Audi Q5 E Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 62 consumer complaints across the 4 model years of the Audi Q5 E (2020–2024) that have at least 5 complaints. 2021 has the most, with 29. Across all years, the part named most often is electrical system (23 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All Q5 E model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 14 | 6,794 | 0 | 718 | — | Too new |
| 2023 | 7 | — | 0 | 509 | — | Too new |
| 2021 | 29 | 10,500 | 0 | 483 | Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years) | Rising |
| 2020 | 12 | — | 0 | 401 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Electrical system23 30%
- Engine11 14%
- Transmission and drivetrain9 12%
- Other or unknown8 10%
- Forward collision avoidance8 10%
- Fuel system7 9.1%
- Brakes7 9.1%
- Wheels4 5.2%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2020: “I understand that there have been recalls for the brake booster in some 2020 Audi Q5s. I have had my brake booster light come on, but my VIN is not in the recall. My car has less than 50,000 miles on it and I should not be having this issue. I think my car should be recalled and this issue should be fixed by Audi. The cost to repair this issue is around $3000.”
NHTSA complaint #11694972, filed 2025-102021: “In several instances, my Audi Q5 has erroneously thought there was a road hazard and slammed on the brakes. It was terrifying. Luckily there were not cars close behind or they would have collided with my car. We took it to the dealer who adjusted the system they call “Pre-sense” but the car still slammed on its brakes for no reason a couple of months later.”
NHTSA complaint #11590488, filed 2024-052024: “4 weeks ago, I noted the front of the vehicle sitting lower than the rear. When it was started, a warning message indicated air suspension failure, then an attempt to correct. The front raised itself and the warning stopped. I took it to the dealer for a charging recall the next day and told them about it, but nothing was found. A month later, yesterday, the same thing occurred, and I took it to the dealer again today.”
NHTSA complaint #11702283, filed 2025-12Other Audi models
2,893 complaintsAudi A6
1,653 complaintsAudi Q5
1,348 complaintsAudi Q7
1,052 complaintsAudi A3
727 complaintsAudi S4
577 complaintsAudi A5
324 complaintsAudi TT
306 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology