6.4

fairly significant
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
11,090 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2018 Audi Q5:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

Get free help with your lemon!
close ad
problem #43

Jun 182024

Q5

  • miles
Sunroof drain lines leaked and filled the rear compartment with water which is also where the body control module is. The water damaged the body control module which affected vehicle lighting and abs system. Upon further investigation, this is a very common issue with Audi.

- Livonia, MI, USA

problem #42

May 032024

Q5

  • miles
On May 3, 2024, while driving to work, the vehicle acutely started to make a loud clicking noise in the engine compartment. I parked the vehicle and looked for a warning light indicator on the dashboard to determine the problem, but no indicator light emerged. I then called Audi Omaha and spoke with the Service Manager who kindly arranged to have my vehicle picked up and a loaner dropped off. I did ask at that time whether it was safe to have somebody drive my vehicle to Audi given the severity of the noise and I was told that since there was not a warning light on the dashboard, it would be ok. I later discovered that my vehicle stalled on the way to Audi Omaha and required a tow. On May 6, 2024, I received a report of the problem and the estimate for repairs. It was explained that the head of a spark plug had broken off into the engine causing the piston to make contact with the valve in cylinder 3 resulting in engine damage which was beyond repair. Additionally, a second spark plug had been misfiring for several days. The estimate to replace the engine: $9,282.03. To my surprise, the multi-point vehicle inspection report I received on the same day reported that everything (aside from rear brake pad wear) passed inspection -?" including the engine and spark plugs! On May 7, 2024, I called Audi Omaha to express my concern that an entire engine would need replaced on a 6-year old luxury vehicle with only 60,000 miles and spark plugs that were replaced at 40,000 miles prior to my purchase of the vehicle. Even more concerning is that no warning light indictor ever displayed on the dashboard (despite being informed that the vehicles computer system had detected changes in the engine compartment 2-days prior to this event). Because of these glaring safety concerns, this issue was escalated to the Audi central region division who declined to provide assistance despite the faulty spark plug and the malfunction of the warning indicator light.

- Bellevue, NE, USA

problem #41

Apr 022024

Q5

  • miles
I got a Safety System Malfunction! Fault. I took it to aan Audi dealer and they said it was an issue with a harness under the passenger seat. Tech notes here references a service bulletin. Air Bag Occupant Sensor - Replace | faults present b1225f1 - tsb 2051242/7 -- per tsb apply wiring ties to secure and prevent faults from returning -- not covered under extended warranty policy. Not sure why this isn-??t covered under extended warranty or a recall. It basically disables the passenger airbag. I have seen other Audi vehicles with recalls for similar issues with harness under the passenger seat. I think they have a design issue but are wanting to charge me (and probably others) $220 to diagnose and $695 plus tax to put two wire ties on the harness to supposedly fix (or bandaid) a bad harness.

- Fishers, IN, USA

problem #40

Mar 232024

Q5

  • miles
-Car shut down (engine off, battery still functioning) while driving. Car went into neutral. -Lost power steering and other functions after about 20 seconds of the engine shutting down. -Immediate life-threatening danger while driving to us and surrounding drivers and pedestrians -no inspection or police report yet. -the car has not been driven since the incident and so the problem has not been reproduced yet. Upon inspection of the trunk area (2018 Audi Q5), we found about 4 inches of water. This has been attributed to clogged sunroof drains causing water to flow into the trunk and short out electrical components.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #39

Feb 062024

Q5

  • 190,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated the vehicle was parked during a rainstorm and the contact attempted to start the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test and stated that water entered the vehicle through a fractured seal causing the electrical wiring to get wet. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V947000 (Electrical System, Structure) as a possible solution to the failure however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

- Akron, OH, USA

problem #38

Jan 112024

Q5

  • miles
I have a 2018 Audi Q5. The electrical system basically went into complete failure, and upon taking it to the dealership, was told the sunroof draining system "clogged" and the flooding caused by this caused the damage. After significant research online, I have noted this seems to be a very well-known issue.

