Audi Q5 problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 8 model years (2018–2025), NHTSA has logged 553 owner complaints and 19 safety recalls for the Audi Q5. That averages 14.1 complaints per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (index 0.33 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Luxury SUVs segment it ranks #6 of 9 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 15.1.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
Across eight model years from 2018 to 2025, the Audi Q5 has recorded 553 owner complaints and 19 safety recalls, averaging 14.1 complaints per year which is far fewer than typical vehicles with an index of 0.33. While the overall trend remains flat, model years 2018 and 2025 run at least 50% above the model's own average and should be researched most carefully, whereas 2019 and 2020 sit well below it. The most common problem area is Electrical, accounting for 28.2% of complaints including recurring terms like "malfunction" and "water," which are 1.8 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Owners have reported 33 injuries and 0 deaths with 38 complaints describing a crash or fire, and the complaint pace is rising with 152 filed in the last 12 months versus 84 previously.
Summary drafted by an AI model running on our own server from the figures on this page, and checked number by number against the data before publishing. The statistics and the analysis above come from our fixed methodology, not from the model.The trend is flat. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models are within 17% of the 2018 and 2019 models (24 early complaints per model year versus 23).
The 2025 model year has the highest rate (25.1 complaints per year) and the 2020 model year the lowest (5.4). Model years 2018 and 2025 run at least 50% above the model's own average — the ones to research most carefully. Model years 2019 and 2020 sit well below the model's average.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Electrical (28.2% of complaints), followed by Engine (18.1%) and Driver-assist systems (9.0%). Electrical complaints are 1.8 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Recurring terms in owner reports: “malfunction”, “water”, “gateway”, “module” and “pre-sense”. 38 complaints (6.9%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 33 injuries and 0 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 152 complaints versus 84 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising. The 2025 model year generated the most recent reports (40). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 34 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 19 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2019 (4), 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 1 NHTSA defect investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Audi Q7, Lexus NX, Lexus RX and Mercedes-Benz GLE; BMW X3, BMW X5 and Acura MDX have more.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Complaints in first 2 years on the road | vs. same-year average | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Years to research carefully | 201 | 23.2 | 0.55 | 36 | 0.4 | 26 | 6 ⚠ | Electrical | View › |
| 2019 | 50 | 6.5 | 0.15 | 11 | 0.14 | 13 | 5 | Electrical | View › |
| 2020 Fewest complaints | 36 | 5.4 | 0.13 | 5 | 0.09 | 6 | 6 | Electrical | View › |
| 2021 | 99 | 17.5 | 0.42 | 42 | 0.69 | 24 | 8 | Electrical | View › |
| 2022 | 46 | 9.8 | 0.23 | 26 | 0.35 | 9 | 4 | Electrical | View › |
| 2023 | 45 | 12.2 | 0.29 | 24 | 0.29 | 15 | 5 | Electrical | View › |
| 2024 | 34 | 12.7 | 0.3 | 24 | 0.34 | 19 | 4 | Driver-assist systems | View › |
| 2025 Years to research carefully | 42 | 25.1 | 0.6 | — | — | 40 | 1 | Electrical | View › |
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 152 · Previous 12 months: 84 Rising
Problem areas
Driver-assist systems ›
50 · 9.0% · 1.58 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- pre-sense10
- lane20
- pre sense6
- system27
Interior & equipment ›
46 · 8.3% · 0.93 vs. all vehicles · Steady
- sunroof9
- exploded8
- otherwise glass3
- gateway control3
Wheels, tires & suspension ›
45 · 8.1% · 3.26 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- spring15
- coil14
- rear28
- tire17
Brakes
35 · 6.3% · 1.04 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- brake21
- pre-sense5
- braking12
- accelerated7
Transmission / powertrain
33 · 6.0% · 0.51 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- transmission malfunction5
- gateway5
- technical7
- bulletin6
Airbags & seat belts
25 · 4.5% · 1.18 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- seat17
- passenger15
- belt8
- stationary5
Body & structure
23 · 4.2% · 0.45 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- sunroof7
- shattered glass3
- object4
- panoramic3
Steering
13 · 2.4% · 0.36 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- steering malfunction5
- power steering8
- steering rack4
- abrupt3
Other
11 · 2.0% · 1.1 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- accelerated4
- air4
- loose3
- bags3
Fuel system
10 · 1.8% · 0.42 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- gas6
- tank3
- causing5
- fuel3
Lighting
6 · 1.1% · 0.69 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Common terms in reports
- malfunction108
- water79
- gateway35
- module81
- pre-sense24
- rear116
- system163
- pre sense18
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 34 months
What owners report
Mileage at time of incident: Approximately 4,000 miles Date of incident: XXX Location: [XXX] Incident description: My vehicle was in neutral while going through an automatic car wash, as instructed.
