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Comments
You are right and I have decided to take my lumps and not use the cupholder (dealer suggested I place a towel over the MMI) and to NEVER buy an AUDI product again ...
Also to be a vocal advocate on how lousy AUDI products and customer service is to friends and relatives ... which may seem like pissing in the Atlantic BUT you would be surprised how influential word of mouth (word of web) is on high proice item purchase decision ....
On the McDonald's anaology 1 flaw... Mc DOnald's fixed the problem so it would not recur VS. just to stop selling coffee ... AUDI's solution is stop using the product as designed.....
Why cant they just seal the UNIT - especially given they could have done it while they replaced the unit .. even better yet tell their supplier to seal the next version...
You guys provide a great service here and I wish I had used it before I made the $60K mistake .... I know one of the posters said "Why would audi waste their time reading your posts" I think any good marketer knows voice of the customer ( this is known as opposite of arrogance) is key to success so scanning your posts would be a great & CHEAP source of market intell....
THX!
:lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
:lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
We live in a litigious society where people are always looking to send blame somewhere else.
The reason why they put the MMI where it is, is it's the most ergonomic place, and least distracting for the driver.
You can buy a car that has great cup holders, the only problem is then you'd be driving a Lexus, and that's about all they are good for.
My only complaint is that there is not enough space for my crap in the armrest or the glovebox...
All this fuss reminds me of how 60 Minutes did that documentary on Audi's back in the 80's when people were saying the car accelerated by itself...and it turned out to be women under 5'4 who mistook the gas for the brake.
I disagree about the Lexus though, if you want cup holders, buy a Ford Flex, you can get a fridge in it too :shades: ....
Maybe we can all AGREE on 1 thing
the tilted forward cupholder above the unsealed MMI is a poor design.
Assume we all agree on that AUDI should just admit the flaw and fix it ! Just take a smart engineer assign it to her/him for a few days and PRESTO !!
Why is that such an unreasonable request ?
:lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
the tilted forward cupholder above the unsealed MMI is a poor design.
I think we'll just have to agree to disagree again. The cupholder is not tilted forward (but is, of course, above the MMI). Here is a picture from my Q7. The armrest may be tilted forward, but the cupholder remains pretty much level.
edit: the original picture was too big for this site so I reduce it.
The full sized pic can be viewed here in case you're interested
from EDMONDS customer reviews AUDI 2007 Q7...
Wish I would've done my homework
Written by: schwartzps on 10/29/2008
Detailed Ratings
Overall Rating
Performance: 6 Fun-to-Drive: 8 Build Quality: 4
Comfort: 6 Interior Design: 3 Reliability: 4
Fuel Economy: 4 Exterior Design: 8
Vehicle
2007 Audi Q7 4.2 quattro 4dr SUV AWD (4.2L 8cyl 6A)
Review
Like many of you I fell in love with the Q7. I've had it a year here's my issues: electrical system went out (brains of the car), fuel gage failed, 3 tire flat tires within 1 year. Also had the same problem as someone earlier as a very small amount of liquid spilled next to the drink cups. It shorted my system to the tune of $1,000. Love the car and hate the car at the same time.
Favorite Features
Overall look, sunfroof, navigation system, heated seats
Suggested Improvements
Seal off electrical by the cup holders. Allow room to remove items that fall between the front seats (black hole)
Take a 20 oz cup of coffee, put it in ANY cupholder on any new car, and then pour it out on whatever is underneath the cupholder.
I bet you'll cause *serious* mayhem in 90% of the cars.
Modern cars are all about design compromise. The content is complex, the electronics mind-boggling (way more than the 1969 lunar lander, well over 70 microprocessors) but fuel efficiency requires ZERO wasted space and no extra weight.
Things will just collide on a modern car, somewhere. If not your misfortune, other car owners will suffer similar misfortunes. You cannot totally mishap-proof a car or a house, can't be done.
Best you can hope for is that your complaint will result in a design change someday (maybe).
WOW you took a picture!!!!!
u prove the soda can is level in the cupholder BUT the CUPHOLDER is SLANTED (a.k.a. not level ) toward the UNSEALED MMI SYSTEM...
what happens with a L or XL Dunkin Donuts Coffee cup is it can easily spill because the cupholder is TILTED ...
So back to my point.. Can we all agree with STEVE on potential design flaw
the tilted forward cupholder above the unsealed MMI is a poor design.(even if a coke can is level - LMAO )
we should all plan a tailgate party so we can discuss in person .. Hamilton can you invite the lady that spilled the beer too...
