Every 2018 Audi Q5 recall
Each campaign as NHTSA published it: what is wrong, what can happen, and the fix. Newest first.
Electrical System · NHTSA 21V947000
Aug 12, 2021Electrical System:Body Control Module/Bcm
- Problem
- 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.
- Risk
- A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- 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.
Full recall details for 21V947000 →Structure · NHTSA 19V737000
Oct 16, 2019Structure:Body
- Problem
- 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.
- Risk
- The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
- Fix
- 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.
Full recall details for 19V737000 →Service Brakes, Hydraulic · NHTSA 19V277000
Aug 4, 2019Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder
- Problem
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
- Fix
- 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.
Full recall details for 19V277000 →Wheels · NHTSA 19V416000
May 6, 2019Wheels:Hub
- Problem
- 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.
- Risk
- The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
- Fix
- 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.
Full recall details for 19V416000 →Service Brakes, Hydraulic · NHTSA 18V369000
Jan 6, 2018Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:CaliperDo not drive
- Problem
- Volkswagen 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 reducing the brake performance.
- Risk
- A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the brake system has been checked. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 47N8, 47N9, and 47N6.
Full recall details for 18V369000 →Seat Belts · NHTSA 16V955000
Dec 29, 2016Seat Belts:Pretensioner
- Problem
- Volkswagen 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. Additionally, certain 2017 Audi Q7, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, and 2018 Audi Q5 vehicles are being recalled because the seat belt pretensioners may not activate properly.
- Risk
- 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.
- Fix
- Volkswagen and Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bags and seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Full recall details for 16V955000 →
2018 Audi Q5 complaints and service bulletins
Owners filed 207 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Audi Q5, reporting 10 crashes, 5 injuries. Audi has issued at least 1,092 technical service bulletins (repair instructions to dealers) for this model year. Complaints are unverified owner reports; a recall is the manufacturer’s admission of a safety defect.
Most-reported components
- Electrical System76
- Unknown Or Other44
- Engine31
- Suspension25
- Service Brakes22
- Structure21
Service bulletins by component
- Equipment (355)
- Electrical System (303)
- Unknown Or Other (93)
- Structure (91)
- Power Train (59)
- Engine and Engine Cooling (54)
Read Audi Q5 owner complaints and bulletins, every year
What people reported
Owners have filed 207 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Audi Q5. A few in their own words, shortened. Complaints are unverified and are not proof of a defect or of any recall.
Crash
“I was pulling into (my usual) handicapped parking space, at a slow speed. As I approached the curb my brakes did NOT respond to stop my car. Not only did my brakes not respond, the car actually sped up - going up the curb and hitting the handicapped sign pole. The pole broke and stopped my vehicle!”
2018 AUDI Q5Aug 17, 2026 · MD
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11757443
Crash
“I was pulling slowly into a parking space at a grocery store, with my right foot on the brake, nearly stopped. Then the car rapidly and suddenly accelerated unintentionally. The car jumped over a bush, a median, rammed into a parked car, pushing it across the next parking lane into a third car.”
2018 AUDI Q5Apr 12, 2026 · AZ
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11730665
Crash
“On 10/27/25 as I was slowly pulling into a parking space, my Audi Q5 lurched forward and jumped the curb crashing into a tree. Happened too quickly to apply the brakes. No warning indications at the time of the incident. Car would not start and had to be towed to a repair shop.”
2018 AUDI Q5Oct 28, 2025
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11695983
Injury reported
“The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked with her son was in the car seat, the rear driver's side seat lap band was twisted and was stuck around his waist.”
2018 AUDI Q5Oct 20, 2025
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11694488
Injury reportedCrash
“This was unintentional acceleration case: When I got into the parking space, the car was almost stopped and I was about to press the park button (gear) and the car suddenly accelerated and in a fraction of a second, climbed the curb, crashed into the fence, broke the fence and crushed on a tree.”
2018 AUDI Q5Feb 19, 2024
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11572844
Check your Q5 by VIN
Not every 2018 Audi Q5 is in every recall. Enter your 17-character VIN to see the recalls on record for your exact vehicle, then confirm which are still open at NHTSA.gov or with any Audi dealer.
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