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2018 Audi Q5 Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 6 NHTSA recalls and 208 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

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This model year has more owner complaints than most other years of the Audi Q5

The 2018 model year has more NHTSA owner complaints than the average of the years compared below. Review the recalls and common complaints, and have any vehicle inspected.

D
45/100

High Reported Activity — 2018 Audi Q5

The 2018 Audi Q5 shows high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the issues below and have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.

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6
NHTSA Recalls
6 recalls on record
208
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
10
Crash Reports
In NHTSA complaints
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NHTSA Recalls — 2018 Audi Q5 (6)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Audi dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Disc: Caliper
A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen 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…
NHTSA #18V369000
🔧 Wheels: Hub
The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen 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…
NHTSA #19V416000
🔧 Structure: Body
The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: Audi 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….
NHTSA #19V737000
🔧 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Master Cylinder
A 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.
Remedy: Audi 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…
NHTSA #19V277000
🔧 Seat Belts: Pretensioner
In 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.
Remedy: Volkswagen 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…
NHTSA #16V955000
🔧 Electrical System: Body Control Module/Bcm
A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers 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…
NHTSA #21V947000
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Most Common Problems — 2018 Audi Q5

Based on 208 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Electrical System
67
Unknown Or Other
25
Suspension
25
Steering
11
Engine
11
Power Train
10
Air Bags
10
Service Brakes
8
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Audi Q5 — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2018 model year is highlighted.

2012 4 complaints 2013 92 complaints 2014 106 complaints 2015 99 complaints 2016 78 complaints 2017 42 complaints 2018 208 complaints 2019 52 complaints 2020 37 complaints 2021 103 complaints 2022 46 complaints

→ Recently checked Audi Q5 VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.

→ Decode an Audi VIN — free Audi VIN decoder guide: where to find the VIN and what each part means.

⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2018 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.

✅ Best model years: 2012, 2020 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2018 Audi Q5

Is the 2018 Audi Q5 reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 Audi Q5 has 6 recall campaigns and 208 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2018 Audi Q5 have?
The 2018 Audi Q5 has 6 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Audi Q5?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2018 Audi Q5 are: Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Suspension, Steering. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2018 Audi Q5 safe to buy?
The 2018 Audi Q5 has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 6 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Audi Q5 should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Audi Q5 are: 2012, 2020. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2018.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.