AI Damage2018 Audi Q5: common problems
Owners of the 2018 Audi Q5 filed 208 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine. The maker issued 863 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 208
- involving a crash
- 10
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 863
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 36% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 15% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 12% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 10% of all complaints
- 6 Forward collision avoidance 9% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 74 complaints (36% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 221.
- Engine: 31 complaints (15% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 29.
- Suspension: 25 complaints (12% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 47.
- Service brakes: 22 complaints (11% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 48.
- Structure: 21 complaints (10% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 81.
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
- automatic, 7-speed
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 208 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 74 | 0 | 221 |
| Engine | 31 | 0 | 29 |
| Suspension | 25 | 0 | 47 |
| Service brakes | 22 | 4 | 48 |
| Structure | 21 | 3 | 81 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 19 | 2 | 6 |
| Vehicle speed control | 14 | 4 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 13 | 1 | 20 |
| Air bags | 13 | 1 | 10 |
| Steering | 11 | 0 | 35 |
| Powertrain | 10 | 2 | 43 |
| Seat belts | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| Visibility | 5 | 0 | 34 |
| Wheels | 5 | 0 | 18 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
There was a warning message when I tried to start my car about a week before. Because it made no sense - like your tires are low - I dismissed it as just a check engine light ♀️ I honestly can’t remember what that ‘odd’ warning said♀️ I’m not alone in reporting this - I’m almost afraid to drive my car
Safety: The air bags did not deploy. The potential for significant injury to me, nearby pedestrians and people in cars was extremely high. Luckily, I was able to brace myself sufficiently, there were no pedestrians nearby and no one was in any of the cars.
On 10/27/25 as I was slowly pulling into a parking space, my Audi Q5 lurched forward and jumped the curb crashing into a tree. Happened too quickly to apply the brakes. No warning indications at the time of the incident. Car would not start and had to be towed to a repair shop.
Fortunately, I could get out of that car and my body was aching due to the seat belt and airbag explosion. (Driver side bag exploded for sure. I do not remember if the other side bag exploded.)
Airbags did not deploy. Both driver and passenger were admitted to the hospital with injuries.
The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to a body shop. The contact called audi livermore ([address], livermore, [ZIP]) and informed them of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 9,000.
4.since it was very warm, I left the motor running so I'd have air conditioning as I placed the sun screen over the windshield. 5.the sun shade is one piece and takes a lot of time and effort to properly install. 6.when I completed installing the sun shade, I noticed the car was moving backwards at less than 5 mph.
As I was preparing to park at my local grocery store in an assigned space I experienced a sudden unintended acceleration. The front end slammed into a concrete retaining wall, causing major damage to both my vehicle and the retaining wall. The car was practically at a complete stop when this occurred.
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 317 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Q5 has 49 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 208, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
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 regarding fault finding and repair information for electric tailgate
- This bulletin provides information about billing for a broken sunroof glass panel
- 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 service information TSB provides warranty coverage information for vehicles with a broken sunroof panel
- This bulletin provides information about leather care and seat repair
NHTSA lists 863 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Audi Q5?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine, suspension. Total complaints: 208. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (19%), windows, sunroof (17%), rust, corrosion (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2018 Audi Q5?
NHTSA lists 863 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 2018 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 2018 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.