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2024 Audi Q5
The verdict
1 thing going for it, 2 to watch.
Cons
Official recall campaigns exist for this vehicle. See the Safety Recalls section for what failed and how it's fixed.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Safety Recalls
11 of 19 owner complaints are about the forward collision avoidance. Tap it in the heatmap to read the real reports.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Owner Complaints
Pros
Earned a strong overall government crash-test rating.
Why we say this — NHTSA — 5-Star Safety Ratings
Neutral
Nothing in this category from the official data.
Take this with you:
★★★★★Crash-test safety
0Safety recalls
0Owner complaints
0% involved a crash or fire
—Combined MPG
ℹ️ Recalls & complaints are reported per model — the same across every trim & engine. Fuel economy (and crash ratings by body style) can vary — use the pickers in those sections.
Safety Recalls
Official recall campaigns. Tap one to see the danger and the fix.
What is a recall, really?
A recall means the government made the manufacturer admit a safety defect — and the fix is free at any dealer, forever, even for used cars. Recalls range from a software update to "the steering wheel can detach," so read the danger line on each one. Buying used? Ask the seller for proof each recall was completed, or have a dealer run the VIN. Recalls also have a quieter cousin worth reading: technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Campaign 23V842000
What's wrong: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2022-2024 RS e-tron GT, e-tron GT, Q4 e-tron Sportback, Q4 e-tron, 2020-2021 Audi A8, 2019-2024 e-tron Quattro, 2020-2024 e-tron Sportback Quattro, Q5, and 2021-2022 A7 vehicles. When using the industrial 220V/240V plug at the 100% charge setting, some home power outlets may be incapable of handling the electrical current required to utilize the compact charging system, causing the outlet or charging cable to overheat.
The danger: An overheated outlet or charging cable can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Owners are advised not to use the 220V/240V compact/portable charging cable and only use the 110V home charging cable or public charging stations. Dealers will supply a new 220V/240V compact/portable charging cable with an incorporated temperature sensor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's numbers for this recall are 93U6 and 93U8.
NHTSA Campaign 24V251000
What's wrong: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 Audi S5 Cabriolet, A4 Allroad, Q5 Sportback, A3 Sedan, S5 Sportback, SQ7, TT Coupe, TT Roadster, RS5 Sportback, 2024 A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q8, RSQ8, 2023-2024 Q3, Q5, and Q7 vehicles. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the occupant detection system (ODS) control module may loosen and deactivate the front passenger air bag.
The danger: A deactivated front passenger air bag will not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the passenger seat occupant detection system control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 8, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69GU.
NHTSA Campaign 25V080000
What's wrong: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Audi Q5, and 2022 A7 E Hybrid Electric PHEV vehicles. The high-voltage battery may overheat.
The danger: A high-voltage battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will install advanced diagnostic software , free of charge. Volkswagen will monitor available online vehicle data and contact owners as necessary, to advise them not to charge the vehicle until the battery can be replaced. For vehicles in which online data is unavailable, owners are advised not to charge their batteries until the final remedy becomes available. Repairs will be performed free of charge. This will be a Phased recall. Phase 1 will include Interim letters 2022-2023 model year vehicles. Phase 2 will include Owner letters 2021-2024 model year vehicles, and Phase 3 will include Interim letters 2022-2023 model year vehicles. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed February 28, 2025, and May 7, 2025. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed May 1, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 93AA. This recall expands and replaces previous NHTSA recall number 24V898.
NHTSA Campaign 25V294000
What's wrong: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Q5 Quattro and Q5 Sportback Quattro vehicles. The cylinder head cover screws may have been improperly tightened.
The danger: The screws can loosen, allowing oil to leak and increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the screws as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 5, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 15ZK.
Source: NHTSA — Safety Recalls · re-checked about every 24 hours
Where Owners Report Problems
Where owners report the most trouble — based on 19 complaints. Tap a part to read the real reports.
Raw count — best-sellers naturally log more complaints than rare cars, so judge it against the peer comparison below, not on its own.
Why don't we show complaints per vehicle sold?