- Tampa, FL, USA

problem #37

Aug 182023

Q5

  • miles
For months the car has smelled musty. Last week the electrical lights went on and warnings to not drive the car. Water was discovered in the wheel wells and the computer system appears to have been damaged by a leaky sunroof. On the car fax report it was noted that at 14, 608 miles the vehicle had it's sunroof "replaced/ repaired" with a seal removed and repaired according to an invoice record furnished to us by the dealer. The vehicle ran out of it's warranty in July of this year. We've heard that others have been having a similar, if not the same issue and the dealership has quoted up to $20K to repair. Clearly there has been a defect from day one at 14,000 miles. The car is never parked under trees.

- Sarasota, FL, USA

problem #36

Oct 132023

Q5

  • miles
The car was sitting in the driveway in the rain. I went out to get something out of it and the car was dead, but the back wiper was going, the rear lights were on and the driver side windows went down. I had it towed to the dealer and they told me water had gotten into the area in the back left wheel well where the comfort module is located. The dealer tried to say there was something wrong with the rear hatch but there isn-??t. I-??ve read account after account online of this exact issue happening to other owners and it caused by a defective sunroof drain. It drains right into the rear hatch with the module. They quoted $9000 for the repairs.

- Richfield, MN, USA

problem #35

Aug 182023

Q5

  • miles
Rear Sunroof drain leak into major electronic components. 2018 Q5 with 61k miles after heavy rain started receiving all kind all errors including lights and ignition. Upon inspection Audi service has stated that HVAC control module has shorten (the area with the module in the left rear portion of the trunk filled with water), quoting repair of the module and insisting to replace sunroof drain hoses for total of $5k. Insurance has agreed to cover module replacement due to the flood of approx. $2,5k, however drain hoses and deducible with another $2,5k would not be covered and is on me. Mechanic in the Audi service several times noted that that this is common issue with Q5 and Q7s., I am so frustrated and do not understand how come the Audi car the owner shall be responsible for any cost of such if it is unclear: 1. How and why the water gets there through the closed sunroof in such amount to flood electrical equipment. Are all Audi sunroof seals so bad that they fail in 6 years? 2. I had serviced the car in the Audi for up to 60k, and no one ever cleaned the drains there or advised me of such (all is needed a small note for me)" Why did I pay extra to service car in the official dealerships" 3. How Audi could sell a vehicle with such design flaw, placing weak drainage hose through the electrical equipment compartment, considering they just had a class action lawsuit over sunroof leaking but on different models and model years.

- Staten Island, NY, USA

problem #34

Oct 172023

Q5

  • 48,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that while replacing the battery, he observed condensation near the wiring. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was hoisted up and there was condensation draining from the driver-??s side of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.

- Crown Point, IN, USA

problem #33

Oct 142023

Q5

  • miles
Suddenly car entry stopped working. Warning messages on display about start/stop, engine starting malfunction, every single light. I found the driver rear side full of water where the fuse panel and control modules are located. There was water soaked into the insulation at the bottom of the space as well as the insulation over the wheel well. Water drops were viewed on the controllers in that space.

- Cedar Rapids, IA, USA

problem #32

Sep 252023

Q5

  • miles
Comfort Control Module (J393) is malfunctioning due to water getting into the wiring components and surrounding areas. The rear lighting stops working all together; No taillights, no brake lights, no turn signals, no license plate lights, and no lights when backing up. The problem has been reproduced by an authorized dealer. The component was removed by the dealer and noted of water inside the module and corrosion on the pins/ internals because of the water. The warning lamps occurred at the same time the lights stopped working. There was never any "prior to" warning. The warnings disappear randomly, no set time until they cleared. I am assuming once the module dries out over time is when the warnings start to clear but that is just speculation. UNKNOWN cause of the incident, but water is getting into the inside of the car somehow.

