Equipment Problems of Audi Q5 - part 1

Fault p003a00 (turbocharger boost control position sensor). Vehicle suffered a catastrophic power failure (limp mode) on day 2 of ownership. Total loss of acceleration while in traffic. Manufacturer admits it is a 'known software issue' with no current fix, creating an extreme collision risk for the driver. " vehicle is at dealership since Feb 4th, 2026.

See all problems of the 2025 Audi Q5 🔎.

Oil leak/ and tire suspension icon keeps coming on after I fixed it.

See all problems of the 2013 Audi Q5 🔎.

Vehicle: 2021 Audi Q5 I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety defect involving unintended emergency braking. On September 10, 2025 and again on January 8, 2026, my vehicle suddenly applied emergency braking while I was driving and there were no vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles in front of me. The dashboard displayed “auto pre sense” during both incidents. These unexpected braking events created a high risk of a rear-end collision and placed me and other drivers in immediate danger. This is not a driver error, but a malfunction of the safety system. Because this has occurred more than once, I am concerned that the Audi pre sense system in my vehicle may operate unpredictably and cause a serious accident. I respectfully request that this issue be investigated as a potential safety defect.

See all problems of the 2021 Audi Q5 🔎.

02 January 2026 11,910 continuous error Audi connect installation; error during installation. Error during installation. Please contact support.

See all problems of the 2024 Audi Q5 🔎.

The safety situation happened when my wife's car got stuck while driving at about 25-30 mph in the middle of the road. Next day at the nearest Audi service center they found that water has gotten into the rear of the trunk and damaged the electronic module which caused the car to stall. The first repair was estimate at 4600 $ . After the repair the car was inoperable. The next repair was estimated at another 4 700 $. After the second repair the car was inoperable again and the service department told me that the car needed to replace the entire transmission . Which they estimated at another 20 000 $. So the total damage is around 30 000$ . I contacted Audi USA about the whole situation when I received a negative message regarding the solution . I would like to point out that up until the moment mentioned we had no problems with the car . After my personal investigation of the problem ,I found that there was a safety recall # 21v-947 for same problem . It was not issued for my car which meets all the criteria. It looks like it was hidden by the manufacturer. Audi distances itself from the whole problem and refuses to cover the costs of the damage. Thank good this happened on the city road where the speed is low . If this happened on the highway at 60 mph it would have had tragic consequences . Where it would never have been figured out what caused the accident. From a safety perspective ,I m reporting this dangerous and unfair treatment of customers by Audi USA regarding the hidden recall and denial of resposability that occurred and I request an investigation .

Traffic stopped very quickly. The automatic breaking did not engage, resulting in a crash and a total loss of the vehicle. I bought the Audi due to quality safety features so this incident was very disappointing and costly for our family.

See all problems of the 2020 Audi Q5 🔎.

VIN plate missing over 150 days.

See all problems of the 2023 Audi Q5 🔎.

I am submitting this complaint to report a safety defect involving a 2018 Audi Q5 (premium plus, technology package). The vehicle’s mmi infotainment/navigation system intermittently shuts down or reboots during operation. When this occurs while the vehicle is in in reverse, the rearview camera display immediately goes blank and remains unavailable until the system completes its reboot cycle. This failure has occurred during active reversing maneuvers, creating a significant safety concern. An incident already occurred that resulted in an impact to another object during backing and the camera display/mmi going blank loss just prior to stopping. The rearview camera is a required safety system under federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 111. When the system powers off unexpectedly, the driver loses critical rear visibility information at precisely the moment it is most needed. The condition appears to be software-related, as the infotainment system restarts on its own. However, the temporary loss of the camera display increases the risk of collision with pedestrians, other vehicles, or stationary objects. I understand that recalls have been issued for similar rearview camera display failures in later model-year Audi Q5 vehicles. The symptoms I am experiencing are materially similar and may indicate a broader defect pattern affecting earlier production years. I have attempted to resolve the issue with Audi and their technicians and service management. The conclusion was they could not find any error messages or mechanical issues. They would not diagnose deeper or complete any further trouble shooting. The previous owner also attempted to resolve the safety defect under warranty and received similar attention with no solution. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this matter for potential investigation to determine whether the 2018 Audi Q5 should be included in any safety-related corrective action. Of note, the "carplay" use is not the cause.

See all problems of the 2018 Audi Q5 🔎.

The vehicle stalls and does not move forward while I was driving it stalled. I had to allow it to roll freely out of traffic.

I bought the car on September 2, 2025. The car has been in the dealer 5 times. The last one started on December 2, 2025, and still in the dealer as of today (January 8, 2026) no solution has been found. Most of the time is having problem with the technology in the car. I cannot even drive it. It has problem with cameras, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise assistant, adaptive light malfunction, headlight assistant malfunction, Audi active lane assistant malfunction, accessibility service malfunction, driver system malfunction (limited vehicle performance), and the list keep on going. I am trying Audi America to buy my car back. I have the car for 4 months and I have use it for approximately 3 weeks (milage as of today 1,529 - several miles done to test the car by the technicians).

The rear subframe of my Audi Q5 has extensive rot and holes per an inspection done and deemed unsafe to drive. However I’ve only had the car about 3 years. To fix this will cost me around $5800. 00.

See all problems of the 2014 Audi Q5 🔎.

The front subframe has experienced catastrophic failure due to severe and premature rust-through corrosion. Multiple holes have perforated the component, compromising the vehicle's structural integrity. The part is available for inspection upon request. The safety of my family and others was put at significant risk, as the subframe is the primary component that mounts the engine, suspension, and steering rack to the vehicle. A failure of the subframe while driving could cause a complete loss of steering control and the collapse of the front suspension, leading to a serious or fatal crash. The problem was independently reproduced and confirmed by both an independent service center and an authorized Audi dealership. Both establishments have deemed the vehicle unsafe to drive due to this specific issue. The manufacturer (Audi of America) has been made aware of the issue through their dealership network. They have acknowledged the defect by offering a "goodwill" repair to replace the subframe, confirming their awareness of this failure mode. However, the manufacturer has made this safety-critical repair contingent on the owner first paying for several thousand dollars of unrelated maintenance items, creating a financial barrier that prevents the safety fix from being implemented. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure's discovery. This is a silent failure that provides no warning to the driver. It was only discovered during a routine service visit when the vehicle was on a lift.

I am not sure of what happened and I am not seeing any remedy also in the finding. My car has been idle since may 7th and hence please help me in resolving it as the recall status says that remedy not available.

I took my Audi Q5 tdi to the garage for servicing and was told of heavy rusting on both sides of the rear subframe. The rusting is bad and can almost break the subframe it seems to be a known issue in Audi Q5 models, however, the dealership and Audi of America have refused to cover it as a manufacturing defect. The car has 88000 miles, and at this point, I think it may not be safe to drive. I am urging ntsb to review this issue and see if the issue can be resolved by the manufacturer at their cost.

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.

See all problems of the 2022 Audi Q5 🔎.

The small buttons that are part of climate control on the dashboard pop out and fall off. The pieces aren’t supposed to do that. They are actually designed to work as buttons that stay in place but whatever mechanism that is designed to keep them is place comes off. I have tried just putting the buttons back in but they will eventually pop off again. My car is relatively new and should not have buttons popping off. No car of any age should have buttons just falling off. These are small buttons that pop off at any moment if there is a defect and I think could be a potential choking hazard for children and pets. If one falls off and I don’t notice and is just rolling around on the ground, it could be an issue with pets especially. My buttons fell off in the middle of the night and I had to search the vehicle for it. This is also the control system for the fan in the car. In extreme climate, if this falls off, there are no means for controlling the climate of the vehicle. Yes, the problem has been reviewed and confirmed by an Audi dealership. The only solution seems to be to order a brand new dashboard and climate control system but it’s the same system and can’t guarantee that the buttons won’t pop off on the new ones. There are no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to failure. The buttons will randomly pop off sometimes with no one in the vehicle or in the middle of just driving somewhere. They will just pop out. Several people are having this issue but Audi refuses to address the problem and instead forces everyone to by a brand new climate control system with the same faulty button system.

Water seeped into comfort control module via blocked sunroof drain hoses and damaged electrical. There was a recall for the same issue regading the gateway control module which allows shops to add a protective cover. This same recall needs to be on the comfort control module since the way they designed the sunroof drains allows for water to seep into the cc module. This is a ridiculous design that requires a 11k dollar repair for customers.

On [xxx] at [xxx], at my home, I pulled out of driveway in my 2012 Audi 2012 Q5, I drove three houses down, and the sunroof exploded sending shattered glass on myself, my then [xxx] son, and into the cabin of the car. I called Audi for repair, but was informed there was a 3 to 4 month wait, ordered a on repairs. So I ordered a replacement and installed myself. On [xxx] my 2012 Audi Q5, would not start, dash fault indicated crankcase/ camshaft not alinged. Put vehicle in a Audi repair shop (not dealership) for repairs. Damage was crankcase, timing chain, and timing chain tensioner research done found that there was six recalls on the vehicle, one involving the sunroof shattering, and the other involving the crankcase, timing chain, and tensioner. On 04/15/2025 I called Audi at 800-822-2834 about the incidents, and inquiring about the six recalls, attempting to make sure the repairs had been completed. The representative was able to provide dates that a case was closed based on the VIN of my vehicle but was not able to confirm that the recall repairs had been done, she stated a claim being closed "usually meant a repair was done. But only the dealership that opened the case would have more information. I requested the dealership information, advising that I was concerned as thus far the recall repairs seem to be failing, and the recall on the airbags could cause potential death if deployed. I requested a supervisor call back. On 04/16/2025 I received a call back from a supervisor name juan/id 43248. I explained to him the issue with the previous recalls failing and my concerns about the airbags, and asked for the dealership name and number that did the repairs. He refused to give me the information sighting it contained information on the previous owner. I seek to confirm that these repairs were actually done in fear that they may not have been, and if a airbag is deployed I and passengers may end up dead as a result. Please advise. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C.

See all problems of the 2012 Audi Q5 🔎.

The instrument panel cluster assembly (screen behind steering wheel) needed to be replaced because it would intermittently stop working and I had no idea of how fast I was going, what gear I was in, how much fuel I had or whether the lane assist and other safety features were working. Without knowing speed, I may have followed cars too closely to safely stop or I could have run out of gas and left stranded somewhere. I thought it might have been software updates occurring but after a few days, I went to the dealer for service. Audi naples was able to detect fault, replicate problem and replaced the assembly on 4/10/2025 for $3,391. 96. The dealer kept the part and told me to keep my receipt in case there is a recall. My car currently has 31,489 miles and had a total inspection and was last serviced on 1/22/2025 with 31,487 miles. I find it outrageous that a part like that would fail in such a short period of time. I was lucky I wasn't on a long trip away from home when it occurred.

Gateway control module on engine coolant system.

I have owned the car for 2 years, purchased a 2018 Q5 from an Audi dealer. Within the first year, my thermostat failed causing the car to lose power and turn off while driving with my newborn baby. I also received the passenger airbag alert daily, which I did see there was a recall for this prior to buying the car. I also received the “add a quart of oil” message about 3 months after an oil change. I would like this car to be reviewed for excessive oil consumption. At the times of these messages no oil leak was found. Now, my car went in for an oil change and an oil and transmission oil leak has been found. Within 2 years of owning a car that has had regular maintenance, I have spent over $6,000 on service and repairs, which is unusual. I need help.

I just purchased car and was told of no recalls.

See all problems of the 2016 Audi Q5 🔎.

The vehicle had a oil leak that began in 2022 right after I bought the vehicle used. The light continued to come on indicating low oil. Eventually, they found a leak in the pistons. They were replaced. Again in 2023 a leak was found near and around the upper timing gasket and vacuum pump. Now 2025, a new leak is found transmission line and the dipstick. !.

I started the car and , put it in reverse and the rear back up camera never turned on as required when backing up today. Rear camera didnt activate but the parking light on the Audi was red as usual indicating it was activated. However the screen just went to its default app page (settings, carplay, etc. ) I was unable to see pedestrians as I backed out of the grocery shopping center parking spot. Yes. Audi dealership keeps telling me there is no update and that my software version 3606 is the latest software( I have told the dealer, I have a black screen without apps, only lte and clock show up occasionally) they have done a factory reset and so have I without resolution. No warning lights came on, it just said welcome (user name) and went to the regular media screen. I have a 2mb 7 second video of the incident I took with my iphone if needed.

I own a 2022 Audi Q5 hybrid, and due to an unresolved recall (93aa), the vehicle’s plug-in hybrid functionality has been completely disabled since November 2024. The vehicle was designed to operate as a phev, but it can now only run on gasoline, significantly altering its intended use and efficiency. Audi has failed to provide a repair timeline or offer a loaner vehicle while the recall remains unresolved. Additionally, Audi of America has refused to buy back the vehicle, despite it no longer functioning as advertised. This situation raises serious concerns about the reliability of Audi’s hybrid and ev systems, as well as their ability to support affected customers. This recall effectively eliminates a core safety and performance feature of the vehicle, as owners relying on electric operation are forced to use gasoline instead. Given the uncertainty surrounding a fix, I am concerned about Audi’s ability to resolve this issue in a reasonable timeframe. Please see the attached complaint I made to my utah attorney general's office.

The engine has failed and I am not sure why my Q5 was not included in the recall for coolant issues leading to engine failure. My issue started last winter when the car would suddenly kick in a loud fan. It would flash a warning that the start/stop malfunctioned as it only happened when stopped and/or parked. It was extremely alarming to hear so I would turn the car off and let it sit. When I started it up, there were no warnings and would drive normally. This continued to happen randomly. Then came the coolant low warning, engine temp, along with an rpm warning that kicked on the loud fan. I added coolant as it was the reservoir was low but never empty and temp gauge was in normal range . All messages would go away, car would drive normally. The coolant message happened a couple more times and always the same but eventually did not return. The max rpm and temp continued in conjunction with the start stop messages. It was always the same. It would be stopped or parked with the start/stop engaged. The fan would kick on and increase in severity and the temp gauge always was within normal. I eventually stopped using the start/stop function and it seemed to resolve the issue. The warnings never stayed on so I was not overly concerned since it drove fine and didn't sound rough when the messages and warning weren't active. Then it expelled the oil under the hood and gave zero warning lights. I only figured it out when the oil low warning came on. I thought it was weird because I had just checked the level since I see lots of complaints that Audi burns oil. When I opened the hood, I saw the oil. I know this happened suddenly and was not a leak because I was checking may parking spots. I took it the oil change place and it was cleaned up and replaced. I then took it to have the source of the leak identified but a pressure test revealed nothing. Again, no warning persisted and it drove fine. The next time the oil was expelled, it seized and failed.

Kinked rear sunroof drains causing water to enter vehicle at trunk seres where water was found having entered into the comfort module. The car key fob was not responding me the fault codes for the module were cycling rendering the car in drivable. I have reported this before but wanted to include the proper updated invoice from Audi atl. The previous invoice didn’t state the problem.

2018 Audi Q5 (2. 0, 40k miles, excellent condition) experienced severe electronic failure, due to sunroof drainage lines depositing water into the rear side wells where sensitive electronics are housed, impacting all tail-lights, wipers, sensors, internal dashboard sensors, etc. , rendering the car highly unsafe and undrivable. The issue is a design and manufacturer defect that has allowed rainwater to leak into the rear side compartments destroying sensitive electronics & wiring, from faulty/kinked drain lines in the sunroof (according to the Audi technician from my local Audi store), rendering the vehicle undrivable. It was obvious, repeatable, and avoidable. Worse this issue was misdiagnosed by the same Audi store, causing extra parts & labor expenses that didn't solve anything. It took my Audi store over a month to diagnose the issue correctly. There were also significant investigative/diagnostic charges from my Audi dealership. There were also significant repair expenses to replace all water-logged equipment, including the electronics control unit (ecu). This should be a clear recall item.

2023 Audi Q5 driver side floor carpet is lifting near the brake and gas pedals. Inspected by Audi dealer where the car was bought and they agreed the customer did not cause it, nor did they. The dealer checked all other like Q5's, even ones with just a few hundred miles and saw the the carpet in the same lifted condition. They say they cannot fix it. Audi USA said they cannot fix it as it is something the dealer did not report as a defect??? the driver's foot can be caught in the carpet as it continues to lift from the floor of the car, this is a safety defect that Audi needs to fix ASAP! Audi USA case # 06464915.

Recently purchased a used vehicle from this dealership that there is a major issue with the drive train including the cv axel and also an issue with the tires that are on the vehicle. One of the tires had gone flat so I took it to the local les schwab to have it inspected and was told that I could not repaired it and that they could not sell me and put on the one tire because the vehicle manufacturer size was not met and that it can cause a danger on my 2015 Audi Q5 premium plus. The tire size that was on the vehicle that was purchased is 255/35zr19, the manufacturers size is 235/55r19 per the les schwab it can damage the vehicle and decrease the performance of the function of the vehicle which also impacts the speedometer reading and also the mileage tracking adding additional strain on the vehicle as well as decreasing its value faster. The vehicle is an all-wheel drive car and have the incorrect size is a safety concern as well as increasing the amount of mile that are driven that are artificial, also messing with the speedometer reading to have to go 10 mile over the limit to make it go the correct speed, this makes the computer think the vehicle is driving more mile than it is. I have informed the dealer of the issues, and they have refused to help and state that there is nothing to be concerned about. This information was not disclosed to me when purchasing the vehicle.

See all problems of the 2015 Audi Q5 🔎.

Getting a message driver system malfunction please contact service, I went to a specialized european mechanic and he informed me that the oem turbocharger booster is the problem. He stated that this is a very common problem in the Audi. He is surprised that there is no recall because it is happening to a lot of cars. The message is constantly coming back.

See all problems of the 2019 Audi Q5 🔎.

Panaramic sunroof drains failed allowing water to egress into wheel well trunk side containers and spare tire areas. Water encompassed the comfort control module and left the electronics cycling through electronic error codes leaving the car unable to drive. The car was unable to recognize the key fob and the warning codes were flashing and cycling. Failure of the panaramic sunroof drains.

The engine mounts on my car began to fail around the 55k, this causes the engine to shift while driving which can not only permanently damage the engine but also cause the car to malfunction and could cause a serious accident. This definitely puts the safety of myself as the driver and others on the road at risk. The problem has been confirmed by an independent service center, and there are many other Audis with the 2. 0 engine that have this same issue ranging as low as 25k miles that I have seen. No warnings or messages, car had began shaking when pressing on accelerator and when shifted in to reverse and braking, making it unstable on the road.

I purchased a pre-owned Audi in August 2023 from a franchised dealer. I was explicitly told there were no open recalls or issues. In may 2024, the vehicle suffered a complete electrical failure during use—warning lights flashed, wipers activated on their own, the steering wheel moved without input, and the windows opened/closed erratically. It was inoperable and could not shift into neutral. A flatbed tow was required, and the vehicle had to be physically forced off the truck at home. The next morning, the authorized service center initially refused the tow but later accepted it after I explained the severity. A service advisor confirmed the failure was due to an active safety recall and that a replacement control module was unavailable. I was denied a loaner until I escalated the issue to a manager. For months, I received repeated notices that there were no updates or parts available. The loaner was significantly smaller and disrupted both personal and work transportation. On June 5, 2025, the dealer said the part would never arrive and advised me to request a buyback through Audi corporate. I did so. On June 10, the dealer claimed the buyback was approved and told me to return the loaner. When I asked for verification, they changed their story. I contacted Audi corporate and was told the buyback had been denied, confirming the dealer had misrepresented the situation. This experience reflects deceptive business practices, potential violations of recall disclosure laws, and failure to resolve a known safety defect. My safety—and that of my pregnant wife—was placed at risk due to the sale of a recalled vehicle. I urge NHTSA to investigate. Their actions show a disregard for safety, federal compliance, and consumer rights. Others may not be as lucky.

Car was being driven normally within a parking lot of a shopping center. Proceeded to park the vehicle in a parking space. Upon pressing break and holding break pedal pressed, went to push the parking button on gear shifter and car erratically jolted and drove forward and stopped upon impact with barriers/debris/crash. Multiple alerts and warnings illuminated right prior to the incident. Reviews of other drivers of this vehicle reveals similar incidents of unintended acceleration while breaks are actively being applied. No parking button options were stopping vehicle, impact/crash stopped car. Property of shopping plaza/target was damaged, my vehicle, Audi, was damaged and another vehicle parked next to claims their vehicle was involved/hit as well. Safety was critically in danger as breaks did not work and car accelerated on its own without accelerator being pressed rather break was actively engaged and pressing of parking break to shift car from drive to park. Audi pre sense, parking break, tpms and caution symbol alerts displayed. Problems confirmed and reviewed by Audi dealer service. Paperwork is attached along with pictures. Alerts from car has been present for sometime and car has been taken to Audi numerous times with no action by dealer, car is new and is a lease. Audi is aware of these issues had took no action to Audit/fix cars systems. Shortly after those visits to dealers this incident occurred. Believe these control modules having a correlation with cars sporadic behavior. Audi service documents: story: 5354 TSB 2070571/2 duplicated customer concern during the initial test drive. Ran gff with diag id 186214649 found dtc p060c00: internal control module main processor performance. Found TSB 2070571/2. As per TSB "1 clear the dtc p060c00 and return the vehicle to the customer. 2. Explain to the customer that a solution is expected to be available by the end of the 1st quarter of 2024 (subject to change) and that no repairs are necessary at this point.