Audi Q5 Complaints

1,386 consumer complaints on file.

#11525079June 2, 2023
SUSPENSION
Rear suspension coil spring was broken, with only 62,000 miles. This sounds similar to the problem with this car's cousin, the 2018-19 VW Tiguan, which had a recall. (https://www.consumerreports.org/car-recalls-defects/volkswagen-recalls-cars-suvs-springs-could-break/)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11525085June 2, 2023
STRUCTURE:BODY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The car is totalled. My car tripped 9+ malfunction warnings, after starting and driving. These included rear brake lights, directionals, start/stop system, and more. It appears that the sunroof leaks, and the roof drains were clogged (even though they were specifically checked and cleaned by the dealer 2 months earlier). This led to water accumulating in the areas under the back seat (a prior recall which allegedly had been addressed...NHTSA campaign number: 21V947000. Audi’s number for this recall is 90S9.), and in the rear wheel well area, where electronics control modules live. The car eventually had to be towed to the dealer. It was initially estimated to cost $9,500 to repair. But, after several weeks, more water was found and it was declared not worth repairing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11524100May 27, 2023
ENGINE
On 21 April 2023 while driving on a highway, the US specification 2023 Audi Q5 engine began to make noise and a yellow engine warning light came on. During the process of moving the vehicle off the highway to a safe location to stop, the engine began to progressively lose power and the noise became much more noticeable and distinctly sounded like metal on metal. The Audi repair shop provided a report of diagnostic tests run but did not open the engine for further inspection. The repair shop ordered a replacement engine. Due to delays in delivery of a replacement engine, the vehicle is still at the repair shop five weeks after the incident. The vehicle had less that 550 miles (900 kilometers) on the odometer and had been in service only one month from delivery. The vehicle was sold by Audi USA through Military Auto Source direct to the user in Germany. The vehicle was used only in Germany and is presently at the Audi repair shop in Germany (Autohaus Lutz, Vaihinger Str. 91, 70567 Stuttgart, Germany). Based upon cursory research of existing recall issues for this model vehicle, the problem appears very similar to a connecting rod failure identified for engines manufactured in a prior period. Attempts to work with Audi USA to identify if this is indeed the same connecting rod problem and attempts to obtain confirmation that this engine was checked/tested for the known connecting rod issue both have proved unsuccessful. The local Audi repair shop has not been forthcoming with details of what specifically caused the engine failure or actions that Audi is taking to identify the source of the problem. This is being brought to the attention of the NHTSA because this may be a continuation of the connecting rod issue previously identified and declared resolved by Audi.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523800May 25, 2023
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN
I have a 2019 Audi Q5 with under 24k miles over the past 4 years of new vehicle ownership. There have been 5+ instances where I am driving under normal conditions and suddenly the vehicle jerks abruptly, slows down to half the original speed (from 65 mph on freeway to 30 mph), gear shifting becomes irregular and the following indicators appear on the dashboard: 1) check engine light, 2) vehicle repair required 3) warning icon w/ triangle around and exclamation point. "Drive system malfunction" note appears on screen. Ignition cycling may temporarily remove the warning indicator lights, however the same exact issue happens once I'm back on the road - sometimes only driving at 20 mph through residential streets. I have taken the vehicle into Audi service centers for immediate repair after each incident, only to have this become a recurring issue. This is an extremely dangerous situation where a vehicle could unexpectedly reduce speeds and potentially result in traffic accidents. I have found many internet posts on this same exact issue which are major concerns of Audi owners.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523612May 24, 2023
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Stopped on the road, the rear window exploded with a very loud boom. I pulled over and talked to the driver behind me who also pulled over and asked if he saw anything, he said no, only heard the boom. We looked in the back of the car and no projectile or foreign object. I moved to a nearby parking lot and pushed as much of the broken glass into the car as I could so it wouldn't fall off on the road. There were no cracks or defects identifiable before hand. The car was clean and any issues would have been visible. There was no warning of the explosion. I have brought the car in to the dealer, Fletcher Jones in Chicago.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523175May 22, 2023
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2016 Audi Q5. The contact stated that on several occasions while the vehicle was started, there was a loud whistling sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the breather valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,900.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11522325May 16, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE
The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle in a severe rainstorm, the vehicle experienced electrical failures, which included the head lights flashing and the horn activating before the vehicle suddenly became inoperable. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who discovered that rainwater had leaked into the rear of the vehicle and the electrical components were submerged in water causing an electrical failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V947000 (Electrical System, Structure). The failure mileage was 53,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11521845May 13, 2023
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
Driving on the highway the panoramic sun roof window shattered. Sounded like an explosion. Glass shattered and flew throughout car and blew away. Posed hazard to those in car as the glass shattered. Could have caused hazard if driver did not maintain control due to sudden sound and sudden incidence. Extremely dangerous.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11520671May 5, 2023
SUSPENSION
Brought to dealer for routine maintenance and was told both rear springs are broken and need to be replaced. Last time it was in the shop was for a safety inspection in March with no reported issues with springs. the springs are a critical suspension component and put me and others on the road at risk every time I drove it due to rollover, loss of control and bottom out potential while driving. Yes dealer inspected and confirmed the component failure and suggested replacement. No indication on dashboard or warning lights.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11520039May 2, 2023
ENGINE
This vehicle guzzles oil. On average, I have to add a quart of oil every 200 - 300 miles. No leaks are evident but always see white smoke from tail pipes.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11519666April 30, 2023
STRUCTURE:BODY
I recently discovered that my Q5 tubular rear subframe/crossmember (part # 8R0505235N) has rusted thru near a bushing that supports the rear transaxle. The rust thru area at the transaxle is about a foot long. This subframe supports the rear axle and all the rear suspension components. I brought my Q5 to the local Audi dealer and they took a video showing two areas on the subframe that have rusted thru, the bushing area supporting the transaxle and also an area supporting the left rear suspension. The dealership did not allow me to take the Q5 back and gave me a loaner vehicle to drive until the subframe can be replaced. The dealership contacted Audi North America and Audi agreed to pay 40% of the cost to replace the rear subframe. I think Audi should pay 100% as this is a serious safety issue. My Q5 has no other areas of corrosion except a slight amount of surface rust on the exhaust and is otherwise in excellent condition with only 50,444 miles. It has always been garaged since purchased new and has been in no accidents. The Audi service tech even complimented me on how clean my Q5 was at 10 years old. PS - How can I include an attachment of the video taken by the Audi dealership?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11518689April 24, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Traveling north Interstate 95 about 40 miles south of Jacksonville, Fl. 4/7/23 at 8 am. Traffic slowed , brakes flailed , no emergency brakes, hit others cars and travelled off road, car flew into a tree 10 ft up, cut off the top of tree and landed on nose upside down against a tree
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11518157April 20, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SEAT BELTS, ENGINE
My 2018 Audi Q5 has a water intrusion issue with control module damage. The vehicle reduce speed to 15 mph on the highway, when parked the lights would not shut off. The vehicle would then not turn on. Thirty minutes later the vehicle started. I received a front passenger seatbelt malfunction and several controls went out. The passenger seatbelt would not recognize there was a passenger buckled in the seat. The lights stayed on. The windshield wipers started on their own. The car wouldn’t recognize the key fob. Later the turn signal malfunctioned, along with the front lights staying on but the rear light and license plate light would not come on. At the dealership they found water in the comfort module housing, left rear quarter panel/wheelbase and said it was probably caused by the pressure vent seal allowing water to enter damaging the comfort module and 56 wires. They stated the vehicle was unsafe and inoperable. They also were not able to roll the windows back up or lock and secure my vehicle. The issues with the vehicle speed occurred 5 weeks ago. The dealership changed the thermostat but the speed reduction happened again afterwards once but when it was turned off and turned back on the speed went back to normal. Then today the vehicle just went crazy with things turning on and other controls not working, like the taillights. Multiple times I have told the dealership of the seatbelt malfunction. They said it was probably the seat detecting something on the seat, like a bag but couldn’t account for the malfunction when the seat was occupied. The vehicle is now at the dealership with plastic taped around the opened windows and unsecured since the locking controls will not work. They suggested I file a claim with my insurance for the repair. This screams defect to me!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11517753April 18, 2023
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel vapor in cabin. Research indicated need to inspect fuel pump. Removed inspection cover and found fuel puddled all around pump and noted fuel would re-plenish through apparent micro-fractures in the plastic pump housing when wiped away. Crack not visible but fuel obviously coming through housing after being wiped. I am 4rth owner. NTSB site and Audi site shows no open recalls. CarFax received on purchase of the car shows no open recalls but at the same time shows no evidence of Audi or VW service since the recall was issued in 2016 (very strange). Very similar description in incident #11353734. Image and video taken of the pump housing and fuel surrounding it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11516581April 11, 2023
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2015 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the message "Pull Over Immediately" and a chime started to sound. The contact pulled off the road and placed the vehicle into park (P) and turned off the vehicle down for approximately 20 minutes. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle started to overheat, and the warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure became reoccurring. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to a dealer who diagnosed that the radiator was cracked and lost all coolant, and that the radiator, thermostat and seals needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V229000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11516211April 9, 2023
STRUCTURE:BODY
The Rear Subframe was found to have two significant holes that would not allow the car to pass a safety inspection, and I was told a significant hazard that required immediate repair. This is the only part on the vehicle with rust and is the same issue of rear subframe rust that Mercedes Benz is covering under warranty on the same-year cars due to a manufacturing defect. Audi Tysons had serviced the vehicle since new but was negligent in warning me of the extreme rust or safety hazard that had developed. The first inspection by an independent shop found this issue and said it is common on Audi Q5 manufactured in this time frame. According to the repair shop, the part has a plastic protective cover that allowed water to stay trapped and is the main contributing factor. Audi refused any warranty coverage stating the warranty only covers "vehicle body sheet metal panels," but the Owner's Manual for Warranty Coverage states "-- a defect in manufacturer's material and workmanship that will result in rust perforation of the vehicle body". The Q5 is a low-mileage (87,500) vehicle that has been garaged for ~50% of its life in Northern Virginia. In summary, this is a know critical safety issue due to a manufacturing/design defect that Audi is not addressing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11515925April 7, 2023
ENGINE
Excessive oil consumption
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11515581April 5, 2023
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the air bag control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,600.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11514724March 31, 2023
SUSPENSION
The contact owns 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was immediately driven to the local dealer who diagnosed that the rear driver’s side suspension coil spring had fractured also causing damage to the rear axle and rear differential. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure previously. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11512533March 18, 2023
STEERING
The entire steering system failed. While the car was in motion, the steering wheel completely locked up and could not be turned even a degree. This caused extreme safety concern as the road was curving but the car could not be steered. The problem was confirmed by an independent mechanic and then by an Audi dealership service department. The entire steering component was then replaced.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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