2018 Audi Q5

While driving at a relatively low speed, approximately 30 mph, I approached a red light and proceeded to slow down. The brakes did not engage, so I continue to pump them but had to swerve into the right lane to avoid hitting the car in front of me. Fortunately, there wasn’t a car in the right lane. It was raining but not heavily, although earlier we did go through heavy rain on the freeway. After this incident we still had to drive about 5 more miles to get to our destination. The brakes worked the rest of the way. I took the car to Audi to have them check it and they said they didn’t find anything; however, this was certainly some sort of brake malfunction.

The 2nd generation Audi Q5 (roughly 2017-2021+) has a major susceptibility to immediate, catastrophic failure as evidenced from my own experience and dozens of episodes reported online. This failure typically causes a $2000-$3000 repair bill that Audi will not cover and will claim is the fault of the owner. My wife was driving the vehicle with our 5-year-old daughter in the car In the middle of the rear seat. The daughter spilled part of a 500 ml water bottle onto the seat next to her. Within 20 seconds of this happening, the car began alerting about steering malfunctions, braking malfunctions, and the windows began seizing up and down repeatedly. The car was completely inoperable. We are lucky this was on a slow city street and not on the interstate or tollway! Once stopped, we no buttons generated any actions from the vehicle. we couldn't power it on, put it into neutral to be towed away, raise the windows, or perform ANY other function at all. The car was a useless brick. We were charged $125 for the towing service and another $2200 from Audi Plano in Texas. After countless conversations, even debates, with David (director Audi Plano) and even Audi USA customer experience team, they REFUSED to admit any fault in a poor design and help cover any of the costs whatsoever, and we are even still in warranty. The part that was damaged is DIRECTLY below the cupholders and has no effective liquid protections - what did they think would happen! Here are other examples from online: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q5-sq5-mkii-discussion-218/water-bottle-leak-%241800-damage-3009540/ https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q5-sq5-mkii-discussion-218/control-module-ruined-moisture-corrosion-3001605/page5/ https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/shopping/3641294-Audi-Q5-taken-out-by-DD-water-spill-in-rear-seat https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=11350209

WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AT TIMES YOU HEAR A METAL CLANG SOUND LIKE SOMETHING HITTING A TIN CAN. THIS HAPPENS OFTEN BUT IS NOT CONSISTENT. I HAVE VIDEO EVIDENCE OF THIS AS WELL AS HAVE SEEN THIS ITEM DISCUSSED IN DETAIL OF AUDI FORUMS. AUDI CLAIMS REGARDLESS OF MY EVIDENCE NOTHING CAN BE DONE. MY CONCERN IS IT HAS TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE BRAKE AND TO ME IS A SAFTEY CONCERN*DT

TWICE IN 2019 MY CAR SLAMMED TO A STOP WHILE BACKING UP AT 2-3 MPH. I HAD NOT HIT ANYTHING AND NO DAMAGE TO CAR. THERE WAS NOTHING TO HIT, JUST A VACANT AREA. YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING FORWARD AT 35-40 MPH ON A MAIN STREET WITH THE CLOSEST ONCOMING CAR 1 BLOCK AWAY MY CAR SLAMMED TO A DEAD, WALL SLAMMING STOP. IF A CAR HAD BEEN BEHIND ME THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. I EMPHASIZE: THIS WAS A DEAD, NO SLOW-DOWN STOP. I REFUSED TO DRIVE IT 50 MILES TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER HAS PICKED IT UP AND TOLD ME THE SENSORS WERE SET TOO SENSITIVE. IF SO, WHY DID THIS NOT OCCUR EVERY TIME I DROVE? FRANKLY, I AM AFRAID I WILL BE FORCED TO DRIVE THIS CAR FOR THE NEXT 3 MONTHS UNTIL MY LEASE EXPIRES. THE DEALER WILL NOT GIVE ME A LOANER. I THINK THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CAR. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE WAY THIS IS BEING HANDLED. FOR YOUR INTEREST, I WAS GIVEN A RIDE TODAY IN THE 2019 SEDAN MODEL. UNBELIEVABLY IT SLAMMED TO A STOP WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY.

AUDI PRE-SENSE BRAKING FAULT; RECALL NEEDED! 1- WHILE MOVING FORWARD ON AN EMPTY, FLAT, 2-LANE, SUBURBAN ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH, THE BRAKES SUDDENLY ACTIVATED, BRING MY VEHICLE TO A NEAR STOP, WITH A LOUD, GRINDING SOUND. TERRIFYING. THERE WERE NO OBJECTS OR VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, NO GLARING SUNLIGHT OR OTHER PROBLEMS THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS. APRIL 15, 2020. 2- TWICE OR MORE, IN THE FEW WEEKS OR SO PRIOR TO THIS EVENT, WHILE BACKING UP INTO MY GARAGE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED WITH A LOUD GRINDING SOUND. THERE WERE NO OBJECTS, VEHICLES, GLARING LIGHTS, OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BRAKE THIS TIME VS. THE HUNDREDS OF OTHER TIMES THE SAME PROCESS HAD BEEN COMPLETED. BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2020, TO PRESENT. VEHICLE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1.5 YEARS OLD AND APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES WHEN THESE BRAKING EVENTS HAPPENED. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY AN ERROR IN THE AUDI PRE-SENSE SYSTEM, WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO BRAKE TO PREVENT A COLLISION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 AUDI Q5. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN A PARKING LOT WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO A STAIRWAY RAIL OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. THE CONTACT CALLED AUDI LIVERMORE (3400 LAS POSITAS RD, LIVERMORE, CA 94551) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

1.I HAD AN ACCIDENT AT APPROXIMATELY 10:45 A.M. ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 IN THE PARKING LOT FOR THE MEDICAL OFFICES LOCATED AT 2000 SOUTH MAYS STREET, ROUND ROCK, TEXAS. 2.I PARKED IN A SPACE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING, WHICH IS PART OF THEIR PROPERTY. 3.MY NORMAL HABIT IS TO PLACE THE CAR IN 'PARK' WHEN I STOP IN A PARKING SPOT. 4.SINCE IT WAS VERY WARM, I LEFT THE MOTOR RUNNING SO I'D HAVE AIR CONDITIONING AS I PLACED THE SUN SCREEN OVER THE WINDSHIELD. 5.THE SUN SHADE IS ONE PIECE AND TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO PROPERLY INSTALL. 6.WHEN I COMPLETED INSTALLING THE SUN SHADE, I NOTICED THE CAR WAS MOVING BACKWARDS AT LESS THAN 5 MPH. 7.I TRIED REPEATEDLY TO STOP THE CAR BY PRESSING ON THE BRAKE AND SLAMMING ON THE BRAKE. 8.WHAT WAS HAPPENING MADE NO SENSE TO ME; IT WAS SURREAL. WHY WAS THE CAR MOVING BACKWARDS AND WHY COULDN'T I STOP THE CAR? 9.THE CAR STOPPED WHEN IT HIT A PARKING LOT LIGHT POLE ON MY LEFT REAR AND THE LEFT FRONT OF A TOYOTA ON MY RIGHT REAR. 10.THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH EVERY PRE SENSE, DRIVER ASSISTANCE, AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM AUDI OFFERS; HOWEVER, ALL SYSTEMS FAILED TO DETECT OR AVOID THE COLLISION. 11.THE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY SOME WEIRD PROBLEM WITH MY 2018 AUDI Q5. THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO IN THE TIME I HAD WITHOUT THE BRAKES WORKING.

I HAVE REPORTED TO SEWICKLEY AUDI, MY CLOSEST DEALER, ON SEVERAL APPOINTMENTS THAT MY BRAKES SEVERLY GRIND UPON APPLICATION. I WOULD BELIEVE THAT THE ROTORS ARE SEVERLY SCORERD OR WARPED. IT HAPPENS UPON FIRST USE EVERY DAY, AS WELL AS A LOUD GRINDING UPON EVERY STOP ESPECIALLY FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY BRAKES ALTHOUGH I COMPLAINED FROM MY INITIAL VISIT , MY LAST INSPECTION AND RECENTLY BROUGHT IT IN SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT. THE NOISE/ GRINDING IS BAD, BUT THE LACK OF QUALITY BRAKING HAS ME MORE CONCERNED. I AM GOING TO TAKE IT TO "MIDAS MUFFLER" OR SOMEONE ELSE TO CHECK. I BELIEVE OTHER Q5 AND CROSS LINKED VOLKSWAGENS HAVE CALIPER PROBLEMS AND I BELIEVE MY CAR DOES AS WELL BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO REPAIR IT UNDER WARRANTY TO SAVE COST.

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHEN DRIVING THE AUDI Q5 THE PRE-SENSE ENGAGES INAPPROPRIATELY (NO TRIGGER) RESULTING IN AN IMMEDIATE AND HARSH BRAKING OF THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP. IN TRAFFIC, THIS POSES A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF A CRASH RESULTING IN DAMAGE AND POTENTIAL BODILY INJURY. THE AUDI PRE-SENSE IS DESIGNED TO STOP A CAR FROM AN IMMINENT CRASH, HOWEVER AN APPARENT FLAW IN THE TECHNOLOGY ENGAGES THE PRE-SENSE WITHOUT TOTALLY UNNECESSARILY (NO CROSS TRAFFIC, AT LEAST 10 FEET FROM A BUSH OR OTHER OBJECT). NOT ONLY DOES THE UNEXPECTED AND UNNECESSARY HARD AUTO-BRAKING ADD WEAR AND TEAR TO THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION, IT POSES A REAL RISK OF AN ACCIDENT AS OTHER DRIVERS DO NOT EXPECT THE SUDDEN AND UNNECESSARY BRAKING. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT A PATTERN IN DRY AND WET WEATHER ON A FLAT SURFACE OR AN INCLINE. ALWAYS OCCURS WHEN IN REVERSE.