2013 Audi Q5

Routine

Owners filed 89 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. It has been recalled 5 times.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
56,500 milesMedian miles at failure

62 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 010,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine29
010
Steering17
102
Electrical System8
030
Structure › Body6
000
Unknown or Other5
000
Service Brakes5
000
Power Train4
000
Vehicle Speed Control2
000
Suspension2
000
Fuel/Propulsion System2
000

5 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System18V229000
Filed Apr 11, 2018342,867 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can either become blocked with debris from the cooling system causing it to overheat or can short-circuit from moisture within the pump.

Risk. A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4. Note: This recall is in additional to the coolant pump software update applied as a remedy under recall 17V002.

Electrical System › Wiring17V622000
Filed Oct 5, 2017216,913 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad and Q5 vehicles. Contact corrosion within the electrical connector for the auxiliary heater may cause the heater wires to overheat or melt.

Risk. The melted wires can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary heater and, as necessary, update the software, free of charge. The Recall began November 27, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 80C5 and 80C6.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump17V298000
Filed May 3, 2017240,487 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Audi Q5 and 2013-2017 Audi Q7 vehicles. These gasoline-powered vehicles have a fuel pump flange that may crack, allowing fuel to leak.

Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump flange if cracks are present. Flanges that do not have cracks will have a protective film applied. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 3, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20Z8. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 16V-660.

Air Bags › Side/Window17V001000
Filed Jan 3, 2017234,057 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Audi Q5 vehicles. The sunroof drainage system may allow water to soak into the foam surrounding the side head air bag inflator canister resulting in the corrosion of the canister. If this happens, the corrosion can weaken the canister and the inflator could fracture without air bag deployment, propelling fragments into the passenger compartment, striking and causing serious injury to vehicle occupants.

Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy. Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator and either coat it or replace it, as necessary, after removing the surrounding foam, free of charge. The recall is expected to began March 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69P1.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System17V002000
Filed Jan 3, 2017342,867 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 vehicles, 2013-2016 Audi Allroad and Audi A4 vehicles and 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can be blocked with debris from the cooling system, resulting in the pump overheating.

Risk. If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the software so that the power supply to the coolant pump is deactivated if the pump becomes blocked with debris, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 19M1.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Unknown or Other
Filed May 20, 2026FL

There is considerable rust to the point that the subframe has been structurally compromised. I also contacted Audi USA regarding this issue, but they advised that they could not provide any assistance and closed my case. I was instructed to have the vehicle inspected and see what the dealer could do. I have videos and photos documenting the compromised subframe which many Audi Q5 owners have been complaining about.... There are holes approximately the size of a tennis ball.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Feb 20, 2026CA

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

Structure › Body
Filed Jul 30, 2025VA

Took vehicle in for state safety inspection. Found heavy rust on subframe nearly all the way through. Was told if it gets any worse it will not pass inspection next time. Apparently there are plastic rock shields on subframe that trap water causing it to rust. Took it to dealer and they want to charge close to $4000 to replace. This seems like an engineering defect. The vehicle is kept in a garage and doesn’t have any other rust on it.

SteeringCrash2 injured
Filed Feb 7, 2025TX

When at highway speed, the vehicle veered hard to the left without any driver input, causing the car to cross several lanes of traffic and hit a concrete divider at ~65mph. The driver fractured her back, and one of three children in the car experienced injury. The vehicle was declared a total loss by insurance. The driver (my wife) indicated that a similar incident happened at low speed in a parking lot, but it resolved after shut down and restart of the engine. It is my understanding that the vehicle is currently either at or on the way to a Copart lot.

Suspension
Filed Oct 29, 2024MA

I was doing maintenance on car. Had new tires and alignment done. The alignment tech found rotted out rear sub-frame underneath plastic covers. Said that it was unsafe to drive. Had it fixed there. Mechanic had another Q5 on rack, he said it had exact same problem. Tried to find used parts, ALL had rot through the frame. Found a part in Texas that was clean and bought it to replace. Asked Audi USA to reimburse me for the cost as they have a supposed 12 yr rust through warranty. They told me no because it only applies to body parts and that I didn't get it done at an audi dealer. The plastic cover is the issue as it keeps the moisture locked into the part. Audi A6s have the same frame but no cover and they don't rot. This is a dangerous situation and Audi is looking the other way.

Suspension
Filed Oct 15, 2024IN

The rear subframe has plastic "stone guards" to protect the frame from being damaged in off-road conditions. Where these stone guards are attached, the subframe has rotted/rusted large holes. Water and salt from winter seasons can get trapped behind these guards. A subframe on a vehicle at this age should NOT have complete holes rotted through. Let alone a vehicle brand such as Audi, known for quality. The rear subframe connects the rear suspension and AWD drivetrain to the unibody of the vehicle. This is a major safety concern. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer; my Audi dealer denied this could happen. I am part of a few Audi groups/forums with others facing the same issues, and Audi replacing the subframe under the corrosion warranty. This is a widespread issue amongst the forums. There are no warnings or symptoms as of yet. I noticed the holes 3/17/24. The vehicle has been somewhat sufficient to operate. I just don't want to be traveling down the road with my family in the vehicle if the subframe collapses. I am afraid to fully remove the stone guards as others on the forums claimed that Audi would do nothing for them after removing the guards. Being that they are "protection".

Engine
Filed May 19, 2024GA

My audi uses 1 quart of oil every 300 miles. The dealership wants to charge to find the problem. Audi should fix the problem at no charge. I bought the vehicle in February 2023. Was told there were no issues with the car.

Engine
Filed Mar 9, 2024TX

Car started running hot, had mechanic do pressure/ leak test and he couldn’t find a leak. Took it to Audi and they said the coolant pump and thermostat housing were leaking coolant. I’ve researched and it looks like these cars have know coolant pump issues.

Engine
Filed Mar 9, 2024TX

Car was telling me to add 1 qt of oil about every 1500-2000 miles, even after a recent oil change. So I took it to the place I purchased the car from and they replaced the timing chain gasket thing. About a week later the same issue came back. So I took it to Audi to have the same thing replaced. And about a month later the issue came back. Took it back to Audi and they said now the Engine speed sensor seal is leaking oil. I’ve did some research and I’ve found that there is a manufacturing engine defect that causes this reoccurring issue and most Q5 owners have stopped spending money on repairs and just tops off the oil when asked.

Engine
Filed Feb 22, 2024MI

The vehicle oil level low light comes on every 600 miles (excessive oil consumption). I purchased the vehicle in July 2021, and in 2 weeks I had an oil-level light. I called Audi regarding the condition, they talked with the dealership regarding the issue and came back in 2 weeks and stated that the recall was up to 2011. I would like Audi to pay to repair my vehicle, because is a known problem which should have been resolved. Oil Change on 1/12/24; had to put oil in on 2/20/24

Engine
Filed Oct 4, 2023125,000 milesSC

The contact owns a 2013 Audi Q5. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing an abnormal oil consumption. The low oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that she had been adding a quart of oil to the vehicle every 200 miles driven. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

Engine
Filed Feb 17, 2023CA

The coolant system on this car was repaired by Santa Monica Audi in jan 2020. Less than three years later he the coolant is leaking again with dangerously low level of coolant in the engine. This is a real safety hazard and could lead to a fire or engine overheating This is compounded by Audi Santa Monica charging $310 to simply perform a visual inspection which confirmed the water pump and thermostat needs replacing. Even though it’s related to the earlier coolant pump recall, the burden is on the consumer to pay and the elevated Safety risk remains.

Steering
Filed Nov 12, 2022ID

Driving and warning light came on “steering defective do not drive.” Power steering and use of wheel went out, and wheel would not turn or move in the middle of driving down the street.

Engine
Filed Oct 13, 2022GA

This car should be included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V229000. Having the same issues as owners of other Audi Q5 have reported. while driving the Pull over and Check coolant message appears each time in vehicle. Coolant was leaking. The coolant is leaking onto the ground while refilling the reservoir but not coming from the reservoir.

Engine
Filed Jul 11, 2022MS

The recalls were not completed and the dealership is charging for recall work.

Service Brakes
Filed Jun 8, 2022FL

CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO BRAKE THROTTLE OVERRIDE ON VARIOUS VEHICLES. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN REMOVING THE LEFT FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THERE WAS A DELAY WHEN THE RIGHT FOOT WAS APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR. THE DELAY CAUSES THE INABILITY TO MERGE QUICKLY INTO TRAFFIC.

Air Bags
Filed Jun 4, 2022MS

I took my vehicle to Audi South Austin on 6/1/22 regarding my A/C and back up camera not working, continuous oil consumption issue, passenger air bag light turning on, and RPM higher than normal while idling. Christina Turner told me that the wait for my car to be service was 3-4 weeks. She quoted me a price of $275 for each diagnostic test. I mentioned a recall regarding the auxiliary heater and she told me that the recall had previously been completed. I asked her if there was a warranty and she mentioned that it was 12 months/ 12,000 miles and that my vehicle was over that time frame. I have took my vehicle serval times to Audi South Austin regarding the oil and coolant consumption. The first service was on 12/5/20regarding an oil change, multi point inspection, and coolant topped off. I was told if I had any issues with the oil or coolant consumption to let them know. I took my vehicle to Audi North Austin on 2/8/21 regarding my coolant and oil consumption. The told me that I had an oil and coolant leak. When I mentioned the recall of the coolant pump, they told me that the oil leak caused the coolant leak and wouldn’t be covered. I notified Audi South Austin regarding the issues and asked them why they didn’t notice the oil leak during the oil change and inspection. They told me that they would do the recall issue and charge me approximately $5,000 for the oil leak. After showing them the invoice from Audi North of the oil charge being approximately $1,500, they offered

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed May 14, 2022GA

The top of the fuel pump connected to the fuel tank shows hairline cracks and fuel is spraying out of the fuel pump into a well in the rear seat

Electrical System
Filed Mar 15, 2022MS

COOLANT PUMP BECAME BLOCKED IN MY 3.0 ENGINE VEHICLE, CAUSING IT TO OVERHEAT. THIS MAY BE A SIMILAR PROBLEM TO THE 2.0 VEHICLE, FOR WHICH THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN 2 RECALLS. MY AIR CONDITIONER STARTED BLOWING FUSES REPEATEDLY (DAILY TO WEEKLY) LAST YEAR AND THE MECHANIC THINKS IT MAY BE A RELATED ISSUE.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jan 24, 2022UT

The sliding sunroof exploded out of nowhere with no impact while on the Interstate. The glass rained down on us as we were traveling around 65 mph.

20 of 89 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2018
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20263000Routine
202542100Routine
202420400Routine
202343510Routine
202222410Routine
202171800Routine
202025610Routine
201952500Routine
2018202600Do not drive
201742500Routine
201677510Routine
201599610Routine
2014105510Routine
2013 — this page89540Routine
2012168600Routine
2011143520Routine
201099400Routine
200931600Routine
20080100Routine

Compare every Q5 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Apr 11, 2018. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.