- Queensbury, NY, USA

problem #31

Sep 202023

Q5

  • miles
Start/ Stop system malfunction shown on dash board. Took vehicle to Lynbrook Audi New York on 9/20/23. Water penetration causing multiple damage to electrical systems. Audi states water possibly entering through faulty skylight drain hose ? Quote service charge of $12,028 not including tax, declined service for a second opinion. Invoice # 207805. Paid $271.57 for diagnostic inspection. Vehicle was service at this location on 3/9/22 RO # 188998 Tag w107 Complete Complimentary Inspection on 3/9/22. Vehicle Certified ( pre-owned ) at this location on 12/20/2020 ( paid over 1,000.00)

- Hewlett, NY, USA

problem #30

Sep 212023

Q5

  • miles
Control modules located next to the gateway module that was recently recalled are getting wet and shorting out. Tail lights, brake lights, turning signals, license plate lights, and reverse lights all stop working. Once the area is dry, the lighting works only sometimes. I am not ever sure if the lights work or not while I'm driving and am concerned about getting rear-ended because of the lights being out and me not knowing.

- Queensbury , NY, USA

problem #29

Aug 182023

Q5

  • 72,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving his vehicle, a start/stop malfunction warning message appeared on the display screen. Once the contact made it to his destination, the vehicle failed to turn off after repeatedly pushing the start/stop button. The next day, the failure persisted and the vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic was performed. The diagnostic showed that water had traveled from the sun roof drains into the rear left panel and into the vehicle's wiring module. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #28

Sep 062023

Q5

  • miles
My 2018 Q5 has experienced water intrusion due to the defective design of the sunroof/drainage system, causing water to leak into the trunk and rear left cavity where the ECM and battery are located. After several hours of rain, approx. 2 inches was collected in the location of the battery and was extremely dangerous.

- New Orleans, LA, USA

problem #27

Aug 142023

Q5

  • miles
Warning lights on the dash began to light up about a minute after starting and driving the car. Pulled over, stopped the car and tried to restart but couldn't restart. Apparently water leaked in from the closed sunroof over night and flooded the spare tire well where a control module is located and shorted. Car was serviced by Audi as recommended during the entire time. Had to have the car towed to an Audi dealer and was charged $1,600 to correct after 10 days.

- Southampton, NY, USA

problem #26

Aug 302023

Q5

  • miles
Audi engine start system malfunction continues to go off on the dash and the majority of the exterior lighting has gone into a malfunction as well. The left rear fuse panel in the luggage compartment has moisture in it and on the wires.

- Queensbury , NY, USA

problem #25

Aug 082023

Q5

  • miles
On 8/8/2023 my vehicle was outside in the driveway of our home in Truro, MA. A large storm moved through the area with torrential rain and lightning. Once the rain let up I looked out the window to find all 4 windows down 4-6 inches, the rear hatch was opened with the rear wiper and high middle brake light on. When I ran outside to close the windows etc. I could not start the car the MMI did not come on and I could only get 3 of the windows up. I had to manually close the rear hatch. I put a tarp over the drivers side window that wouldn't close and had AAA come out. They assessed that it was not a battery issue bit an electrical module issue. I filed a claim with my Insurance and after waiting for the adjuster to look at the car I had AAA tow it to an Audi Dealership. They ran a diagnostic test on it and found water had caused the Comfort Module and associated wiring to fail. The estimate to fix the issues was is nearly $12,000. Because of the cost my insurance company is sending another adjuster out to inspect the issues at the dealership. There were no prior issues or symptoms before this issue took place.

- Boston, MA, USA

problem #24

Jul 292023

Q5

  • miles
The comfort control module catastrophically failed. There is video evidence of the condition the module is in. The whole car shut down. Nothing electronic worked. Doors unlocked, trunk opened, gas cap unlocked, couldn't start car or change gears, roll up/down windows, or lock the doors. The dealership has confirmed the sunroof drains leaked water into the rear left wheel well filling it up with water into the trunk where the spare wheel well is with picture evidence of the amount of water. It rained the night prior. There were no prior warning signs or any issues. Everything was working fine until it was not. The comfort control module needs to be completely rewired and the sunroof drains need to be completely replaces. If this happened while I was driving I would have lost complete control of the vehicle as all power to the car was off.

- Land O Lakes, FL, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »