CSR

Audi · NHTSA safety record

2017 Audi Q5

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

42

Complaints

3

Crashes

0

Fires

3

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2017 Audi Q5 have filed 42 safety complaints with NHTSA between March 2017 and June 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 19 of them (45%). The typical failure was reported at 19,750 miles, the median across the 12 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 5 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (5)

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

18V229000 · April 11, 2018

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

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 342,867 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

17V298000 · May 3, 2017

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

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 240,487 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

17V297000 · May 3, 2017

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Audi Q5 vehicles. Due to a manufacturing defect within the gearbox, despite selecting the Park position, the vehicle may still unexpectedly roll.
The risk
Despite selecting 'Park', if the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the geabox in the affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37K6.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 5 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

17V002000 · January 3, 2017

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

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 342,867 vehicles across all model years covered

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

17V001000 · January 3, 2017

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

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 234,057 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 42.

ENGINE 19 45%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 5 12%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 4 10%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 10%
STEERING 4 10%
AIR BAGS 3 7%
STRUCTURE 3 7%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 7%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2 5%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 2 5%
SUSPENSION 2 5%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 5%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2018 at 11.

2017 2018 2026
2017 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 8,200 miles

WE REAR-ENDED A SEMI TRUCK WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AS TRAFFIC BEGAN TO SLOW . THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF OUR VEHICLE WAS BADLY DAMAGED. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE PRETENSIONERS ON THE DRIVERS SEATBELT DID NOT ENGAGE . THE SPEED AT WHICH WE WERE TRAVELING IS UNKNOWN BUT LIKELY MORE THAN 15 MILES PER HOUR AND LESS THAN 40 MILES PER HOUR. THE DRIVER LOOKED AWAY FROM THE ROAD BRIEFLY AND REAR-ENDED THE TRUCK AHEAD . WE ARE EXTREMELY CONCERNED THAT OUR AIRBAGS AND SEATBELT DID NOT ENGAGE. THE DRIVER HIT HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE PASSENGERS KNEES WERE JAMMED INTO THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT.

NHTSA complaint 11030790. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 95,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF ON HER CLIENT WHO OWNED A 2017 AUDI Q5. WHILE DRIVING AT 10-15 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS SPEEDING THROUGH A RED LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TOWED TO THE TOW YARD. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION ON THE SCENE OF THE CRASH DUE TO A BROKEN STERNUM ALONG WITH OTHER UNKNOWN INJURIES. THE DRIVER HAD AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE A DOCTOR FOR A FOLLOW UP. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

NHTSA complaint 11210331. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY

crash · towed · 44,297 miles

HIT A STATIONARY HONDA CRV ON BLACK ICE AT APPROX 45-50 MPH. IMPACT WAS STRAIGHT ON FRONT OF OUR CAR AND REAR OF THE CRV. OUR BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALED, NONE OF OUR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. OUR VEHICLE WAS THEN HIT FROM THE REAR BY A JEEP WRANGLER AT ABOUT THE SAME SPEED. STILL NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE AIRBAGS MAY HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. ACCIDENT HAPPENED IN A 31 CAR PILE UP ON I-68 NEAR EXIT 29. WE ARE VERY LUCKY THERE WERE NO KNOWN INJURIES OTHER THAN STIFFNESS AND SORE SPOTS. OCCUPANTS WERE DRIVER 52 YRS OLD AND FRONT PASSENGER 17 YRS OLD.

NHTSA complaint 11289806. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Coolant tank empty - leaking. Coolant leaking from the thermostat housing to engine. Had to replace the thermostat housing and reseal the valve cover Because the oil leak coming from the valve cover is causing oil to reach the thermostat sear and cause the rubber seal to expand and blow out causing the coolant to leak from the thermostat. This cost me $2,431.00.

NHTSA complaint 11744177. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
My rear subframe is completely rotted out and the dealership I bought it from but a new inspection sticker sold it to me and told me it was perfect condition

NHTSA complaint 11737878. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Oil consumption. Audi Q5 oil consumption in my car is not functioning properly. I have to put oil in it about every 3 weeks or less depending on how much I’m driving.

NHTSA complaint 11713475. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Piston rings failure, large oil consumption and water pump leaking

NHTSA complaint 11712260. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
On 12/13/25 around 8:00am in the morning. I was driving between 20-25 MPH and started to brake for the corner stop sign. I applied the break as I normally would however, the car continued to roll and did not respond to my applying pressure to the brake pedal. No matter how much pressure I apply to the brake the car continued to coast without stopping. I continued to press hard on the break and even pumped the break. After 2 to 3 yards of coasting, the car stopped. I continued to drive the car for another 0.5 miles and the same break problem occurred again. There are no lights indicating problems on my dashboard. The weather was clear and sunny in the morning. There was no rain. There was no

NHTSA complaint 11707450, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
coolant is leaking from pump and tstat housings. pump was replaced in 2018 and 2019 by audi due to audi recall. now it is leaking after only 6 years. seems like faulty materials and creates hazardous situation. leaks confirmed via diagnostics by Premier1 auto and certified technician. first received low coolant indicator light in May. filled coolant. then within a couple of weeks it was significantly low again.

NHTSA complaint 11668736. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Audi Q5

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 40 1
2024 19 4
2023 42 5
2022 21 4
2021 69 8
2020 23 6
2019 49 5
2018 198 6
2016 77 5
2015 97 6
2014 105 5
2013 89 5
2012 168 6
2011 142 5
2010 99 4

Other 2017 Audi models

Every Audi on this site — 147 vehicles, 216 recall campaigns and 0 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst