— Audi e-tron battery recalls have caused a class action lawsuit in Georgia that alleges the vehicles are at risk of battery failures and fires.
The class action lawsuit includes:
"All persons in the state of Georgia who own, owned, lease and/or leased a Class Vehicle as of January 3, 2024 (“Class”).
The Audi class action lawsuit includes these e-tron vehicles.
- 2019-2022 Audi e-tron Quattro
- 2020-2022 Audi e-tron Sportback Quattro
- 2022-2024 Audi RS e-tron GT
- 2022-2024 Audi e-tron GT
Georgia plaintiff Dwight Kelly purchased a 2019 Audi e-tron quattro in August 2020, and although he doesn't claim his battery suffered any problems, he claims his Audi e-tron now has a diminished value, allegedly more so than is typical with a vehicle powered by gasoline.
According to the class action, Audi e-tron battery recalls are not good enough to prevent battery problems and fires.
Audi e-tron battery recalls (here and here) were announced because the high voltage batteries can experience short circuits in the battery modules. But the e-tron owner who sued asserts Audi knew about the battery problems in April 2020.
The recalls were issued because the vehicles could experience smoke or fires from the high voltage batteries.
Audi says the final repair would be “installation of advanced onboard diagnostic software that will detect potential issues related to changes in battery module performance and will warn the driver before problems can develop.” But the software would not be available until the first quarter of 2025.
According to Audi:
"For vehicles where online-data is available, the vehicles can be closely monitored through online data evaluation (customers with enrolled vehicles). Where the online data shows a potentially critical battery module, the customer will be contacted and advised to only charge the vehicle at 80% charging capacity until the affected module can be replaced at an authorized Audi dealer."
The Audi e-tron lawsuit alleges all the vehicles should have their battery modules replaced.
The plaintiff says Audi should provide customers with relief in the form of:
"Injunctive and equitable relief in the form of a comprehensive program to adequately repair or replace the batteries in all Class Vehicles, and/or buyback all Class Vehicles, and to fully reimburse and make whole all members of the Class for all costs and economic losses."
The Audi e-tron battery recall class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (Atlanta Division): Dwight Kelly v. Audi of America, LLC, et al.
The plaintiff is represented by Caplan Cobb LLC, and Gibbs Law Group LLP.