Audi Q5 Complaints

198 consumer complaints on file.

#11704035December 9, 2025
POWER TRAIN
While driving my 2021 Audi Q5, the vehicle experienced a sudden transmission disengagement without warning. The vehicle behaved as if it had shifted into neutral while in motion. When this occurred, pressing the accelerator produced no response — the engine would not rev and the vehicle would not accelerate. This created a serious safety risk as it occurred during normal driving conditions and could have resulted in a collision. After stopping the vehicle and shifting into Park and then back into Drive, the transmission temporarily re-engaged. The issue reoccurred multiple times. Prior to one of the failures, the vehicle hesitated and bucked when starting from a stop. A warning message later appeared stating: “Transmission malfunction. You may continue to drive but will be unable to reverse.” The vehicle was taken to an authorized Audi dealership. Audi of America approved replacement of the transmission control module (mechatronic unit); however, this repair did not resolve the problem. After repeated failed adaptations and diagnostics, the dealer confirmed that the entire transmission requires replacement, citing internal gear set failure. The dealer documented that: Basic transmission settings and adaptations were attempted at least five times The failure consistently occurs at the same gear position A similar Audi Q5 case required full transmission replacement Audi Technical Assistance Center instructed the dealer to replace the transmission Despite this, Audi of America has refused further assistance due to the vehicle being slightly outside the standard warranty period, even though the mileage is extremely low and the failure is safety-related. This appears to be a defect involving the Audi S-tronic transmission, as similar complaints have been reported by other owners. The sudden loss of propulsion while driving presents a clear safety hazard. Safety Impact Sudden loss of acceleration while driving No throttle response during failure Occurred wit
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701978November 29, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Two weeks after purchase, experienced multiple, random driver assistance failures. After attempting to repair issue once unsuccessfully, The dealership was unable to provide a second service appointment for two and a half months. Was explained all 2025 Audis were having issues, so couldn’t get car in any sooner. Before that second scheduled service appointment and while driving in traffic, the brakes failed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701276November 24, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2025 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speed on three occasions, the contact noticed that there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699332November 14, 2025
ENGINE
Date of Incident: 11/09/2025 • Location: I-30 near Cumby, TX (towed to Audi Fort Worth). Daughter was stranded on busy highway in middle of nowhere. Texas State Police came to her aid and helped w tow truck which cost $650. Engine catastrophically failed at ~50k + miles due to metal shavings throughout oil — Audi Fort Worth made the statement and I have picture of metal shavings. Which is the exact defect in **NHTSA Recall 22V753 / Audi TSB 13i5** (connecting rod bearing damage from factory machining debris). **Symptoms match TSB 13i5 Pages 1, 10–11 (“NOT OK” filter examples)**: - March 2025 oil change at 50,032 miles: **no metal** or at August oil change. Neither Audi corporate or Fort Worth care. Claimed we bought used car and didn’t have oil changed at Audi dealer. This statement violates federal law: - **49 U.S.C. § 30120**: Safety recall remedy free of charge to all owners regardless of purchase history or service location. - **TSB 13i5 Page 1**: Covers **ALL 2021–2023 Q5s** (42,689 units) — **no VIN exclusions**. - **NHTSA 22V753**: Risk of engine failure, loss of motive power, potential fire** — undriveable vehicle
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696618October 30, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The vehicle experiences sudden, uncommanded braking on clear roads due to a malfunction in the Audi Pre Sense system. The system falsely detects obstacles and applies the brakes abruptly, creating a safety hazard for occupants and surrounding traffic. The issue was reported to Audi Beverly Hills multiple times beginning July 2023, including through the dealer's online service request system. However, the dealer repeatedly failed to document braking concern on repair orders until insistent during latest visit. In one visit (August 7, 2023), the dealer reduced the Pre Sense sensitivity without creating a repair order or performing diagnostics. At other times, service advisors stated the vehicle was 'operating normally' or refused to record the concern unless it could be duplicated during a short test drive. On August 25, 2025, the dealer finally documented my complaint as 'car would brake randomly' and performed an SVM reconfiguration, but the issue persists. The vehicle is currently used rarely for safety.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695720October 27, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The vehicle experiences sudden, uncommanded braking on clear roads due to a malfunction in the Audi Pre Sense system. The system falsely detects obstacles and applies the brakes abruptly, creating a safety hazard for occupants and surrounding traffic. The issue was reported to Audi Beverly Hills multiple times beginning July 2025, including through the dealer’s online service request system. However, the dealer repeatedly failed to document the braking concern on repair orders until I insisted during later visits. In one visit (August 7, 2025), the dealer reduced the Pre Sense sensitivity without creating a repair order or performing diagnostics. At other times, service advisors stated the vehicle was “operating normally” or refused to record the concern unless it could be duplicated during a short test drive. On August 25, 2025, the dealer finally documented my complaint as “car would brake randomly” and performed an SVM reconfiguration, but the issue persists. The vehicle is currently used rarely for saftey.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692317October 9, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, STEERING
The Gateway control module failed in September 2025 on my 2021 Audi Q5. Vehicle error messages included the following failures: Cruise control, Parking brake, transmission, brakes, and steering, windows rolled down, seats moved, dash and MMI black followed by a sudden loss of power, narrowly avoiding an accident (kids in car). Would not restart. Diagnosis by Audi dealer was that the Gateway control module got wet and needed to be replaced. This is Recall 90S9 from 2021 that was “repaired” in March 2022 by covering the module with a plastic bag. This proved an insufficient repair backed up by a class action lawsuit filed in January 2022 titled Gioffe, et al. v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., et al. (Case No. 1:22-cv-00193). I reached out to Audi USA to request a Goodwill repair which was my only available recourse given that the recall had been completed and closed. After 5 days the Regional Manager denied my request even after I emphasized the safety risk associated with this catastrophic failure as well as the recall in 2021 and class action suit filed in 2022. I paid $1485.33 to re-repair the recall. Driving home from repair my vehicle alerted me to the following messages: Vehicle starting system: malfunction! Please contact Service, and Audi pre-sense: currently limited. See owner’s manual. An OBD scan alerted 7 more codes: 1. Steering Assistance ID 44 (Terminal 30 Open circuit), 2. Central Electrics ID 09 (Garage door opener transmitter no communication), 3. Gateway ID 19 Control module for emergency call module and communication unit no communication, 4. Ethernet Notrufmodul keine Kommunikation, 5. Ethernet databus branch 1 No communication, 6. Multimedia ID SF Function restriction due to communication interruption, 7. Driver Assistance ID A5 Dynamic calibration Function limitation due to limit value exceedance.I reached out to the dealership that performed the service and was told that those are “ghost codes” and nothing to do with the work performed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690863October 1, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Audi Pre-Sense keeps braking prematurely when there is no car present or in its field of view. The SUV brakes without warning and when trying to make a left turn (happened twice already) or while driving on the highway. When the vehicle brakes without warning there is a chance that another vehicle will drive into the rear of my vehicle or I will lose control due to the unexpected and unwarranted braking action. The problem has been reported and documented my my local Audi dealership repair facility Audi Silver Spring, Maryland. The vehicle has been inspected all three times, they have performed a complete 4 wheel alignment and sensor alignment. They have witnessed and documented the code that the SUV reported, Audi Pre-Sense detected. The dashboard did display Audi Pre-Sense detected all 3 times when the incident occurred. Audi and I both have the documented repair tickets and they are available upon request. Last incident occurred 1400 on 27 September 2025.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690360September 29, 2025
POWER TRAIN
While travelling at highway speeds in the passing lane, a warning appeared “Transmission Malfunction! Safely stop vehicle” at which point the vehicle acceleration suddenly stopped. Fortunately despite the heavy and fast traffic I was able to get to the side of the road, but the vehicle would not move. The deslership noted this was part of technical bulletin 2064312/7 that caused this issue. Fortunately the Ohio Highway patrol came to keep me safe until the tow truck arrived. This is an extremely dangerous flaw that could have led to a serious accident. I urge you to investigate and order a recall for this potentially fatal issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689439September 24, 2025
TIRES
On September 18, 2025, while driving at ~65–70 mph on the Saw Mill Parkway in Mount Kisco, NY, a Michelin Latitude Tour HP tire (235/55R19) suffered a sudden circumferential tread/belt separation. The tread detached completely from the casing while the sidewall remained intact. A small screw was present in the center tread, but there was no TPMS warning or gradual pressure loss prior to the failure. This behavior is inconsistent with ordinary puncture damage and indicates a potential workmanship/materials defect. The separated tread, tire carcass, and wheel are preserved and available for inspection. The tires were installed by the dealer (Audi New Rochelle) on June 12, 2024, as part of Certified Pre-Owned reconditioning before sale. This catastrophic failure posed an immediate risk of serious crash. Tire Size: 235/55R19
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688929September 22, 2025
POWER TRAIN
My car always did a weird shuddering thing when taking turns a certain way. I just thought it was part of how the new vehicle worked. I thought it was strange when I took my car in to repair a front tire, and was told / showed that the back two tire treads were worn down. The new car only had 20,249 miles. But I read somewhere that some new car dealers use lower tread tires to save money, so I did not pursue anything. Then, when someone pointed out that the 'weird shuddering' was not normal, I took it into Audi to have them look at it. Audi did a repair, and said I had to drive it 600 miles to know if it would be resolved. After the 600 miles, the problem continued. I took back, and they said they know what it is but they have to go through certain steps first. They told me this time that the good news was that they would replace with a new center differential, but the bad news was they were not sure how long it would take to get one in. I waited patiently, and then received a call saying it was fixed, (but they did not replace the part). What I did not know at the time was that a message was left 10 minutes earlier saying the part came in and they would be replacing it. After further questioning, the Audi guy said the new 'fix' heats up the fluid better and allows it to work its way through better. He said he was informed moments after he left the VM (where he said they were going to replace it), that the technician told him, and he took it for a drive, and it was 'fixed.' He then told me what he drives, saying his does it too. He said the technical bulletin says i must drive 250 miles (again) and later when I picked it up he said 500 miles. I pointed out my concerns regarding the safety of driving a malfunctioning differential (loss of traction, poor handling, and the potential for complete failure while driving), as well as uneven tire wear. He emphasized that it's fixed and completely safe, even though they did not replace like I was told they would.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688634September 20, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The digital dash screen system continually disconnects from the phone and will not reconnect. It disconnects during 911 calls. It disconnects when navigation is activated. It is very dangerous to drive a car that does this. I’m sure I paid thousands a dollar for this digital dash screen system, and is very frustrating that it does not work yet the Audi dealership and Audi corporate refused to, and or cannot fix my car. I’ve done research and it appears this is a very common problem and the service department at the dealership says they hear this complaint all the time.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687879September 17, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Total engine failure at ~13.5k miles. 2 out of 4 cylinders and pistons failed, found damage on cylinder walls. Cylinder pressure too high. Failed cylinder leak down test and pressure test. Metal shavings found in oil filter and housing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11683944August 29, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The car floods with excess fuel after idling for a short period of time resulting in multiple misfires and violent vibration. The car will not restart and will need to be towed. In traffic jams, the car can fail stranding motorists and creating a very unsafe situation. The problem has been verified by the dealership. Apparently, it is a known issue with the new Audi Q5 and they do not have a viable solution. They said to put the car in neutral and rev the engine to try and burn excess fuel. However, once the misfires start, it’s probably too late. I have pictures of the warning lights and the service reports. The car is 2 weeks old and has been back to the shop twice ( towed once) for a total of 5 days.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11682671August 24, 2025
ENGINE
There was a lawsuit, see link below, because the water pump on 2021 Audi Q5’s fail prematurely. My water pump failed at 66,241 miles and I believe that my 2021 Audi Q5 should’ve been covered under this water pump failure recall. However, my VIN was not included. Link: [XXX] I would like the recall on the water pump to be extended to my vehicle as it’s unreasonable that my water pump failed at 66K. Picture of repair in attachments. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11681346August 18, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2022 AUDI Q5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V898000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed that parts were on backorder. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678663August 6, 2025
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH on the interstate, there was an abnormal booming sound coming from the sunroof, and the contact noticed that the sunroof had shattered. The contact drove to the residence and reported the failure to the Insurance Company. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678159August 4, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
While driving on the highway (70mph) at night, my instrument panel went completely dark. I was not able to see the speed I was driving and my warning sounds/lights were not working. The dealer could not get me an appointment for 4 weeks so I took it to a mechanic who specializes in European cars. The diagnostics indicated a loss of power to the instrument cluster/panel. I was told there was an active recall for this issue, but my VIN was not included. As this is a safety issue that sounds very familiar to the current recall for other Audi models, I contacted Audi and after inspection they diagnosed it as a failing instrument cluster. Since it's not in the current recall, I'm having to replace it. I've had computer issues in the past which the current Audi dealership has checked and told me there was nothing wrong, but after speaking to the Audi service tech many of the recalled issues were solved by a software update. The loss of the instrument panel is a major safety issue and Audi refuses to resolve the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677231July 30, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This car has an active recall according to Audi, but it doesn't show up in the NHTSA's system. After reviewing the vehicle history, this car was imported and the bond wasn't released until 4/29/2025, given that, the dealership listed the car for sale April 4th and sold it to me April 22, 2025, SEVEN days before the bond was released. I also believe the FMVSS compliance sticker is fake as it's able to peel off the car in one piece with ease. There was also an active lien on the car from the previous owner. This dealership operates not only as a dealership but also the RI, owns the car repair garages reporting to Carfax but is also an insurance broker! Being a Registered Importer, dealer, garage owner, and insurance broker gives one person/business total control over importing, certifying, repairing, insuring, and selling vehicles. This makes it easy to forge documents, fake compliance (like FMVSS stickers), wash titles, and hide fraud with little outside oversight.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11676887July 29, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
While driving home from the dealership on Route 65 at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle suddenly and forcefully applied the brakes without warning. My husband and I are experiencing symptoms of whiplash including back and neck pain. There were no vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles nearby that would have triggered this response. This was a scary experience, and I am concerned it could happen again in traffic or at higher speeds. This incident presents a serious safety hazard to me, my passengers, and others on the road. The auto was purchased one week ago. Had it in for service. According to the service summary, the Driver Assist System had a coding error, and a hard reset of the module was performed. Unfortunately, after the braking incident, upon arriving home and restarting the vehicle, the same error message “Initializing Active Front Assist” immediately reappeared. I drove the vehicle for an additional five minutes, and the message remained. This suggests the issue was not resolved and may indicate a deeper fault in the system.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0

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