Reliable Auto DB

2021 Audi Q5 reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 73 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Audi Q5 over 6 years — 13 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Q5 years here — over the median of the other years, which is 5. NHTSA has 8 recalls on file, including Traction battery, Onboard charging cable, and Internal engine parts.

2012 Audi Q5
Photo by Clément Bucco-Lechat, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
Complaints

73

Per year

13

Recalls

8

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (26 of 73), then Engine (17) and Powertrain (13). Those filings include 2 that report a crash and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Q5 has 25 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2022 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Audi Q5. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (8)

Recall electrical system, propulsion system, traction battery 2025-02-12 · NHTSA campaign 25V080000
Summary 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.
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.
Recall Onboard charging cable 2023-12-13 · NHTSA campaign 23V842000
Summary 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.
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.
Recall engine and cooling, engine, internal engine parts 2022-10-07 · NHTSA campaign 22V753000
Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Audi Q5 Sportback, Q5, 2022-2023 Volkswagen Atlas FL, and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The engine connecting rod bearings may become damaged, which can result in engine failure.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace an affected engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 6, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 13i4 (VW) and 13i5 (Audi).
Recall back-over prevention, display 2022-10-05 · NHTSA campaign 22V742000
Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8, RS7, RS6 Avant, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, Q8, Q7, Q5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, Q5, A7, A6, A6 Allroad, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, A5 Cabrioleet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, SQ7, S5 Cabriolet, E-Tron Quattro, SQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ5, S8, S7, S6 Sedan, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, 2022 E-Tron GT, and 2021-2022 RSQ8 vehicles. Due to a software issue, a blank or black screen may be displayed instead of the rearview camera image when the vehicle is placed in reverse gear. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy Dealers will update the infotainment unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DZ.
Recall Tires 2022-01-26 · NHTSA campaign 22V034000
Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.
Remedy Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.
Recall electrical system, body control module 2021-12-08 · NHTSA campaign 21V947000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.
Recall seat belts, rear or other, retractor 2021-08-05 · NHTSA campaign 21V606000
Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Sedan vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. 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 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).
Recall Rear non-powered axle assembly 2021-04-26 · NHTSA campaign 21V295000
Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.
Remedy Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.

Complaints by component (73 total)

Electrical system
26
Engine
17
Powertrain
13
Forward collision avoidance
11
Fuel and propulsion system
4
Service brakes
4
Back-over prevention
3
Steering
3
Structure
3
Visibility
2
Wheels
2
Air bags
1
Carry handle, shell, and base
1
Engine and engine cooling
1
Exterior lighting
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Fuel system, other
1
Lane departure
1
Speed control
1
Tires
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Show 13 more Show less
Crash-flagged

2

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

2

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

2120211220225202372024132025152026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "We took our 2021 Audi Q5 to the Audi dealership because our vehicle seemed to be skipping gears and making jerking motions while driving. I believe it began happening at least a couple of months ago when my wife noticed…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-09-24
  • "When attempting a left-hand turn, despite the oncoming vehicle already passed me, the Audi auto-breaks leaving me in the center of the oncoming lane and causes the vehicle behind me to almost crash into me. Very…"
    Back-over prevention, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-09-20
  • "VIN number: [XXX]. Audi Q5 Prestige 2021 Mileage 48,540 I have contacted Audi Corporate regarding a catastrophic Transmission Failure while driving. The dealership investigation discovered that bolts had loosened and…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-08-28
  • "On 8/3/26, my 2021 Audi Q5 began throwing numerous different malfunction/error alerts and the engine turned off while driving after a bottle of water had partially spilled onto our backseat behind the drivers side. The…"
    Powertrain, Electrical system · filed 2026-08-20
  • "I was driving at highway speeds when a "Transmission Malfunction" warning appeared, and the vehicle lost the ability to accelerate. Once I was able to pull over and put the vehicle in Park, it completely lost the…"
    Engine · filed 2026-06-29

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2021 Audi Q5 PHEV SUV AWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2021 Audi Q5 SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Audi Q5 Sportback SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Q5 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S7) All-wheel drive 23 28 25 MPG $3200
Q5 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S7) All-wheel drive 25 29 27 MPG / 400 mi range $2950
Q5 Sportback 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S7) All-wheel drive 23 28 25 MPG $3200

Specs and fitment

FY Q5, 2018–present
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 full synthetic (common US fills) , 5.7 qt capacity
Tire size 235/60R18 to 255/45R20 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 18V-369 covers certain 2018 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles (with several Volkswagen models): brake-caliper pistons may have insufficient coating and reduce brake performance. Campaign 19V-416 covers certain 2018-2019 Q5 and SQ5 vehicles where wheel-arch cover trim may loosen and detach while driving. Confirm open campaigns by VIN; multi-model unit counts are shared.

Compare

Previous year 2020 Audi Q5 See every Audi Q5 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Audi Q5 reliable?

Owners have filed 73 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Audi Q5 over 6 years — 13 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Q5 years here — over the median of the other years, which is 5. NHTSA has 8 recalls on file, including Traction battery, Onboard charging cable, and Internal engine parts.

What are common problems with a 2021 Audi Q5?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (26 of 73), then Engine (17) and Powertrain (13). Those filings include 2 that report a crash and 2 that report an injury.

Is the 2021 Audi Q5 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 Q5 has 25 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2022 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Audi Q5 been recalled?

The 2021 Audi Q5 has 8 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Audi Q5?

Owners have filed 73 complaints about the 2021 Audi Q5 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Audi Q5 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Audi Q5 is 25.7 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2019 Audi Q5?

FY Q5 generation (2018-on).

What oil does a recent Audi Q5 take?

FY US notes commonly list 0W-20 full synthetic; earlier 8R 2.0T fills often list 5W-30—confirm the VW/Audi oil standard in the manual.

What tire sizes does an Audi Q5 use?

Common US fits span about 235/60R18 to 255/45R20 depending on trim.