AI Damage2016 Audi Q5: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Audi Q5 filed 78 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. The maker issued 698 service bulletins for this year. We found 6 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 78
- involving a crash
- 10
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 698
- YouTube repair videos
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 33% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 13% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 12% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 8% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 5% of all complaints
- Engine: 26 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 44.
- Electrical system: 10 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 148.
- Steering: 10 complaints (13% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 33.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 9 complaints (12% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 9.
- Engine and cooling: 8 complaints (10% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 59.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 3 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- 2 L · hybrid · turbo · 4 cyl
- 3 L · diesel · turbo · 6 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- automatic, 8-speed
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 78 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 26 | 1 | 44 |
| Electrical system | 10 | 1 | 148 |
| Steering | 10 | 0 | 33 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Engine and cooling | 8 | 0 | 59 |
| Air bags | 6 | 4 | 14 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 1 | 43 |
| Visibility | 4 | 3 | 28 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 1 | 16 |
| Lane departure | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Structure | 2 | 1 | 34 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 23 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 199 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
As a result, I sustained multiple injuries: Severe bruising across my chest and stomach from the seatbelt A head injury and forehead swelling from hitting the steering wheel Persistent pain in my neck, chest, and abdominal area since the accident I have photo evidence of the injuries and damage, and family members who…
This incident definitely changed our lives, I strongly believe that vehicle"s unintended acceleration caused me to crash.
Air bags did not deploy in audi at full stop when struck from the rear by vehicle traveling at speed sufficient for their air bags to deploy. Driver and passenger were both wearing seat belts, but accident resulted in both being hospitalized with injuries.
As I did so, the engine revved and the car lurched forward striking a tree. The air bags deployed and the car was written off by the insurance company. I had noticed a couple of times before that the engine would rev as I was slowing to a stop, but had never had any issues with the transmission.
On several occasions this blind spot almost involved myself in a vehicular accident.
I was parking my car and moved my foot to brake when the car surged forward over a couple of boulders through the trees flipping once and rolling down an embankment. I, miraculously, came out of the incident unscathed.
Side mirrors totally block vision at certain angles. I was stopped at a traffic light on a downtown street. Light changed and I made a left turn and crashed right into a car that was totally blocked from view by the side view mirror.
I was surprised to see that the airbags didn't deploy even though my front lights and hood are totally damaged.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 675 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Q5 has 49 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 78, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has…
This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
- This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations
- This TSB describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases
- This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer
- This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the…
This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the App Store for Android and Apple phones.
- This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped
- This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning
- This bulletin provides information when there is a paint issue on alloy wheels
- This bulletin provides information about leather care and seat repair
- This bulletin provides information about the general approach for brake vibration concerns
- This bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor
- This bulletin provides information on the GFF test plan required for AC compressor replacements regardless…
NHTSA lists 698 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
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Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Audi Q5?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electrical system, steering. Total complaints: 78. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (18%), oil leak or consumption (13%), smoke, burning smell, fire (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Audi Q5?
NHTSA lists 698 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2016 Audi Q5 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2016 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.