Audi Q5 years to avoid (and the best years)
1,121 NHTSA owner complaints and 30 recalls across 15 model years, 2010 to 2025. Built from NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, generated October 26, 2026.
- 1,121complaints
- 30recalls
- 57reported crashes
- 12reported fires
- 51reported injuries
Which Audi Q5 years should you avoid?
By NHTSA owner complaints, the Audi Q5 year to avoid is 2018. The typical Audi Q5 year has 71 complaints on file.
- 2018: 202 complaints, 2.8 times the typical year. Most complaints name the electrical system (35% of complaints) and the engine (16% of complaints).
What are the best Audi Q5 years?
The Audi Q5 years with the fewest complaints on file are the 2022 (22), 2020 (25) and 2023 (33). Model years after 2023 are left out: they have not been on the road long enough to compare.
NHTSA does not publish sales figures, so these are complaint counts, not a rate per car on the road. A year that sold more cars collects more complaints, and older years have had longer to collect them.
Every model year
| Year | Complaints | vs typical year | Recalls | Crashes | Injuries | Our read | Most reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 42 | 0.6× | 1 | 2 | 2 | Few red flags | Forward collision avoidance system |
| 2024 | 20 | 0.3× | 4 | 0 | 0 | Few red flags | Forward collision avoidance system |
| 2023 | 33 | 0.5× | 5 | 4 | 5 | Few red flags | Forward collision avoidance system |
| 2022 | 22 | 0.3× | 4 | 4 | 1 | Few red flags | Electrical system |
| 2021 | 71 | 1.0× | 8 | 2 | 2 | Few red flags | Electrical system |
| 2020 | 25 | 0.4× | 6 | 3 | 3 | Few red flags | Electrical system |
| 2019 | 52 | 0.7× | 5 | 5 | 6 | Few red flags | Electrical system |
| 2018 | 202 | 2.8× | 6 | 10 | 5 | Approach with caution | Electrical system |
| 2017 | 42 | 0.6× | 5 | 3 | 3 | Few red flags | Engine |
| 2016 | 77 | 1.1× | 5 | 9 | 7 | Few red flags | Engine |
| 2015 | 99 | 1.4× | 6 | 3 | 4 | Few red flags | Engine |
| 2014 | 105 | 1.5× | 5 | 5 | 7 | Few red flags | Engine |
| 2013 | 89 | 1.3× | 5 | 1 | 2 | Few red flags | Engine |
| 2011 | 143 | 2.0× | 5 | 4 | 2 | Some concerns to check | Airbags |
| 2010 | 99 | 1.4× | 4 | 2 | 2 | Few red flags | Airbags |
Most reported problem areas
Share of the 457 complaints sorted by system, all years together.
- Engine & powertrain155 (34%)
- Airbags & seat belts115 (25%)
- Electrical & infotainment77 (17%)
- Brakes43 (9%)
- Structure & body32 (7%)
Recalls (30)
Seat belts · 26V266000 · Apr 2026 · model year 2025
Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash.
Safety · 25V294000 · May 2025 · model years 2022, 2023, 2024
The screws can loosen, allowing oil to leak and increasing the risk of a fire.
Electrical system · 25V080000 · Feb 2025 · model years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
A high-voltage battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
Electrical system · 24V898000 · Nov 2024 · model years 2022, 2023
A high-voltage battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
Airbags · 24V251000 · Apr 2024 · model years 2023, 2024
A deactivated front passenger air bag will not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Electrical system · 23V842000 · Dec 2023 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
An overheated outlet or charging cable can increase the risk of a fire.
Engine · 22V753000 · Oct 2022 · model year 2021
A damaged engine can result in engine failure and a stall, increasing the risk of a crash. If the engine failure causes an oil leak, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Safety · 22V742000 · Oct 2022 · model year 2021
A blank rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tires · 22V034000 · Jan 2022 · model years 2020, 2021
Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
Electrical system · 21V947000 · Dec 2021 · model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Seat belts · 21V606000 · Aug 2021 · model year 2021
An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Suspension · 21V295000 · Apr 2021 · model years 2020, 2021
A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 20V505000 · Aug 2020 · model year 2020
In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.
Structure · 19V737000 · Oct 2019 · model years 2018, 2019, 2020
The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
Airbags · 19V473000 · Jun 2019 · model year 2019
A damaged frontal air bag may not provide adequate protection, increasing the risk of an injury.
Safety · 19V416000 · Jun 2019 · model years 2018, 2019
The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
Brakes · 19V277000 · Apr 2019 · model years 2018, 2019
A short casting can cause a sudden loss of brakes, increasing the risk of crash. The electronic parking brake and its emergency brake function are not affected and will still function.
Fuel system · 18V818000 · Nov 2018 · model years 2010, 2011
The butyl tape may not prevent fuel from leaking. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Brakes · 18V369000 · Jun 2018 · model year 2018
A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Engine · 18V229000 · Apr 2018 · model years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire.
Airbags · 18V082000 · Jan 2018 · model years 2010, 2011
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Electrical system · 17V622000 · Oct 2017 · model years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
The melted wires can increase the risk of a fire.
Fuel system · 17V298000 · May 2017 · model years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Transmission · 17V297000 · May 2017 · model year 2017
Despite selecting 'Park', if the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
Body & glass · 17V001000 · Jan 2017 · model years 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Engine · 17V002000 · Jan 2017 · model years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Seat belts · 16V955000 · Dec 2016 · model year 2018
In the event of a crash, if the air bags and/or the seat belt pretensioners do not inflate or function properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.
Fuel system · 16V660000 · Sep 2016 · model years 2010, 2011
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Airbags · 16V078000 · Feb 2016 · model years 2010, 2011
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Airbags · 16V045000 · Jan 2016 · model year 2015
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of a seat-mounted air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.