Risk Affects 9,048 Cars

Audi has announced a safety recall affecting 9,048 Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron vehicles in the United States due to a potential manufacturing defect in their high-voltage batteries that could increase the risk of fire.

The recall, submitted to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on 21 October 2026, is registered under campaign number 26V698000 and covers certain 2024 and 2025 model-year vehicles.

Affected owners are being advised to limit battery charging to 80% until the necessary inspections or repairs have been completed. However, Audi has not yet announced a final remedy for the issue.

What Is Wrong With the Audi Q4 e-tron Battery?

According to Audi's official NHTSA safety recall report, certain high-voltage battery cells may not meet the manufacturer's required production quality standards.

Under particular charging conditions, especially when the battery state of charge exceeds 80%, the affected cells may present an increased risk of thermal propagation.

Thermal propagation occurs when excessive heat generated within one battery cell spreads to neighbouring cells, potentially triggering a chain reaction.

If the process cannot be contained, it may result in a battery fire.

However, Audi emphasises that the precise root cause of the potential defect remains under investigation.

At this stage, the manufacturer has not confirmed whether the problem originates from a specific cell component, manufacturing operation or another production-related issue.

The battery supplier identified in the recall documentation is SK Battery Manufacturing Kft., based in Komárom, Hungary.

The potentially affected high-voltage battery module carries part number 0Z1.915.599.*.

Which Audi Q4 e-tron Models Are Affected?

The recall involves certain 2024 and 2025 model-year Q4 e-tron vehicles sold in the United States.

Audi identified the potentially affected vehicles using battery cell production records, supplier information and vehicle charging data.

This means that not every Q4 e-tron manufactured during the listed production periods necessarily contains a defective battery.

The manufacturer's recall report estimates that 0.1% of vehicles within the recall population may contain the defect.

However, this is an estimated defect percentage supplied by Audi, not an independently established real-world failure rate.

The Problem Was First Identified in Other Volkswagen Group Vehicles

One of the most interesting details concerns how Audi discovered the potential safety issue.

On 21 September 2026, Audi's Product Safety Committee received information about thermal events involving other Volkswagen Group vehicles equipped with the same type of high-voltage battery.

Audi subsequently launched an investigation into the battery specifications, manufacturing records and charging behaviour of its own vehicles.

Between 21 September and 14 October, the company determined that certain Q4 e-tron models contained battery components with characteristics similar to those under investigation elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group.

As a precaution, Audi decided to initiate a safety recall.

Importantly, at the time of its recall decision, Audi reported no known fires, crashes, injuries or fatalities involving Q4 e-tron vehicles that were attributable to this specific defect.

The recall was therefore launched to address a potential safety risk rather than in response to a confirmed Q4 e-tron battery fire.

Source: NHTSA – Audi Safety Recall 26V698, Defect Information and Chronology

Audi Q4 e-tron Owners Advised to Limit Charging to 80%

In its official recall acknowledgement dated 23 October 2026, the NHTSA advises affected owners to limit charging to 80% of battery capacity until the recall remedy is completed.

Audi's detailed technical report also describes a process for evaluating battery information collected from individual vehicles.

Depending on the available data, some vehicles may require additional inspection at an authorised Audi dealership.

Following the battery assessment, a temporary charging restriction may remain necessary or may be lifted according to Audi's instructions.

Owners should therefore follow the specific guidance issued for their vehicle identification number (VIN).

The recall does not currently carry a general "Do Not Drive" or "Park Outside" instruction in Audi's official Part 573 report.

Nevertheless, the potential fire risk should be taken seriously, and affected owners should contact an authorised Audi dealership for further information.

When Will Audi Announce a Permanent Fix?

Audi has not yet announced the final technical remedy for recall 26V698000.

The manufacturer is continuing its investigation into the affected battery cells and the appropriate corrective action.

Initial owner notification letters are scheduled to be mailed on 18 December 2026.

Audi's internal recall campaign number is 93SK.

Owners in the United States can check whether their vehicle is affected using the VIN search function in the NHTSA recall database.

Are Audi Q4 e-tron Vehicles Outside the United States Affected?

The currently documented recall covers 9,048 vehicles in the United States.

As of 26 October 2026, we have not identified a separate official announcement confirming that Q4 e-tron models sold in the United Kingdom, other European markets or Türkiye are included in the same campaign.

However, because the issue concerns specific battery cell production records, model year alone is not sufficient to determine whether a particular vehicle is affected.

Owners outside the United States should contact their national Audi service network and request a VIN-based recall check.

The absence of a US recall listing for an internationally registered vehicle does not necessarily establish that it uses unaffected battery components.

What Does This Recall Mean for Audi Q4 e-tron Reliability?

The 26V698000 recall concerns a potential battery manufacturing defect whose precise cause has not yet been established.

Although Audi has reported no confirmed Q4 e-tron fires associated with this specific issue, the company is taking preventive action because thermal propagation within a high-voltage battery can have serious consequences.

It is also important not to assume that every 2024 or 2025 Audi Q4 e-tron has a defective battery.

The recall applies to a defined population of vehicles, and Audi's final repair procedure remains under development.

For now, owners should check their vehicle's recall status, follow the manufacturer's charging instructions and arrange any required battery inspections through an authorised dealership.

Sources

• NHTSA – Audi Part 573 Safety Recall Report 26V698 (21 October 2026)
• NHTSA – High-Voltage Battery May Catch Fire, Official Recall Acknowledgement (23 October 2026)
• NHTSA – Audi Recall Campaign 26V698000