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2019 Audi Q5

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2019 Audi Q5 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 52.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 11 of 52 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

7 reports
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Mileage unknown · Sep 2, 2026
Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceService Brakes

Severe consequential safety defect involving total anti-lock braking system (ABS) failure stemming from a manufacturer recall defect and volatile CAN-bus network conditions during repair. This vehicle has less than 7,500 miles and has been grounded at an authorized dealership, Audi Brooklyn- Lic# [XXX], 700 Hicks Street, Brookly…

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Severe consequential safety defect involving total anti-lock braking system (ABS) failure stemming from a manufacturer recall defect and volatile CAN-bus network conditions during repair. This vehicle has less than 7,500 miles and has been grounded at an authorized dealership, Audi Brooklyn- Lic# [XXX], 700 Hicks Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231, for exactly 20 days since being flatbed-towed on [XXX], due to total power failure caused by the known manufacturing defect of clogged sunroof drains flooding the critical interior electrical network. The dealership replaced the comfort control module under the VIN recall warranty. However, during the dealer's active programming phase of this recall component, a fatal communication fault was introduced to the J104 ABS safety module. My original Service Advisor documented explicitly in writing via text that the technician observed the ABS faults materialize specifically during the recall programming process. No prior warning signs other than the vehicle's sudden loss of power. The manufacturer's design defect allowed moisture ingress to destabilize the vehicle's localized CAN-bus communication network, leading directly to the catastrophic failure of a critical braking system (ABS). Dealership management is now attempting to evade safety liability and force an out-of-pocket repair payment by manipulating records. They have actively backdated internal "Ready for Pickup" dates for the vehicle from August 24 to September 1 to hide an 8-day window where they concealed a New York State safety inspection failure from me and attempted to release an illegal, uninspected vehicle with compromised brakes back to a vulnerable consumer. The owners of the vehicle are [XXX]. Furthermore, despite claiming the ABS module was a severe safety hazard, the facility logged 50 unauthorized miles (odometer jumped from 7,437 to 7,487) on public roads while it has been in their custody. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11761511

Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 2026
Service Brakes

Went to Mavis on Weber Rd in Bolingbrook, IL for front brake replacement on June 6, 2026. It took 6.5 hours when I was originally told when I called to schedule the appointment it would only take 1.5 hours, so it was obvious that something was wrong. Within 100 yards of leaving their parking lot after the service appointment, an…

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Went to Mavis on Weber Rd in Bolingbrook, IL for front brake replacement on June 6, 2026. It took 6.5 hours when I was originally told when I called to schedule the appointment it would only take 1.5 hours, so it was obvious that something was wrong. Within 100 yards of leaving their parking lot after the service appointment, an obvious clattering was present. I immediately called them to let them know the replacement had not been performed correctly. Booked appointment with Audi of Naperville first thing Monday morning to have them fix whatever was wrong - the earliest appointment I could get was June 11. Drove the car until Wednesday evening when something went very wrong and constant clatter was replaced by loud scraping and brake lockup when I exited 355 on my way home from work. Called someone that night to have it towed to Audi for the next day's service appointment. Audi videoed their inspection and shared the video. Their inspection revealed one caliper entirely missing from the driver side brakes and the other caliper on that brake very loose. I paid Audi personally for that repair. I called Mavis customer service to notify them of my findings. After pulling the shop video from my brake appointment that day, they got back to me and said they would refund me for that appointment, the tow to Audi, and the Audi repairs. I have since been in touch with them and they said they mailed me a check on July 2. Since it has been 17 days since that date and it doesn't take mail that long to get to most of North America, I tend not to believe them. I have since learned that this Mavis brake replacement was negligent and could have resulted in an accident, with the potential of injury. I am contacting you because I don't want Mavis to take their responsibilities for the safety of their customers so casually.

NHTSA ODI #11751401

Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2026
Forward Collision AvoidanceService Brakes

am writing to report a very concerning safety issue with my 2019 Audi Q5 and to request guidance on whether this may be covered under warranty or if my vehicle is experiencing a malfunction. On Saturday, while driving to an appointment, there was a bicyclist in the bike lane. Suddenly, the “Audi Presence” warning flashed red o…

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am writing to report a very concerning safety issue with my 2019 Audi Q5 and to request guidance on whether this may be covered under warranty or if my vehicle is experiencing a malfunction. On Saturday, while driving to an appointment, there was a bicyclist in the bike lane. Suddenly, the “Audi Presence” warning flashed red on my dashboard and the vehicle braked very hard on its own. I was not close to hitting the bicyclist and there was no imminent collision risk. The sudden braking was extremely frightening and could have caused an accident if a car had been behind me. It took quite a while for me to calm down and get my breathing back to normal after the incident. Then this morning, I received a dashboard warning that said: “Drive system: malfunction! Please contact service.” I am very concerned that this may be a malfunction of the automatic emergency braking or driver assistance system, especially after the unexpected hard braking incident. This feels like a serious safety issue. I am very concerned and very unhappy, as this situation felt dangerous and could have resulted in an accident.

NHTSA ODI #11726422

Mileage unknown · Apr 24, 2023
Forward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesCrashInjury

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

NHTSA ODI #11518689

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 2022
Electrical SystemEngineService Brakes

I received a Safety Recall from Audi of America for my 2019 Audi Q5, I am pleased that the recall is being done. However, the description of what could happen, in the Safety Recall letter, should water enter the Gateway Module does not describe what happen to me when the Gateway Control Module got wet from liquid spilled in t…

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I received a Safety Recall from Audi of America for my 2019 Audi Q5, I am pleased that the recall is being done. However, the description of what could happen, in the Safety Recall letter, should water enter the Gateway Module does not describe what happen to me when the Gateway Control Module got wet from liquid spilled in the backseat of my car. The 2nd paragraph under “ What is the Issue “ states in part, “ The vehicle remains steerable and the brake system is fully operable. The engine goes into emergency mode and remains in operation with reduced power. “ I was driving my 2019 Audi Q5 on December 12, 2021 on a heavy traveled avenue with many traffic lights. As I went thru the second light before entering 1- 20 West the car just shut down and I mean totally stopped. No warning, nothing. The vehicle was not steerable, The brake system did not work The engine did not start, did not go into an emergency mode and did not remain in operation with reduced power. The car was Totally Un-Operable We called 911 for the Police and a Tow Truck. We sat in horrible traffic for more than 2 hours even with the Police. And the car could not be towed with a regular truck because the wheels were locked. Thus another tow truck had to be called so the car could be put on a flatbed truck to be taken to the Audi Dealer. I believe the Safety Notice from Audi needs to be corrected to give Notice that the Gateway Control Module when exposed to water can and has shut the entire system down and the car can become entirely inoperable as I described above. This is a very dangerous situation which may not only cause serious accidents but permanent injuries and death. I shiver now when I think of what else could have happened to us, but for the Grace of God, because we were seconds from getting on I- 20 West when the car just stopped. I appreciate this opportunity to share this information with you. I hope it will make a positive difference for the safety of others.

NHTSA ODI #11453048

Mileage unknown · Jan 11, 2022
Electrical SystemService BrakesSteeringCrash

After driving on deep wet icy slush, the vehicle was on a straight section of road and suddenly vehicle inexplicably veered hard to the left causing it to run off the road and into a tree. Electrical component failure lights were illuminated on dash afterwards. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it availa…

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After driving on deep wet icy slush, the vehicle was on a straight section of road and suddenly vehicle inexplicably veered hard to the left causing it to run off the road and into a tree. Electrical component failure lights were illuminated on dash afterwards. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? I believe that the stability control systems and or drive train suddenly changed. I believe this might be due to water ingress and failure of gateway module. This is available upon request. Car is in shop How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? sudden loss of steering control in icy conditions Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? not yet. Current recall Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? body shop is looking at vehicle Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? I was unaware of warning lamps until after loss of control.

