A week last Tuesday I picked up my new Q7. Thursday of this week I set off on my long journey home to Northern Ireland from London. The traffic was atrocious but the car has the Tour Pack so the ACC and Lane assist were put to the test and passed with flying colours. An absolute joy to drive in very heavy traffic.
As I travelled north on the M6 I got a yellow battery sign and the text 'Electric fault, contact workshop'. I contacted Audi assist via the onboard call system and was told that as nothing else was wrong that I should be ok to continue but obviously dependent of further possible further faults.
Some time later I got the message that there was a fault with the air suspension and then a slew of other fault messages in quick succession and finally gearbox fault and to stop the car. By now it was dark, pouring with rain and windy - the start of storm Eric. I had been overtaking a procession of trucks and they weren't allowing me to pull over but as my speed reduced one of them realised I had a problem (car had gone into neutral) and allowed me to pull in to the hard shoulder..
After coming to a halt the car died with the exception of the hazard warning lights. Absolutely nothing was operable even the SOS or the Audi Assist. A little while later the car came to life and I was able to contact Audi Assist. I was close to Gretna and the closest Audi technicians were Glasgow and Newcastle! Not helpful. I was recovered to the Days Inn at Gretna which Audi assist organised and who paid for the room
The following morning I got the message that I would be taken to Audi Carlisle where the matter would be investigated. Prior to the arrival of the recovery truck out of curiosity I turned the ignition on and surprisingly the display had no faults indicated. I started the car and drove it 50 yards and stopped. Still no faults displayed.
The car was booked in at Audi Carlisle and the investigations began. A faulty alternator is suspected though I am not convinced. I am now back in London in a rental Q7 due to my own car being fully loaded with luggage
Audi Carlisle were great to deal with and Audi assist were very efficient. I am now awaiting contact with an update from Audi Carlisle as by the close of play the fault had not been fully identified/rectified in order that I can finally return home.
So a brand new Audi Q7 with just 600 miles on the clock is sitting in a workshop after being recovered from the hard shoulder of the M6. Not exactly what I expected from a £60K+ car and not a great start to my Audi ownership.