Why does my Audi Q7 steering wheel creak when I turn?

Short answer: The usual culprit is the steering column bushing where the shaft goes through the floor under the dash. It dries out, and owners quiet it with silicone spray (not WD-40). If it keeps coming back or you feel any looseness, a dealer may modify or replace the intermediate shaft. On 2017-2019 Q7s, also check recall 20V149000 for a loose steering shaft bolt.

Symptom: A creak, squeak or groan from the steering wheel or column as you turn, often after a longer drive or on hot days, coming and going.

What to check first

1. Note whether it only happens after driving a while or when it's hot.
2. Look under the dash at the floor where the shaft passes through.
3. Feel for any play or clunk in the steering, which is not normal.
4. Run your VIN for recall 20V149000 (2017-2019).
5. Ask for a diagnosis before agreeing to a rack replacement.
6. Run your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Likely causes

1. Dry steering column bushing at the floor. The steering shaft passes through the floor under the dash through a bushing (a rubber or plastic collar). When it dries out it creaks as you turn, often after 30-60 minutes of driving or in hot, dry weather. Owners spray silicone on it.
2. Intermediate shaft. The intermediate shaft links the steering column to the steering rack. Dealers quoted a modification or replacement of this shaft when lube wasn't enough.
3. Steering rack, rod or gearbox. In early Q7s, some dealers replaced the steering rod, the whole rack and column, or the steering gear for creaks and squeaks.

What it usually costs

Silicone spray costs a few dollars. One owner paid $645 for diagnosis and was quoted $1,500 for an intermediate shaft modification and up to about $3,000 for shaft and bushing replacement. Another paid $300 for diagnosis.

Is it safe to keep driving?

A dry-bushing creak alone is a noise, not a failure. Any looseness, clunking, steering that binds, or a steering warning light needs a check right away.

DIY or shop?

Spraying the bushing is DIY. Reach it from under the dash at the floor and keep spray off the pedals. Shaft and rack work is for a shop.

Recalls, bulletins and complaints in plain words

• Recalls: Recall 20V149000 covers 2017-2019 Q7s (and 2019 Q8s): the bolt connecting the steering shaft to the steering gear may loosen, which could cause loss of steering control. Recall 16V648000 covered some early 2017 Q7s with a power steering control unit that could short. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If your car is part of a recall, the dealer fixes it for free.
• Plain words: The complaint count below shows how often owners reported problems that mention these words to NHTSA. A count is not proof of a defect.
• NHTSA complaints: 12 keyword-matched complaints for Audi Q7 2017–2024 (of 636 unique complaints queried, NHTSA complaints API by model year, queried 2026-11-02; keywords: creak, squeak, steering noise, noise when turning, steering column, intermediate shaft) (NHTSA returned no data for 2 model-year queries). This counts complaints that mention these words. It is not a defect finding.

What owners report

• In Creaking noise from steering wheel on Reddit r/AudiQ7, a Q7 owner's steering wheel creaked randomly after 30-60 minutes of driving. Another owner said it's the steering column bushing where the shaft goes through the floor under the dash, and spraying silicone on it once a year fixed theirs. Others said it came back less often after spraying. One was quoted $645 for diagnosis and $1,500 for an intermediate shaft modification (up to about $3,000 to replace the shaft and bushing), and a '21 Q7 owner noticed it mostly above 70°F.
• In Creaking Steering Wheel on AudiWorld Forums, in 2019, one Q7 owner's dealer said it had seen the creak a lot and replaced the entire steering rack and column in 3 days. Another dealer tried greasing the steering rod, which worked for a few hours, then replaced the rod. Another owner said their dealer did nothing.
• In Noise from steering wheel on AudiWorld Forums, a new Q7 at 4,200 km made a sound like something needing lubrication when turning. A 2017 owner with the same squeak said the dealer was replacing the steering gear box assembly. A moderator said a plastic collar at the end of the column wears and can be lubricated or replaced, but the sound can come back and depends on temperature.

Quick tip

Try silicone on the bushing before paying for big steering parts, and get any looseness checked.

Vehicle focus: Audi Q7 second generation (4M), 2017-2024.

Safety / mechanic note

Steering problems are a safety issue. Verify with a mechanic.