I purchased the car in October, 2023. The problem first happened in October, 2025 and not happened just once. The vehicle breaks unnecessarily and violently without any warning.
Severe consequential safety defect involving total anti-lock braking system (ABS) failure stemming from a manufacturer recall defect and volatile CAN-bus network conditions during repair.
Description of Incident and Safety Defect:Failed Component & Inspection Availability: The gateway control module, located in an unsealed floor compartment under the rear seat, failed due to liquid/moisture intrusion.
VIN number: [XXX]. Audi Q5 Prestige 2021 Mileage 48,540 I have contacted Audi Corporate regarding a catastrophic Transmission Failure while driving.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Luxury SUVs
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Audi Q7 | 349 | 7.3 | 0.17 | Improving | Steady | 20 | Engine |
| 2 | Lexus NX | 123 | 8.0 | 0.19 | Worsening | Steady | 7 | Electrical |
| 3 | Lexus RX | 303 | 11.3 | 0.27 | Worsening | Steady | 8 | Airbags & seat belts |
| 4 | Mercedes-Benz GLE | 476 | 12.8 | 0.3 | Worsening | Steady | 2 | Engine |
| 5 | Mercedes-Benz GLC | 510 | 13.9 | 0.33 | Worsening | Steady | 3 | Engine |
| 6 | Audi Q5 | 553 | 14.1 | 0.33 | Stable | Rising | 19 | Electrical |
| 7 | BMW X3 | 606 | 14.6 | 0.35 | Improving | Rising | 41 | Electrical |
| 8 | BMW X5 | 768 | 22.4 | 0.53 | Worsening | Steady | 42 | Electrical |
| 9 | Acura MDX | 923 | 27.9 | 0.66 | Stable | Rising | 16 | Engine |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 19
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 1
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (6) · 2019 (5) · 2020 (6) · 2021 (8) · 2022 (4) · 2023 (5) · 2024 (4) · 2025 (1)
Investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
Frequently asked questions
Which Audi Q5 model year has the most complaints?
The 2025 model year has the highest rate (25.1 complaints per year) and the 2020 model year the lowest (5.4).
Is the Audi Q5 getting better or worse?
The trend is flat. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models are within 17% of the 2018 and 2019 models (24 early complaints per model year versus 23). In the last 12 months owners filed 152 complaints versus 84 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising.
What are the most common Audi Q5 problems?
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Electrical (28.2% of complaints), followed by Engine (18.1%) and Driver-assist systems (9.0%). Recurring terms in owner reports: “malfunction”, “water”, “gateway”, “module” and “pre-sense”.
How does the Audi Q5 compare with other Luxury SUVs?
Within the Luxury SUVs segment it ranks #6 of 9 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 15.1. Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Audi Q7, Lexus NX, Lexus RX and Mercedes-Benz GLE; BMW X3, BMW X5 and Acura MDX have more.
Does the Audi Q5 have recalls or open investigations?
Recalls: 19 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2019 (4), 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 1 NHTSA defect investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).