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Audi · NHTSA safety record

2023 Audi Q5

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

Owners have filed 43 safety complaints about the 2023 Audi Q5 with the US government. Of those, 6 describe a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 5 people were injured and no death is recorded. 5 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is forward collision avoidance, named in 13 complaints, 30% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers May 2023 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

43 complaints on file

43

Complaints

6

Describe a crash

1

Mention fire

5

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 13 · 30%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 10 · 23%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 9 · 21%
ENGINE 7 · 16%
POWER TRAIN 5 · 12%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 · 9%
AIR BAGS 3 · 7%
LANE DEPARTURE 3 · 7%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 · 5%
STEERING 2 · 5%
TIRES 2 · 5%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 · 2%
0 8 15

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 43.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2024 at 17.

20 15 10 5
23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2023 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2023 Audi Q5. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

5 on file

ENGINE

25V294000 · May 7, 2025

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Q5 Quattro and Q5 Sportback Quattro vehicles. The cylinder head cover screws may have been improperly tightened.
The risk
The screws can loosen, allowing oil to leak and increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the screws as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 5, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 15ZK.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 89,417 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

25V080000 · February 12, 2025

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Audi Q5, and 2022 A7 E Hybrid Electric PHEV vehicles. The high-voltage battery may overheat.
The risk
A high-voltage battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will install advanced diagnostic software , free of charge. Volkswagen will monitor available online vehicle data and contact owners as necessary, to advise them not to charge the vehicle until the battery can be replaced. For vehicles in which online data is unavailable, owners are advised not to charge their batteries until the final remedy becomes available. Repairs will be performed free of charge. This will be a Phased recall. Phase 1 will include Interim letters 2022-2023 model year vehicles. Phase 2 will include Owner letters 2021-2024 model year vehicles, and Phase 3 will include Interim letters 2022-2023 model year vehicles. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed February 28, 2025, and May 7, 2025. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed May 1, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 93AA. This recall expands and replaces previous NHTSA recall number 24V898.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 20,201 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

24V898000 · November 27, 2024

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Audi Q5 PHEV and 2022 Audi A7 PHEV vehicles. The high-voltage battery may overheat.
The risk
A high-voltage battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will install advanced diagnostic software as the final remedy, anticipated to be available in the second quarter of 2025. Volkswagen will monitor available online vehicle data and contact owners as necessary, to advise them not to charge the vehicle until the battery can be replaced. For vehicles in which online data is unavailable, owners are advised not to charge their batteries until the final remedy becomes available. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 1, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 93AA. This recall has been replaced by NHTSA recall number 25V080.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 4,616 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

24V251000 · April 3, 2024

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 Audi S5 Cabriolet, A4 Allroad, Q5 Sportback, A3 Sedan, S5 Sportback, SQ7, TT Coupe, TT Roadster, RS5 Sportback, 2024 A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q8, RSQ8, 2023-2024 Q3, Q5, and Q7 vehicles. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the occupant detection system (ODS) control module may loosen and deactivate the front passenger air bag.
The risk
A deactivated front passenger air bag will not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the passenger seat occupant detection system control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 8, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69GU.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 91 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:CHARGING:CABLE/CORD:ONBOARD

23V842000 · December 13, 2023

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2022-2024 RS e-tron GT, e-tron GT, Q4 e-tron Sportback, Q4 e-tron, 2020-2021 Audi A8, 2019-2024 e-tron Quattro, 2020-2024 e-tron Sportback Quattro, Q5, and 2021-2022 A7 vehicles. When using the industrial 220V/240V plug at the 100% charge setting, some home power outlets may be incapable of handling the electrical current required to utilize the compact charging system, causing the outlet or charging cable to overheat.
The risk
An overheated outlet or charging cable can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Owners are advised not to use the 220V/240V compact/portable charging cable and only use the 110V home charging cable or public charging stations. Dealers will supply a new 220V/240V compact/portable charging cable with an incorporated temperature sensor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's numbers for this recall are 93U6 and 93U8.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 93,196 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

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

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2 injured · crash · towed

My wife and I were in the 2023 Audi Q5 with 1000 miles. I had complained to the dealer and manufacturer that this car was unsafe to drive. On June 9, 2023 I was driving slowly in my community. I tried to stop at a stop sign. NO brakes then at the same time the car had unintended sudden acceleration. We had no control, no brakes and hit a fence and shrubbery and cement fence. All airbags deployed.

NHTSA complaint 11530390. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

2 injured

I was turning left st an intersection. A car just passed and a truck wasn't close coming down the road the collision detection system caused the car to slam to 0. My neck is hurting and my daughter's back is hurting.

NHTSA complaint 11749866. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS

1 injured

May 11, 2026 approx 9:35am. I was in a flat parking area at a gas station waiting for a friend. There were 2 other cars parked near me. No one was in them. Neither were moving. I backed out of my space into a large, empty, open area to turn my car around to have a better view. Because the audi pre-sense chronically malfunctions, I always turn it off before I drive. But I left it on this time because I was only driving about 15 feet in a parking area. I backed out, then stepped on the brake to turn the wheel. While I was AT A FULL STOP, the seatbelt motor started up loudly and grabbed my chest with the seatbelt, slamming me back against the seat. No one was there. No cars were moving. I was

NHTSA complaint 11738774, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire

Component/System: Engine. The vehicle was destroyed by fire but the remains are available for inspection depending on insurance/salvage status. Safety risk: Around [XXX] on [XXX], my 2023 Audi Q5 began smoking as I was exiting the vehicle with my [XXX] daughter and then caught fire and was completely destroyed. This created an immediate risk of serious injury or death to me and my child. I live across from a park and there were many children and families nearby who were at risk as well. Dealer/service confirmation: I just learned of recall 15ZK (loose cylinder head cover screws/oil leak fire risk) after the fire. I never received a recall notice despite owning an affected vehicle.

NHTSA complaint 11730710, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
While driving, the Active Lane Assisting warning signal will come on and make warning noise which startles the driver.

NHTSA complaint 11762704. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
On July 23, 2026, my 2023 Audi Q5 suddenly lost power while I was driving on the highway, with no prior symptoms before the incident. The vehicle began stuttering, entered limp mode, displayed multiple drive-system malfunction warnings, and developed a loud knocking sound from the engine area. The loss of power created a serious safety risk because the vehicle could no longer accelerate or operate normally in traffic. I pulled over as soon as it was safe, shut the vehicle off, and had it towed. The vehicle had approximately 74,945 miles at the time of the incident. An independent auto repair shop performed a diagnostic inspection and documented fault codes P030300 for a cylinder 3 misfire,

NHTSA complaint 11753333, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CORRECTION to NHTSA COMPLAINT #11745968 The Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) did not disengage when the vehicle was placed in gear from P to R to D while/after parked in an incline postion (see DTCs -Bozeman Audi invoice, 6/23/26). The EPB is designed to disengage automatically. There was a dashboard warning light --RED--symbol--brake failure that flashed when the ignition was started. The occupants drove the vehicle approx 50 ft before the vehicle's Automatic EBS and/or Automatic Parking Braking (Maneuver Assist) shut down the vehicle completely because EPB was still engaged after gear shifts--R and D. |DTC| Diag 01500060-15TU (202729223) Terminal 75X (Relief Relay for X-Contact). [DTC 01500

NHTSA complaint 11747307, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
Automatic Emergency Braking system engaged when the vehicle was parked on an incline. Unable to release automatic emergency brake when vehicle was started with key. Ignition light warning — RED — symbol — brake failure. Required a tow to Audi dealership. Audi dealership in two states failed to use OMB II reader to scan codes at the time of emergency visit. Vehicle was released to owner without scanning codes at the time of the emergency therefore owner acquired more than 3-4 consecutive drive cycles before scheduled repair appointment 7 days after emergency incident described above because the Audi dealerships in two states (vehicle occupants were traveling long distance) failed to read and

NHTSA complaint 11745968, quoted in part. 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 42 1 —
2024 20 4 —
2022 22 4 —
2021 74 8 —
2020 25 6 —
2019 52 5 —
2018 207 6 —
2017 42 5 —
2016 77 5 —
2015 99 6 —
2014 105 5 —
2013 89 5 —
2012 168 6 —
2011 143 5 —
2010 100 4 —

Other 2023 Audi models

Q4 E-Tron 17 Q7 16 E-Tron GT 13

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Audi on this site — 155 vehicles.

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. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

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