Audi Q8 Door Lock System Failure Leaves Owner Stranded

Having moderate experience with hybrid vehicles, I faced an almost identical issue with my 2020 Audi Q7 Hybrid last winter. The security system completely failed, making both the key fob and door locking mechanism unresponsive. After some troubleshooting, my workshop found the root cause was a faulty cable connection to the central locking unit. The repair involved accessing and replacing several damaged wire connections in the door locks system. The entire process took about 2 hours, costing 95 Euro for the repair including labor. The symptoms were exactly as you describe, complete failure of the central locking system and error messages on the dashboard. Its quite common for these sophisticated car locks to have connection issues due to the complex wiring systems in hybrid models. To provide more specific guidance about your Q8, could you share: Are all doors affected or just specific ones? Did the issue start suddenly or develop gradually? Does the manual key still work in the driver door? Which specific error messages are you seeing? This would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced with my Q7 or if its potentially a different problem within the locking mechanism.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Q7. My Q8 has 36619 KM and last service was done 2 months ago. The issue affects all doors simultaneously and started suddenly after leaving the car parked overnight. The manual key still works in the driver door but the keyless entry system is completely dead. The error message shows Central Locking System Malfunction on the dashboard display. After checking the fuse box myself, all fuses related to the central locking appear intact. I am wondering if this could be a control module issue rather than just wiring, given how the entire system failed at once rather than individual doors having problems. Since the security system is completely unresponsive, I would appreciate knowing if I should have the car towed to avoid any potential electrical system damage while driving.

Thanks for the additional details about your Q8. Based on what you described, your symptoms are nearly identical to what I experienced, especially the sudden complete failure affecting all doors simultaneously. In my case, driving the car itself was safe as the central locking and car alarm systems operate on a separate circuit from critical driving functions. However, since your keyless entry system is completely unresponsive, its worth having a diagnostic scan done quickly to protect the broader security system. When my Q7 had this issue, the complete system failure pointed to a central control module problem rather than individual door lock failures. The workshop found corrosion in the main control unit connections, which caused the entire locking mechanism to stop responding. The repair involved: Full diagnostic scan, Removal and inspection of the central locking control module, Cleaning of corroded connections, Module reset and recoding Total repair cost was around 280 Euro including parts and labor. The system has worked flawlessly since then. Given the similarity of our issues and the fact all doors failed simultaneously, I strongly suspect your Q8 has the same control module problem. I would recommend having it diagnosed soon, but towing isnt necessary unless you notice other electrical issues developing.

All doors failing at once definitely points toward a central system issue rather than individual door problems. The sudden failure matches exactly what the others experienced with their vehicle. Speaking of overnight failure, the car was serviced 2 months ago and I wonder if any work was done near the central locking control module or fuse box at that time. While I already checked the fuses, there could be a loose connection from that service that finally gave out. The good news is that the manual key still works in the driver door, which means the locking mechanism itself is likely fine. This reinforces that its probably an electrical or control module issue rather than mechanical failure of the locks themselves. Based on their experience with repair costs around 280 Euro and similar symptoms, I feel more confident taking it to the shop without a tow, since they confirmed the car alarm and central locking problems shouldnt affect critical systems. I will get that diagnostic scan done ASAP to protect the security system from further issues. I appreciate them sharing their detailed repair experience, its helpful knowing what to expect both in terms of the likely cause and potential repair process. Will update once I get the diagnosis back from the shop.