HomeAudiQ5 › 2018

2018 Audi Q5

Gas Compact SUV

20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Specs & fuel economyRecallsComplaintsCrash ratings
F
Safety Signal
45 / 100
FSafety Signal · 45 / 100
6Recalls · 1 critical
201Complaints · owner reports
5★Crash rating · NHTSA overall
25 mpgFuel economy · best combined
⚠️
Active NHTSA advisory: do not drive. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and see the recall details below.

The 2018 Audi Q5 is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV. The most efficient version, the Q5, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 201 complaints, most often about electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy (EPA)

ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Q5GasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo232725$3,100

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.

Out of factory warranty soon?

The 2018 Audi Q5 is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.

Compare coverage →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Data on this page is never influenced by that.

Recalls (6)

Electrical System

high
288,991 vehicles

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.

NHTSA campaign 21V947000 · reported Dec 8, 2021 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Structure

high
174,278 vehicles

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.

NHTSA campaign 19V737000 · reported Oct 16, 2019 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Wheels

high
126,161 vehicles

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.

NHTSA campaign 19V416000 · reported Jun 5, 2019 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

high
12,645 vehicles

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.

NHTSA campaign 19V277000 · reported Apr 8, 2019 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

critical
Do not drive10,225 vehicles

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.

NHTSA campaign 18V369000 · reported Jun 1, 2018 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Air Bags

high
5,947 vehicles

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.

NHTSA campaign 16V955000 · reported Dec 29, 2016 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Owner complaints

201 complaints filed

10 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 5 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.

Filed by year — 2018: 15 · 2019: 21 · 2020: 10 · 2021: 10 · 2022: 15 · 2023: 45 · 2024: 40 · 2025: 29 · 2026: 16

Most-cited components

  • Electrical System — 72
  • Unknown Or Other — 44
  • Engine — 31
  • Suspension — 24
  • Service Brakes — 22
“VEHICLE TRAVELING STRAIGHT ON HIGHWAY AT 70MPH WITH PHONE PLUGGED IN TO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM AND CONNECTED TO CARPLAY. CENTER SCREEN SHUT OFF, AND AUDIO CONTROLS UNRESPONSIVE ON BOTH THE DASH AND STEERING WHEEL. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, WHICH WAS DISPLAYING GOOGLE MAPS, THEN BLACKED OUT, WITH ONLY THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACH…”Sep 29, 2018 · Electrical System · NHTSA owner report
“THE CAR HAS ABOUT 10K MILES. IT SMELLS LIKE UNBURNT RAW FUEL WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED IN RESIDENTIAL INDOOR GARAGE. WHEN THERE IS NO CAR IN THE GARAGE, THE ODOR IS NOT PRESENT. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE AUDI DEALER BUT THEY CLAIMED THE SMELL CANNOT BE REPRODUCED. IT IS A SAFETY, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT ISSUES HENCE REPORTI…”Sep 11, 2018 · Fuel/Propulsion System · NHTSA owner report
“WHEN GOING INTO REVERSE. THE REAR VIEW CAMERA MODE WILL NOT STAY WITH THE "CARMERA VIEW" BUT INSTEAD, REVERTS BACK TO THE "GRAPHIV VIEW". EXTREMELY ANNOYING.”Aug 12, 2018 · Unknown Or Other · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆16%
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning.

Other Q5 model years

A

2026 Q5

0 recalls · 3 complaints

A

2025 Q5

1 recalls · 41 complaints

F

2024 Q5

4 recalls · 20 complaints

F

2023 Q5

6 recalls · 49 complaints

F

2022 Q5

8 recalls · 45 complaints

F

2021 Q5

8 recalls · 71 complaints

F

2020 Q5

6 recalls · 25 complaints

D

2019 Q5

5 recalls · 50 complaints

F

2017 Q5

5 recalls · 42 complaints

F

2016 Q5

5 recalls · 77 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 38579). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

JSON for this page · API