Because no official source publishes sales counts per model — that data is sold by private firms, and the free numbers online are guesses. A rate built on a guessed denominator is a guess wearing a lab coat, so we refuse to show one. Instead we show comparisons where fleet size cancels out or is disclosed: the same model across its own years, the crash/fire severity mix, and the peer ranking below — each with its methodology attached.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 11):
The vehicle exhibits multiple, unresolved safety-critical defects across software and mechanical systems that create an unpredictable and dangerous driving environment. Despite multiple repair attempts, the manufacturer has failed to certify the vehicle as safe for operation. 1. Critical ADAS Failures (Forward Collision/Lane Keeping): Automatic Emergency Braking (Pre-Sense): The vehicle suffers from unprompted alerts and phantom braking incidents, creating an immediate risk of rear-end collisions. Lane Keeping Assistance: The system has experienced unexpected steering pull, which could lead to an unprompted lane departure. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): The system consistently fails to detect lead vehicles in 40% to 50% of instances. The most recent failure was documented via timestamped screenshot on May 12, 2026, around 4:07 PM PT. This defect is reproducible and renders the automated safety suite unreliable. 2. Powertrain & Mechanical Defects: Pneumatic Air Leaks: The vehicle exhibits 100% pneumatic air leaks during acceleration. The service center has dismissively characterized a total pneumatic system failure as "normal," which I find technically unacceptable and a sign of neglected mechanical integrity. 3. Electrical & Starting System: Recurring Ignition Failures: The vehicle has experienced multiple failures to start, most recently leaving my child and me stranded for 10 minutes. Safety & Use Impairment: These intermittent failures compromise the vehicle's utility and the safety of my family. Incident History: The first time this occurred, I called Audi Roadside Assistance, but the engine started approximately 30 minutes later; as a result, I do not call roadside assistance now when it happens and instead attempt to restart it repeatedly. Current Status: I am forced to drive the car in a constant dilemma, knowing it might fail at any time and leave me stranded.
21 Dec 2025 11,743 miles Audi Pre-sense slammed on the brakes while waiting to make a left. Pointing downhill slightly. No cars in the way. Turned it off completely. Was on the the Late setting. Will not stay off.
Audi has a pre-sense mechanism that cannot be permanently turned off. I have almost been hit three times when the Audi brakes FOR NO REASON at all; people almost rear-end me because the Audi comes to an immediate halt. And there is no reason for the pre-sense to engage when it does go off. They are flukes. I am going to get seriously injured.
The vehicle experiences sudden, uncommanded braking on clear roads due to a malfunction in the Audi Pre Sense system. The system falsely detects obstacles and applies the brakes abruptly, creating a safety hazard for occupants and surrounding traffic. The issue was reported to Audi Beverly Hills multiple times beginning July 2023, including through the dealer's online service request system. However, the dealer repeatedly failed to document braking concern on repair orders until insistent during latest visit. In one visit (August 7, 2023), the dealer reduced the Pre Sense sensitivity without creating a repair order or performing diagnostics. At other times, service advisors stated the vehicle was 'operating normally' or refused to record the concern unless it could be duplicated during a short test drive. On August 25, 2025, the dealer finally documented my complaint as 'car would brake randomly' and performed an SVM reconfiguration, but the issue persists. The vehicle is currently used rarely for safety.
The vehicle experiences sudden, uncommanded braking on clear roads due to a malfunction in the Audi Pre Sense system. The system falsely detects obstacles and applies the brakes abruptly, creating a safety hazard for occupants and surrounding traffic. The issue was reported to Audi Beverly Hills multiple times beginning July 2025, including through the dealer’s online service request system. However, the dealer repeatedly failed to document the braking concern on repair orders until I insisted during later visits. In one visit (August 7, 2025), the dealer reduced the Pre Sense sensitivity without creating a repair order or performing diagnostics. At other times, service advisors stated the vehicle was “operating normally” or refused to record the concern unless it could be duplicated during a short test drive. On August 25, 2025, the dealer finally documented my complaint as “car would brake randomly” and performed an SVM reconfiguration, but the issue persists. The vehicle is currently used rarely for saftey.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 5):
21 Dec 2025 11,743 miles Audi Pre-sense slammed on the brakes while waiting to make a left. Pointing downhill slightly. No cars in the way. Turned it off completely. Was on the the Late setting. Will not stay off.
The vehicle experiences sudden, uncommanded braking on clear roads due to a malfunction in the Audi Pre Sense system. The system falsely detects obstacles and applies the brakes abruptly, creating a safety hazard for occupants and surrounding traffic. The issue was reported to Audi Beverly Hills multiple times beginning July 2023, including through the dealer's online service request system. However, the dealer repeatedly failed to document braking concern on repair orders until insistent during latest visit. In one visit (August 7, 2023), the dealer reduced the Pre Sense sensitivity without creating a repair order or performing diagnostics. At other times, service advisors stated the vehicle was 'operating normally' or refused to record the concern unless it could be duplicated during a short test drive. On August 25, 2025, the dealer finally documented my complaint as 'car would brake randomly' and performed an SVM reconfiguration, but the issue persists. The vehicle is currently used rarely for safety.