LMAO
WOW you took a picture!!!!!
u prove the soda can is level in the cupholder BUT the CUPHOLDER is SLANTED (a.k.a. not level ) toward the UNSEALED MMI SYSTEM...
what happens with a L or XL Dunkin Donuts Coffee cup is it can easily spill because the cupholder is TILTED ...
Like I said, I think that we'll have to agree to disagree again. However, I don't know you from a hole in the wall, so I won't really take umbrage over the fact that you are challenging my integrity and claiming that I am or have doctored the picture. Here's an idea. PROVE me wrong. Show me that the cupholder is really tilted forward towards the MMI.
As for the X or XL Dunkin Donuts cup? I've had them in there too. Yes, they're taller and pose a greater risk at tipping, the circumference also increases (e.g. cone shaped) so it is actually held in more securely than the Coke can.
So back to my point.. Can we all agree with STEVE on potential design flaw
the tilted forward cupholder above the unsealed MMI is a poor design.(even if a coke can is level - LMAO )
Um. No, we can't all agree, because I have already should evidence contrary to your opinion.
--------
As an aside...I think it speaks volumes that the most talked about issue on the "Audi Q7 Maintenance and Repair" forum is the design of the cupholder (whether that is due to a lack of readership or a lack of actual/real problems). I remember when we had our Touareg and the boards were filled with complaints left and right.
Anyway, I'm sure kerryjth will bring us back to our regularly schedule programming... :P
I checked with BMW and Mercedes and they BOTH seal their interior electronics from liquids i.e. typical spills Why can't AUDI ?
AUDI need to step up and admit the flaw and fix it ... their arrogance is unbelievable!
:lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
WOW ! AUDI ARROGANCE GROWS ! (did not think possible !)
They are the BEST !!!
:lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
Disappointed
Written by: Stephanie on 09/05/2008
Detailed Ratings
Overall Rating
Performance: 8 Fun-to-Drive: 8 Build Quality: 7
Comfort: 7 Interior Design: 3 Reliability: 5
Fuel Economy: 5 Exterior Design: 8
Vehicle
2008 Audi Q7 3.6 quattro 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
Review
My husband purchased this car for me and traded in our A4 cab for it. I loved it at first. Then a month into ownership, the trunk latch broke. It wouldn't close all the way so I had to drive the hour away to the nearest dealership (twice) to get it fixed. 2 weeks ago, my MMI system stopped working and it was stuck to only play CDs. I took it in today and was told you're out of luck because you spilled something on it. Had I known this was such a common problem, I wouldn't have bought this car. Now I have to shell out the money out of pocket to replace the MMI system. After reading a bunch of reviews, it seems to be an extremely common problem.
Favorite Features
Suggested Improvements
Wish I would've done my homework
Written by: schwartzps on 10/29/2008
Detailed Ratings
Overall Rating
Performance: 6 Fun-to-Drive: 8 Build Quality: 4
Comfort: 6 Interior Design: 3 Reliability: 4
Fuel Economy: 4 Exterior Design: 8
Vehicle
2007 Audi Q7 4.2 quattro 4dr SUV AWD (4.2L 8cyl 6A)
Review
Like many of you I fell in love with the Q7. I've had it a year here's my issues: electrical system went out (brains of the car), fuel gage failed, 3 tire flat tires within 1 year. Also had the same problem as someone earlier as a very small amount of liquid spilled next to the drink cups. It shorted my system to the tune of $1,000. Love the car and hate the car at the same time.
Favorite Features
Overall look, sunfroof, navigation system, heated seats
Suggested Improvements
Seal off electrical by the cup holders. Allow room to remove items that fall between the front seats (black hole)
Here's a shot of the console from the German Audi website (link).
Audi should move the cupholder, not seal the electronics.....and honestly, I don't know what "seal the electronics" could possibly mean. Electronics need air circulation or they overheat--you can't put them in a Ziploc.
The cupholder is in a bad place, right behind the gearshift.
I have a suggestion. Put a flower pot or something in the cupholder and get an aftermarket holder for the upper console area, AHEAD of the gearshift.
It simply means to place a barrier between a possible spill and the electronics and it's a trivial matter to accomplish. Even if overheating were a potential problem, you simply create vent holes at the sides and/or bottom of the housing containing the electronics. I don't think the OP was suggesting that the electroncs be embedded in resin or polystyrene which, of course, could create its own problems.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
But maybe you're right, I dunno.
Porsche had this problem with computers under the driver's seat. They didn't seal them, they moved them. But it took a few years to do that.
Just take a look at the housing of the computer you're using right now. It has vent holes all over and it's filled to the brim with electronics!
Drainholes are another matter entirely but underwater cameras are sealed pretty well.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
I'm thinking gimbal hanging from the headliner :-)
Seriously, get one of those Wizard things from Wal-Mart that clip into the door between the door panel and the glass. That way you'll just burn your lap if you spill your Starbucks.
like this!
And to Kerry- once again- why do you argue the cupholder is tilted? Did you not see the PROOF the cupholder is completely level? Do you think mml7 has the can tilted? Look at your cupholder again. The bottom is flat, not tilted. The ARMREST is sloped to make it more comfortable for yor elbow. It's irrelavent anyway as if you slam the brakes, hit a huge pothole or have an accident, the cup is coming out no matter what the slant of the cupholder is. Can liquid spill on the controls, yes. Could this happen in other cars? Yes. There is no way to "seal" electronics from coke/coffee spilling as it is most certainly going to gum up the bottons/switches not matter how you make them. I simply do not believe BMW/MB electronics(in the same location) are impervious to coke/coffee spills. As others have said here and on the Audiworld forums, you can rinse the MMI with water or use electronics cleaner to clean out debris from spills and this has worked well for others.
Separately I had to replace the mirror glass on my Q7 because the mirror got caught on the garage door frame. It cost $450 just for the part and I installed it. It wasn't much fun to pay for something with a car under bumper to bumper but we broke the mirror. Now someone else has hit the same mirror in a parking lot and the housing is loose.
I don't think anyone here has disagreed with you that placement of the the armrest cup holders with relation to the MMI is a particular good one. If you had stopped to take a breath and actually read/comprehended people's posts, I think you would have seen that.
What I am and have repeated pointed out is that you want to blame Audi for everything and that you don't accept responsibility for your actions. As I stated 8+ months ago...how is it Audi's fault that you knocked over and spilled liquid not once, but twice on the MMI and shorted it out? Again, following your logic, I should blame Apple if I spill coffee on my Macbook and short out the motherboard?
About 4 months ago, I back into a post in my Q7 because I was in a hurry and didn't pay as much attention as I should have. Fortunately, no one was injured but do I blame Audi that the D-pillar creates a large blind spot especially with the 3rd row head rests up? Do I blame Audi that the rear parking sensors take a split second to engage and provide warning? NO It was my fault. I took my lumps, paid my insurance deductible and will be dealing with the fact that my carelessness will lighten my wallet over the next 5 years with my insurance premium increases.
Now back to the HOST "REALISM" ...... I start to shop for new SUV... BMW or Lexus or Acura ? thoughts ??
Anything but an Audi. Lexus gets raves over customer service, go seek them out first.
peace,
mike
And good to hear that we can all move on to other issues in here now.
Let me move on to the problems with thei AUDI ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.....
:lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
The 1st week I had the car the windows stopped working. An electrical problem... so I bought it and they took 2 days to fix it ...
then 6 months later the electrical tailgate stopped working .,,, took them 2 days and they claim it was fixed....
then the problem intermittently appears but when i bring it in to dealer they can not recreate.. so now I pull up to my Golf Club and they all cannot understand why a $60K SUV has with a tailgate that stops half way up ...
Also the car battery would drain every once in a while especially if I had my GPS or Valentine plugged into the cigarette lighter. So I stopped keepin them plugged in and when I took it to the dealer he could not re-create it and siad I should not have to unplug the deices. so he thought i may have left the interior light on - which I know I did not.
so once again I just deal with it ....
then after my 25000 miles service i get car home and every week I have to have it jump started.... and the tailgate stops working ....
I bring it in and they can not re-create the DEAD BATTERY but say it is software
They make a softwar update ...
1 week later I have to call for a jumpstart...
Now I have to take it back into dealer who really is trying to fix it ( but this is a major pain )
BUT how do you recreate a dead battery or tailgate problem ??
Anyway has anyone else had a problem like this ? Any solutions I can share with my dealer.
Maybe I just have a :lemon:
I have had the battery die mid-June, mid-September and early November. Parts were replaced each time (satelitte radio receiver, battery and battery manager and rear passenger door handle which did not allow car to go into "sleep mode"). I don't know if it is fixed permanently yet. I need to go over my records but wonder if these problems are related to an update for the rear hatch software that was applied in May. I find it strange that a car would start having electrical problems at 15 months after exhibiting none prior to that.
I used roadside assistance for the jump and have quickly followed with an appointment at the dealer. It has been a hassle but I have been treated fairly.
:lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
Was very curious if your problem ever got resolved?
See I don't mindlesslessly follow the leader and say Audi's have no faults - do it?
Thanks for any input you may have !
They quoted me $840 to replace the front brakes and rotors.
I said, "there's no way the rotors have worn out after 14K miles!"
and they said that's the only way to get rid of the noise i've been getting.
I'd like to know what the first guy said to get reimbursed as well.
I rode with a friend who got the 09 Q7 and I thought it was an awesome layout interior-wise, but couldn't help but notice the seats are really uncomfortable. Does anyone else find them to be ridiculously hard after owning/riding in something else? Do they "wear" in a bit after use? I liked the car alot for her b/c it was more like a wagon than a truck but after riding in it, compared to the ML, don't think I could last from here in NJ up to VT to ski. It just sort of irked me. Perhaps they have some sort of premium seating option they did not get? I of course did not mention it to friend as we were driving...I used to have an X5 and that was okay comfort wise, but maybe we'll stick with the GL for now. Just curious about others thoughts on the seating and if there are options that make it worthwhile? Thanks
The issue I had with my Q7 is that the interior electronics (MMI) are not sealed and if you spill even a little water on them which is easy to do with the poor design of a cup holder directly above and tilted towards the unsealed MMI electronics....
Once the MMI is shorted-out AUDI claims no responsibility and charge you $1000 to replace maybe $100 in electronics.
Audi is very polite BUT arrogant... So they politely tell u to go pound salt
I love how the card drives BUT AUDI has horrible customer service and if I were you I would stay with MB or look at BMW..
GOOD LUCK !!!!!!
We have found that little things are constantly going wrong with our Q7 and service has gotten poorer over the years (our 3rd Audi).
Best of all the SUVs we tried on snow (important in Alaska).
Hesitate to bring it up because it was a heated argument before but the center cup holders are horribly placed for us. I will just say that we are not capable of not spilling drinks placed there with kids and a dog. Can't use the cup holders or it costs us a grand every time we have a spill. The BMW is much better designed for this and it is not a problem for the GL. We will probably turn it in for the GL.
I HAVE A 2008 Q7(SINCE 6 MONTHS) . THE MMI COMPLETELY TURNED OFF.
DEALER TOLD ME ITS NOT COVERED BECAUSE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A SPILL. THEY ASKED FOR $885 + TAX.
THE MANAGER AGREED TO GIVE ME 50% OFF THE PART.
I CALLED A SECOND DEALER AND THE FIRST THING THEY ASKED ,AFTER I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE MMI , "DID YOU SPILL ANYTHING ON IT?"
I CALLED AUDI CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY TOLD ME THEY CAN ONLY HONOR THE 50% OFF AND NOTHING ELSE.
I TOLD THEM ITS A DESIGN FLAW .
IT SEAMS LIKE ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. BUT THEY DIDNT CARE.
I AGREE WITH YOU COMPLETELY THAT AUDI DOES HAVE HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY DONT STAND BEHIND THERE PROBLEMS.
HOW DID YOU GET THEM TO PAY YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME THE MMI BROKE DOWN?
THANKS
My advice... get rid of the audi and buy a BMW or MB or Japanese...
My lease expires in 4Q and I plan to buy a BMW ...
AUDI customer service is a DISASTER !!!
I am their worst nightmare since whenever anyone asks about my Q7 I tell them the truth and all they have decided not to buy an AUDI ...
AUDI Americas HQ really are clueless if they think they can screw with their own customers!!!
GOOD LUCK !! :lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
Only 6 months left on the lease, but they would clearly have charged for these items if I returned the car this way. Plus there's the safety issue. Cost me $1K, but had to be done.
BTW, I replaced the Continental tires with Goodyear Eagle LS. Ride seems smoother and quieter than before (though the old tires were nearly bald), traction seems good. Half the price of the Conti's.
FWIW, my Volvo XC90 went through brakes and tires faster than I was used to. Guess we should expect this with heavy SUVs.
I was amazed to find it was a plastic cover!
do you know if this cover is standard issue or a part of an accessory package?
do you know what it it called?
any idea of the cost? will wiper work without this cover on it?
looked for a recall on the part- but did not find anything
thanks
We have a 2007 A3 which has the extended maintainence package - but so far brakes have not been an issue on that car. This is a nasty surprise.
If you have not taken delivery, I would cancel the purchase, and go back to a BMW, or switch to a Lexus, Acura, or Infiniti. They may not offer the maintenance plans, but you end up paying more with the Audi care items that are NOT covered, than you do on regular maintenance on the Japanese cars.