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2018 Audi Q5

Gas
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
1 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11
F
Safety Signal
45 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls1 critical6
Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA201
Crash ratingNHTSA overall5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA25 mpg
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Active NHTSA advisory: do not drive. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and see the recall details below.

The 2018 Audi Q5 is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV. The most efficient version, the Q5, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 201 complaints, most often about the electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Q5GasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo232725$3,100

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 38579.

Factory warranty running out?

The 2018 Audi Q5 is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.

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Recalls (6)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Electrical System

90S9
288,991 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen 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.RiskA gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.FixDealers 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.
NHTSA campaign 21V947000reported Dec 8, 2021Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
▲high

Structure

66K8
174,278 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi SQ5 and 2018-2020 Audi Q5 vehicles. The rear wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach from the vehicle.RiskThe detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.FixAudi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four clips securing the forward part of the rear wheel arch trim, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 66K8.
NHTSA campaign 19V737000reported Oct 16, 2019Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
▲high

Wheels

66K6/66K7
126,161 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach.RiskThe detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.FixVolkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will secure the wheel arch trim with an additional screw and nut, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66K6.
NHTSA campaign 19V416000reported Jun 5, 2019Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

47O9
12,645 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake master cylinder casting may be too short.RiskA short casting can cause a sudden loss of brakes, increasing the risk of crash. The electronic parking brake and its emergency brake function are not affected and will still function.FixAudi has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the brake master cylinder, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 3, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 47O9.
NHTSA campaign 19V277000reported Apr 8, 2019Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
!critical

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

47N8, 47N9, 47N6
Do not drive10,225 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, Passat, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen and GTI and Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reducing the brake performance.RiskA reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.FixVolkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the brake system has been checked. The recall began June 29, 2018. 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 47N8, 47N9, and 47N6.
NHTSA campaign 18V369000reported Jun 1, 2018Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
▲high

Air Bags

VW: 69P4; Audi 69P2
5,947 vehicles
ProblemVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi A7, A4, A6, Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan vehicles and 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf vehicles for driver frontal air bags, passenger frontal air bags or head air bags that may not deploy properly. Additionally, certain 2017 Audi Q7, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, and 2018 Audi Q5 vehicles are being recalled because the seat belt pretensioners may not activate properly.RiskIn the event of a crash, if the air bags and/or the seat belt pretensioners do not inflate or function properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.FixVolkswagen and Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bags and seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
NHTSA campaign 16V955000reported Dec 29, 2016Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
201complaints filed

10 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 5 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2018: 15 · 2019: 21 · 2020: 10 · 2021: 10 · 2022: 15 · 2023: 45 · 2024: 40 · 2025: 29 · 2026: 16

Most-cited components

Electrical System72
Unspecified44
Engine31
Suspension24
Service Brakes22
Structure21

What owners describe

“Two issues. My temperature housing unit is leaking coolant. This car has very low mileage and is barely driven so it is very strange that this part is already defective. Seems the original integrity of the part may not have been good. Second, My Audi pre sense comes on while the car is driving and brings the car to a s…”Jan 20, 2023 · Forward Collision Avoidance · NHTSA owner report
“During a normal service visit it was brought to my attention that the rear suspension coil was broken. They attributed this to normal wear and tear after only 52,000 miles. Upon research it seems this is far more common in 2018 Q5s than it should be this is early.”Dec 21, 2022 · Suspension · NHTSA owner report
“I was trying to park my car in my office parking space, after right turn to parking space, I applied brake to stop, but the car suddenly accelerated and within few seconds it crashed into the office building. I was still applying brake when it accelerated and I could not do anything else. The fact that vehicle climbed …”Dec 19, 2022 · Service Brakes · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆16%
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning.

Other Q5 model years

A

2026 Audi Q5

0 recalls · 3 complaints

A

2025 Audi Q5

1 recalls · 41 complaints

F

2024 Audi Q5

4 recalls · 20 complaints

F

2023 Audi Q5

6 recalls · 49 complaints

F

2022 Audi Q5

8 recalls · 45 complaints

F

2021 Audi Q5

8 recalls · 71 complaints

F

2020 Audi Q5

6 recalls · 25 complaints

D

2019 Audi Q5

5 recalls · 50 complaints

F

2017 Audi Q5

5 recalls · 42 complaints

F

2016 Audi Q5

5 recalls · 77 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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