Audi is recalling 3,674 Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron electric SUVs from the 2024-2025 model-years in Canada due to a high-voltage battery defect that increases the risk of thermal propagation and potential fires. The Canadian safety campaign forms part of a broader North American recall that affects over 9,000 additional units in the United States. Grand total, 12,722 Q4 e-trons are being recalled.
The problem
Certain high-voltage battery modules, supplied by Hungary-based SK Battery Manufacturing Kft, may contain manufacturing deviations that prevent them from meeting quality standards. Under specific conditions, thermal propagation can occur when the battery is charged above 80 percent, potentially triggering a fire even while the vehicle is parked and turned off.
Audi noted that the defect may develop without prior warning. Investigations began in September 2026 following reports of battery thermal events across parent company Volkswagen Group, which recently issued a similar battery-related recall for its ID.4 crossover.
Audi confirmed it is not aware of any crashes, injuries, or fires tied to affected Q4 e-tron models.
Don’t charge above 80 percent
As a precautionary interim measure while engineers finalize a permanent fix, Audi advises owners to limit high-voltage battery charging to 80 percent using the vehicle’s central display menu. Unlike Volkswagen’s broader mandate, Audi specifies that this charging restriction and diagnostic check at dealerships apply primarily to vehicles with missing or abnormal battery data.
The solution
As mentioned, there isn’t a final fix in place yet. Affected Canadian owners will receive notification letters by mail or can verify their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on Audi Canada’s recall portal.
Slumping Canadian Market Performance
The recall is the latest headache pressuring the temples of the Q4 e-tron in North America. The model suffered a 75-percent drop in Canadian sales last year, followed by an additional 68-percent decline during the first half of 2026. That has been accompanied by an ongoing class-action lawsuit in Quebec regarding technical reliability.