The vehicle experiences sudden, uncommanded braking on clear roads due to a malfunction in the Audi Pre Sense system. The system falsely detects obstacles and applies the brakes abruptly, creating a safety hazard for occupants and surrounding traffic. The issue was reported to Audi Beverly Hills multiple times beginning July 2025, including through the dealer’s online service request system. However, the dealer repeatedly failed to document the braking concern on repair orders until I insisted during later visits. In one visit (August 7, 2025), the dealer reduced the Pre Sense sensitivity without creating a repair order or performing diagnostics. At other times, service advisors stated the vehicle was “operating normally” or refused to record the concern unless it could be duplicated during a short test drive. On August 25, 2025, the dealer finally documented my complaint as “car would brake randomly” and performed an SVM reconfiguration, but the issue persists. The vehicle is currently used rarely for saftey.
Audi Pre-Sense keeps braking prematurely when there is no car present or in its field of view. The SUV brakes without warning and when trying to make a left turn (happened twice already) or while driving on the highway. When the vehicle brakes without warning there is a chance that another vehicle will drive into the rear of my vehicle or I will lose control due to the unexpected and unwarranted braking action. The problem has been reported and documented my my local Audi dealership repair facility Audi Silver Spring, Maryland. The vehicle has been inspected all three times, they have performed a complete 4 wheel alignment and sensor alignment. They have witnessed and documented the code that the SUV reported, Audi Pre-Sense detected. The dashboard did display Audi Pre-Sense detected all 3 times when the incident occurred. Audi and I both have the documented repair tickets and they are available upon request. Last incident occurred 1400 on 27 September 2025.
I am writing regarding a serious issue with my 2024 Audi Q5, which I purchased brand new and have owned for only 12 months. The vehicle has developed premature rotor wear, which is entirely unexpected given its age, my normal driving habits, and Audi’s reputation for quality. Brake rotors should not require replacement this early unless there is a manufacturing or material defect. This vehicle is still under warranty, and I am requesting that Audi inspect the braking system immediately and cover the cost of any necessary repairs under warranty. Please document the inspection findings and let me know if there is a known issue or Technical Service Bulletin related to this. I am not willing to pay for a component failure that is clearly not due to driver misuse or wear and tear. I expect a prompt resolution and would appreciate a written response confirming next steps. Possible Causes (Not Your Fault) Defective Rotors or Materials – If the metal quality was subpar or warped at the factory, they could wear prematurely. Improper Factory Installation or Torque – Incorrect installation can cause uneven wear or damage. Caliper or Pad Malfunction – Sticking calipers or bad pads can ruin rotors prematurely. Electronic Brake Malfunction – Audi’s advanced braking systems (ABS, brake hold, etc.) can malfunction and overuse the brakes.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 3 of 3):
I was traveling on the expressway and suddenly my vehicle veered to the right. I immediately looked down to see if there was a lane-keeping assist indicator on and there wasn't. I wasn't exactly sure what was happening as no indicator lights were on. I then noticed the vehicle wasn't keeping the speed and it began slowing down. People began honking at me and a gentleman rolled down his window and yelled, "tire". At this point I looked at my driver's side mirror and notice something flapping from the tire rear tire area. Then I heard a loud noise as if there was a heavy duty truck coming up beside me and immediately pulled over on the side of the interstate. I immediately called for help and waited for assistance before exiting my vehicle. The rear driver's side tire was seperated from the rim and damaged the lining in the wheel well. The tire is a Continental Cross Contact. LX Sport 235/55 R 19. The vehicle is 2024 Audi Q5 with the original tires at the time of purchase. The vehicle has 20,785 miles as I am writing this.
The component that failed was the tire/wheel system on a rental vehicle from Enterprise. While driving on a dry highway in New Mexico, a tire pressure warning light appeared. Because we were in a remote area, we stopped at the nearest gas station and added air to the tire. After adding air, the warning light temporarily turned off, so I believed the issue was low tire pressure. However, while continuing to drive, the warning light came back on. We were traveling through an isolated area where towns and service stations were very far apart, and I was attempting to safely make it to the next available gas station or service area. While driving at highway speed, I suddenly heard a loud “boom boom boom” noise. Immediately afterward, I saw the tire detach from the vehicle and roll in front of me before going off to the side of the roadway. I quickly attempted to safely pull the vehicle over. The sudden tire separation created a serious safety hazard for myself, my passengers, and other drivers on the highway. There was a risk of losing control of the vehicle, rollover, collision, or secondary accidents caused by debris or the detached tire. Other vehicles had to maneuver around us after the incident. The problem was not caused by weather conditions, debris impact, or unsafe driving. The failure happened during normal highway driving in dry conditions. The tire itself was not recovered after the incident. An Enterprise representative later asked where the tire was, but due to the sudden nature of the event and the remote location, we were unable to retrieve it. To my knowledge, the vehicle has not yet been formally inspected by the manufacturer or an independent repair facility. However, the vehicle should be inspected for possible tire defects, maintenance failures, wheel assembly problems, or improper installation. The incident was reported to Enterprise, and I contacted customer service multiple times regarding the safety issue and resulting damages and expenses.
