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Audi · NHTSA safety record

2025 Audi Q5

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

40

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

2

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2025 Audi Q5 have filed 40 safety complaints with NHTSA between July 2025 and July 2026. The most complained-about system is forward collision avoidance, named in 22 of them (55%). The typical failure was reported at 6,005 miles, the median across the 2 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 1 recall covering this vehicle.

Recalls (1)

SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER

26V266000 · April 24, 2026

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2025 Q5, Q5 Sportback, SQ5, and SQ5 Sportback vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat belts may have been manufactured incorrectly, and fail to properly restrain occupants during a crash.
The risk
Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 29, 2026. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69GT.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 7,425 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 40.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 22 55%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 18 45%
SERVICE BRAKES 8 20%
LANE DEPARTURE 6 15%
ENGINE 5 13%
SEAT BELTS 4 10%
AIR BAGS 3 8%
POWER TRAIN 3 8%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 8%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 2 5%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 5%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 5%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 31.

2025 2026
2025 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.

SERVICE BRAKES

2 injured

While driving home from the dealership on Route 65 at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle suddenly and forcefully applied the brakes without warning. My husband and I are experiencing symptoms of whiplash including back and neck pain. There were no vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles nearby that would have triggered this response. This was a scary experience, and I am concerned it could happen again in traffic or at higher speeds. This incident presents a serious safety hazard to me, my passengers, and others on the road. The auto was purchased one week ago. Had it in for service. According to the service summary, the Driver Assist System had a coding error, and a hard reset of the module was

NHTSA complaint 11676887, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

crash · towed

I MOVED INTO A PARKING SPOT AND PUSHED THE BRAKES TO STOP BUT THE CAR ACCELERATED AND HIT A TREE. HOWEVER WHEN THE POLICE DROVE THE CAR OUT OF THE PARKING SPOT THE BRAKES WERE WORKING PROPERLY.

NHTSA complaint 11706201. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

towed · 12,000 miles

The contact owns a 2025 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the panoramic sunroof glass exploded without impact. The contact pulled over at a pit stop to inspect the vehicle. Despite the failure, the contact resumed normal driving with shards of glass falling from the sunroof. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and agreed to have the vehicle towed to the dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired and remained with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

NHTSA complaint 11724561. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
On XXX at approximately 5:00 PM, my 2025 Audi Q5 (VIN: [XXX]) initiated an unprovoked forward collision warning and emergency braking intervention while I was traveling at approximately 57–58 mph on [XXX]. Road conditions were clear and dry. Weather was sunny. Adaptive Cruise Control was not activated. I was the sole occupant of the vehicle. A vehicle was making a lawful turn onto the roadway from a T-intersection. There was substantial distance between my vehicle and the turning vehicle. No collision risk existed and no evasive action was required. Despite this, the vehicle's forward collision system overrode my control and initiated emergency braking without cause. As a result of the

NHTSA complaint 11753919, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
•XXX: Purchased new 2025 Audi Q5. •XXX Dashboard displayed "Check Tire Pressure" warning for all tires. •XXX: Service at Audi Marin - Reported hatch malfunction, tire pressure concerns, and repeated rollback after brake release during service visit. •XXX: Vehicle displayed "P Not Possible. Risk of Rolling Away" warning. Vehicle could not be placed into PARK, required roadside assistance (never showed after 2-hour wait), and could not be safely secured. •XXX: While stopped at a traffic light, both front seat belts tightened aggressively without warning. Passenger was a [XXX] child. •Late XXX: Collision avoidance/emergency braking warnings continued. Vehicle remained in use while awaiting

NHTSA complaint 11753760, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I bought this car in 12/2025. After putting approximately 60 miles on the car, the onboard computer would not save the inputted data. Took back to dealership and update performed. Upon returning the car for this work, the adaptive cruise control would shut itself off on the way to the dealer. They could not replicate this issue. Since having the car for about 6 months the car has been in to the dealer approximately 7 times all for different warning lights including having the module needing to be replaced that controlled the A/C. The most recent problem is the vehicle locking up its brakes and rapidly fastening down on the seatbelt while driving stating a red danger message that flashes on

NHTSA complaint 11753405, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I had adaptive cruise control on in moderately flowing traffic on the highway. Without warning the adaptive cruise control on it's own turned off/disengaged and slammed on the brakes. I had not changed lanes nor had anyone moved in front of me. The weather was clear. My safety and the safety of those behind me was put at risk. I've taken the vehicle to the dealer and they have not been able to reproduce the issue yet. They inspected the vehicle and took it for an initial 7 mile test drive, said they didn't find any problems and tried to return the car. There were no warning lamps or messages before or after the incident. I didn't notice any when it happened as I was focused on trying to

NHTSA complaint 11748160, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
The lane keeping assistance system was engaged as we were traveling at approximately 55 mph and started around a right hand curve. The system aggressively jerked the car to the left and with the wheels on the rumble strip associated with the center double yellow lines. There was traffic flowing the opposite direction and we would have been head to head with an oncoming truck had the driver not stopped the car. The car has been to the dealer, they can not reproduce any issues with the system and have asked that video be taken the next time this happens which is not feasible nor safe. I have not driven with the lane keeping assistance on since this incident, this was not the first time that I

NHTSA complaint 11748164, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The 2025 Audi Q5 has a systemic problem with its Multi Meidia and driver assist features, such as cruise control, side mirrors, back up camera, directional maps, etc, which malfunction at inopportune times causing major distraction while driving. Audi has been aware of the problem since 2025 and had a partial patch available in 2025, but did not inform drivers nor make it available unless requested by vehicle owner. Dealers, such at the dealer we purchased our Audi Q5 from, D-Patrick, Evansville IN, did not make us aware of flaws, and kept inidicating that it was or phones or other situations which could be easily adjusted, which was false. We did not feel safe using the vehicle and

NHTSA complaint 11746634, 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
2024 19 4
2023 42 5
2022 21 4
2021 69 8
2020 23 6
2019 49 5
2018 198 6
2017 42 5
2016 77 5
2015 97 6
2014 105 5
2013 89 5
2012 168 6
2011 142 5
2010 99 4

Other 2025 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.

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