2018 Audi Q5 problems and recalls

Owners filed 114 complaints on the 2018 Audi Q5 in the last three full years, out of 208 on record. The most cited component is the Electrical System.

208
Complaints
6
Recalls
10
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
5
Injuries
45.8
Severity index

Severity index 45.8 Low. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 45.8p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 83 of 122 by severity index among 2018 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 32% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2018 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

Electrical SystemElectrical System: 74 complaints (35.6%)74 36%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 45 complaints (21.6%)45 22%EngineEngine: 31 complaints (14.9%)31 15%SuspensionSuspension: 25 complaints (12.0%)25 12%Service BrakesService Brakes: 22 complaints (10.6%)22 11%StructureStructure: 21 complaints (10.1%)21 10%Forward Collision Avoid…Forward Collision Avoidance: 19 complaints (9.1%)19 9%Vehicle Speed ControlVehicle Speed Control: 14 complaints (6.7%)14 7%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM7435.6%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4521.6%
ENGINE3114.9%
SUSPENSION2512.0%
SERVICE BRAKES2210.6%
STRUCTURE2110.1%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE199.1%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL146.7%

Complaints filed per year

022452018: 152019: 212020: 102021: 102022: 152023: 452024: 402025: 292026: 23 (partial year)18192021222345242526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
201815
201921
202010
202110
202215
202345
202440
202529
2026 (year to date)23
Filings in 2023 to 2025 ran 3.3x those in 2020 to 2022 (114 against 35).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
18V36900001/06/2018SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPERVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, Passat, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen and GTI and Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reduc
19V41600005/06/2019WHEELS:HUBVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach.
19V73700016/10/2019STRUCTURE:BODYVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi SQ5 and 2018-2020 Audi Q5 vehicles. The rear wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach from the vehicle.
19V27700008/04/2019SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDERVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake master cylinder casting may be too short.
16V95500029/12/2016SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONERVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi A7, A4, A6, Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan vehicles and 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf vehicles for driver frontal air bags, passenger frontal air bags or head air bags that may not deploy properly. Add
21V94700008/12/2021ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE/BCMVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, 2018-2022 Q5, and SQ5 vehicles. A liquid spill in the rear seat, or water ingress from an insufficient body seam underneath the vehicle may allow liquid to penetrate the gateway

Other Audi Q5 model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 12 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.