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Home›Audi›Audi Q5› electrical problems
Owner complaints · Electrical System · every model year

Audi Q5 electrical problems, 2016–2026

207 of the 700 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Audi Q5 2016–2026 name the electrical system (NHTSA’s “Electrical System” heading — wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading). The loudest years: 2018 (76), 2021 (33), 2025 (20). Filed under the same heading across these years: 8 manufacturer bulletins, 6 recall campaigns, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.

207 complaints, 11 model years 30% of everything filed about the Q5 typically at 22k miles

Audi Q5 electrical problems by model year

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

One row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.

Model yearComplaints naming the electrical systemShare of the year’sTypically atOn file under the heading
2026133%—197 TSBsthe year →
20252047%—990 TSBsthe year →
20241029%—794 TSBs · 2 recallsthe year →
20231527%—765 TSBs · 3 recallsthe year →
20221430%—836 TSBs · 4 recalls · 1 investigationthe year →
20213332%—868 TSBs · 3 recalls · 1 investigationthe year →
20201232%—527 TSBs · 2 recalls · 1 investigationthe year →
20191223%—308 TSBs · 2 recallsthe year →
2018 in depth7637%48k310 TSBs · 1 recallthe record →
2017410%—161 TSBsthe year →
20161013%—224 TSBs · 1 recall · 1 investigationthe year →

Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the electrical system. Nothing here is a rate.

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When the electrical complaints were filed, and at what mileage

Source: NHTSA complaint database
207complaints name the electrical system, all years

Filed per calendar year, every model year together: 2015: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2018: 6 · 2019: 6 · 2020: 8 · 2021: 15 · 2022: 24 · 2023: 32 · 2024: 30 · 2025: 39 · 2026: 45

22kmiles, typically

Across the model years, half of the 34 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the electrical problem between 3,000 and 58,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.

In owners’ own words

Source: NHTSA complaint database

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the electrical system, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.

There is a module under the back seat called the J533 that I am told got wet. This completely shut down the entire car as my wife and child were driving down the highway. We were very disheartened to find out that this is an out of pocket expense for a common thing to happen in the back of an SUV. .
Electrical System Jun 16, 2021 NHTSA owner report
Car suddenly tied while driving in city; engine/all systems shut off. It took several hours for roadside assistance to arrive, and the 1st 2 towing companies could not disengage the braking system to load onto truck!
Electrical System at 24,498 miles Aug 19, 2020 NHTSA owner report
Charging socket lock errors out. Disables charging and inhibits the vehicle’s electric drivability. The vehicle displays the following error: Could not execute action. Locking error in charging system
Electrical System Apr 26, 2023 NHTSA owner report
The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5 E. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle came to a sudden halt as the malfunction indicator light illuminated the instrument panel.
Electrical System at 2,000 miles Oct 11, 2022 NHTSA owner report
The 2025 Audi Q5 has a systemic problem with its Multi Meidia and driver assist features, such as cruise control, side mirrors, back up camera, directional maps, etc, which malfunction at inopportune times causing major distraction while driving.
Electrical System Jun 26, 2026 NHTSA owner report

What is on file about the electrical system, across the years

Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

Recall campaigns filed under this heading, any model year

NHTSA investigation

8 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading, any model year

Every one filed under the heading is listed. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.

From here
Every 2027 model on file, by price Compare two vehicles, trim vs trim See what a VIN was priced at See what owners reported

Common questions

Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communications

Which Audi Q5 years have the most electrical complaints?

2018, 76; 2021, 33; 2025, 20. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2025 (47%).

Is there a recall for the electrical system on the Audi Q5?

Yes — 6 campaigns are filed under this heading across these model years: 25V080000 (2024), 24V898000 (2023), 23V842000 (2024), 21V947000 (2022). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

When do electrical problems show up on the Audi Q5?

Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 22,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 3,000 and 58,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.

What does NHTSA's "Electrical System" heading cover?

Wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.