AI Damage2021 Audi Q5: common problems
Owners of the 2021 Audi Q5 filed 74 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine. The maker issued 1,128 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 74
- involving a crash
- 2
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 1,128
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 36% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 23% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 18% of all complaints
- 4 Forward collision avoidance 15% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 4% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 4% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 27 complaints (36% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 352.
- Engine: 17 complaints (23% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 51.
- Powertrain: 13 complaints (18% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 59.
- Forward collision avoidance: 11 complaints (15% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 5.
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (5% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 45.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · hybrid · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2 L · plug-in hybrid · turbo · 4 cyl
- dual-clutch (DCT), 7-speed
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 74 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 | 27 | 0 | 352 |
| Engine | 17 | 1 | 51 |
| Powertrain | 13 | 0 | 59 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 11 | 0 | 5 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 2 | 45 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 113 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 48 |
| Steering | 3 | 1 | 41 |
| Backover prevention | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 20 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 51 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 16 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Reverse car went full throttle, brakes did not work, car stopped in reverse when it hit a tree. Seat belt did not tighten,
I had no brakes. I then tried to steer towards the side of the road and the steering wheel completely locked up and I was not able to steer. I slid 150 feet down the hill and into a ditch. No brakes and no steering. There must have been a failure of some kind. Terrifying.
Vehicle Information: 2021 Audi Q5 Component Affected: Electrical System / Electronic Control Unit (Body Control Module / BCM2) Description of Safety Defect: The vehicle suffered a catastrophic failure of the Body Control Module (BCM / BCM2) caused by water ingress originating from a defective rear sunroof drainage…
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 a change in driving dynamics. She is the vehicle's sole driver.
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 the fluid was not getting to the transmission and it stopped dead while I was driving.
My sunroof vent was blocked and water went into my trunk where the core module is. I had just come to a red light to turn on to a major highway and my car began to smell like fuel. I rolled down the windows and realized the smell was not as strong as inside.
The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the vehicle decelerated before the vehicle stalled. During the failure, the check engine, oil, and coolant warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed.
In fact, it was such a nice day, the sunroof was open and windows were down. My dog was in the back seat after just being picked up from grooming happily enjoying the day with his head out the window. I was on a road with the speed limit of 30. I was going 30 mph. Nothing unusual.
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 708 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Q5 has 49 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 74, 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.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
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 when the starter/generator drive belt is noisy or came off
- This bulletin provides information when there is a warning message in the instrument cluster about…
- 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 bulletin provides information when there are stails/marks on the sill panel trim
- This TSB describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases
- This bulletin provides information when the rear parking sensor sometimes does not work, rear parking…
This bulletin provides information when the rear parking sensor sometimes does not work, rear parking sensor loose, rear parking sensor fault message.
- This bulletin provides informaiton when DTC B200FF0 is stored
- 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.
NHTSA lists 1,128 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 2021 Audi Q5?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine, powertrain. Total complaints: 74. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (23%), windows, sunroof (18%), loss of power / limp mode (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2021 Audi Q5?
NHTSA lists 1,128 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 2021 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 2021 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.