NHTSA ODI #11447099

2,000 miles · Sep 14, 2020
Electrical SystemService Brakes

2017 AND NEWER AUDI VEHICLES WITH REAR CROSS TRAFFIC ALERT AND POSSIBLY THOSE WITH JUST AUDI PRE-SENSE ARE EXTREMELY FREQUENTLY GENERATING FALSE POSITIVES WHEN REVERSING. THE SYSTEM IS INCORRECTLY SENSING AN OBJECT AND ACTIVATING THE PARKING BRAKE TO AVOID A COLLISION. THIS RESULTS IN A SUDDEN VEHICLE JERK, BRAKES SCRAPING, AND …

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2017 AND NEWER AUDI VEHICLES WITH REAR CROSS TRAFFIC ALERT AND POSSIBLY THOSE WITH JUST AUDI PRE-SENSE ARE EXTREMELY FREQUENTLY GENERATING FALSE POSITIVES WHEN REVERSING. THE SYSTEM IS INCORRECTLY SENSING AN OBJECT AND ACTIVATING THE PARKING BRAKE TO AVOID A COLLISION. THIS RESULTS IN A SUDDEN VEHICLE JERK, BRAKES SCRAPING, AND IMMEDIATE CONFUSION FOR THE DRIVER. I HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED THIS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHEN REVERSING AND HAVE ATTACHED DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS SHOWING THIS IS A WIDESPREAD FAULT IN THE DESIGN OF THE SYSTEM. IT IS FALSELY ACTIVATING BECAUSE IT IS NOT ACCURATELY TUNED TO DETECT AN INCOMING OBJECT. HTTPS://WWW.AUDIZINE.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP/784663-GRINDING-IN-REVERSE HTTPS://WWW.REDDIT.COM/R/AUDI/COMMENTS/7WKJUP/FALSE_PRESENSE_WARNINGS_SCARING_THE_LIVING_[XXX]/ HTTPS://WWW.AUDIWORLD.COM/FORUMS/Q5-SQ5-MKII-DISCUSSION-218/SQ5-AUTO-BRAKE-REVERSE-2959805/ HTTPS://WWW.AUDIWORLD.COM/FORUMS/AUDI-A5-S5-RS5-COUPE-CABRIO-B9-220/WEIRD-GRINDING-NOISE-STOPPING-WHILE-REVERSE-2937261/ HTTPS://WWW.REDDIT.COM/R/AUDI/COMMENTS/6G3M0P/2018_S5_SPORTBACK_REVERSE_GRINDING_SOUND_PARKING/ PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI #11354984

Official recalls

5

21V947000 · Electrical System:body Control Module/bcm; Structure:body

Dec 8, 2021

Volkswagen 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 control module, causing it to shutdown.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will install a protective cover on the gateway control module and seal an underbody seam as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90S9.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Structure:body

Volkswagen 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 control module, causing it to shutdown.

Consequence: A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will install a protective cover on the gateway control module and seal an underbody seam as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90S9.

Electrical System:body Control Module/bcm

Volkswagen 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 control module, causing it to shutdown.

Consequence: A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will install a protective cover on the gateway control module and seal an underbody seam as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90S9.

19V737000 · Structure:body

Oct 16, 2019

Volkswagen 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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four clips securing the forward part of the rear wheel arch trim, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 66K8.

19V473000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel

Jun 19, 2019

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. In the event of a crash deploying the passenger's frontal air bag, the instrument panel carrier may break due to incorrect welding. If the carrier breaks, there may be damage to the passenger frontal air bag.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A damaged frontal air bag may not provide adequate protection, increasing the risk of an injury.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel and the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began August 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 90N1.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. In the event of a crash deploying the passenger's frontal air bag, the instrument panel carrier may break due to incorrect welding. If the carrier breaks, there may be damage to the passenger frontal air bag.

Consequence: A damaged frontal air bag may not provide adequate protection, increasing the risk of an injury.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel and the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began August 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 90N1.

Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. In the event of a crash deploying the passenger's frontal air bag, the instrument panel carrier may break due to incorrect welding. If the carrier breaks, there may be damage to the passenger frontal air bag.

Consequence: A damaged frontal air bag may not provide adequate protection, increasing the risk of an injury.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel and the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began August 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 90N1.

19V416000 · Wheels:hub

Jun 5, 2019

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will secure the wheel arch trim with an additional screw and nut, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66K6.

19V277000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder

Apr 8, 2019

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake master cylinder casting may be too short.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the brake master cylinder, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 3, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 47O9.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.