We see thousands of vehicle recalls every year, and many of them are for very serious safety concerns and risks. But the latest from Audi might be the scariest we've seen in a long time. If you've ever found yourself driving a vehicle, even at slow speeds, and suddenly lose the ability to stop it, you'll understand why we say this one is straight-up scary.As you might expect, the recall is for the braking system on some Audi vehicles. The brakes don't fail per se, but drivers in nearly 20,000 cars could very unexpectedly lose the ability to use the brakes, because the pedal may not actually be connected to them. We get chills just thinking about it. Brake Pedal Could Detach On E-Tron Audi The recall affects the Audi e-tron from 2019-2024 and the e-tron Sportback from 2020-2024, with a total of 18,853 vehicles involved. The e-tron models were Audi's first mass-production fully-electric models, with the first unveiled in 2018 and going on sale in the US the following year.According to the recall documents Audi filed with the NHTSA, drivers of these vehicles could be unscrewed. By that, we mean a screw that holds the input rod on the brake pedal to the actuator rod on the brake booster. Audi says that a problem with one screwdriving station at a supplier has left the pedal connection not properly tightened. As a result, the screw linking the brake pedal to the car's brake system can come loose, disconnecting the two parts.Here's where it gets scarier. If the pedal comes loose, it may seem fine at first. It won't just flop onto the floor and call it a day. But when you press the brake pedal, the car won't respond. If the screw is working loose but still holding, Audi says drivers may notice a strange noise when the pedal is released, or it may not release to its full position. Those are the only warning signs mentioned prior to failure.If the brake pedal is disconnected, you're going to have trouble stopping. Fortunately, the e-tron is an EV with strong regenerative braking systems, which can help slow the vehicle. But it can't bring it to a complete halt. To stop, Audi says, you'll need to use the emergency brake.Because these vehicles have electric emergency brake systems, which are common these days on gas and electric cars, you'll need to hold the button for the emergency brake if you want to stop. Audi says to read your owner's manual for details, preferably before a problem occurs. Fix Is An Inspection And Tighten Audi The fix is available now, and as you might expect, it's a simple one. Audi dealers can inspect the screw and torque it to spec. If there is damage to the braking system, the dealer can repair and replace as required.This is not the first time Audi has recalled the e-tron for a potential brake separation. In August 2024, it initiated a recall of 1,453 vehicles, covering the same models and years, for the same issue. In January 2026, Audi learned of two affected vehicles outside of the scope of that recall. It then decided that it should expand the recall to cover additional vehicles that could have been affected. Who knew tightening screws could be such a hassle?Audi said that it is not aware of any claims for this issue in the US. It also said that it is not aware of any crashes, injuries, or deaths resulting from the problem. We suspect, however, there could be some soiled underpants floating around the Audi community resulting from all this.Letters to owners will go out in mid-June. Customers with affected Audi e-tron models can search for their VIN using Audi's recall portal or the NHTSA database.
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