Purchased 2024 brand new Audi Q5 with Kumho tires - KL33 235\55R19 from manufacturer Dec 2023. Have the car serviced at the Audi dealership per service recommendation. Tires were inspected and deemed roadworthy Jan 2025. By [XXX] (15 months post new purchase of vehicle) rear tire shredded on highway due to a known detreading issue with the Kumho tires. Causing pulling of vehicle into the central lane on highway. No accident or fatalities. Had emergency replacement of the affected tire and evaluation of the other three tires. It is noted during inspection of the three tires were also worn down atypically for the mileage (19,600). The rear tire on the driver side was also noted to not pass inspection due to early defective wear. All tires replaced, no accountability from dealership. According to the manufacturer warranty these tires would have all been replaced if bought personally (within 5 years of purchase, or under 60,000) , due to the fact the tires came with the vehicle there is no recourse per Audi dealership. Upon further investigation of Kuhmo tires there appears to be a known component regarding detreading of the tires especially with highway road speeds that has caused fatal accidents. Unable to reach Kuhmo tires to discuss accountability regarding gap in warranty coverage and defective tires. Per Audi employee this is a known issue with Audi and the tire company where they would rather pay off damages than correct the problem due to profit loss. My safety and others on the road were put in peril due to placing unsafe tires with known detreading issues on new cars, without any place for recourse when the said defective tires fail. Lack of consideration from Kuhmo tire company and Audi has placed a large population of car owners at risk, as Audi unable to get Continental tires knowingly and willingly opted for cheaper tires with known issues. Looking for accountability from these corporations. Will continue to reach out to Kuhmo for recourse. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 2 of 2):
The vehicle exhibits multiple, unresolved safety-critical defects across software and mechanical systems that create an unpredictable and dangerous driving environment. Despite multiple repair attempts, the manufacturer has failed to certify the vehicle as safe for operation. 1. Critical ADAS Failures (Forward Collision/Lane Keeping): Automatic Emergency Braking (Pre-Sense): The vehicle suffers from unprompted alerts and phantom braking incidents, creating an immediate risk of rear-end collisions. Lane Keeping Assistance: The system has experienced unexpected steering pull, which could lead to an unprompted lane departure. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): The system consistently fails to detect lead vehicles in 40% to 50% of instances. The most recent failure was documented via timestamped screenshot on May 12, 2026, around 4:07 PM PT. This defect is reproducible and renders the automated safety suite unreliable. 2. Powertrain & Mechanical Defects: Pneumatic Air Leaks: The vehicle exhibits 100% pneumatic air leaks during acceleration. The service center has dismissively characterized a total pneumatic system failure as "normal," which I find technically unacceptable and a sign of neglected mechanical integrity. 3. Electrical & Starting System: Recurring Ignition Failures: The vehicle has experienced multiple failures to start, most recently leaving my child and me stranded for 10 minutes. Safety & Use Impairment: These intermittent failures compromise the vehicle's utility and the safety of my family. Incident History: The first time this occurred, I called Audi Roadside Assistance, but the engine started approximately 30 minutes later; as a result, I do not call roadside assistance now when it happens and instead attempt to restart it repeatedly. Current Status: I am forced to drive the car in a constant dilemma, knowing it might fail at any time and leave me stranded.
The dash board lights all came on, windows rolled down, car could not be controlled and couldn’t put the gear in park. After further research on the internet, I found that there was a recall on 288,000 Q 5s in 2021 because of this issue. Dealer said the “gateway system” that controls all the communication died and they had to replace it. I think the 2021 issue is not completely resolved.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 2 of 2):
Incident date: 06/30/25, Lift gate has closed while still trying to retrieve items from the cargo area, it seems if key is on the person and somehow the kick sensor was activated by accident the lift gate will shut down, the vehicle did make a beeping sound yet I was not clear where/what until the lift gate is coming down on me so I had to quickly move, the lift gate was quite close yet no sensor was activated to prevent the lift gate from shutting. This incident occurred prior to this date and I had to manually push the lift gate up since it was even closer to my body. I did some troubleshooting and read that the key should not be on the person, if so then someone can set off the kick sensor, designed for hands-free operation, can be sensitive and might accidentally trigger the liftgate to close if someone is too close to the rear bumper. Some users report this happening even without intentionally activating the feature. This is a safety issue that a vehicle does not have the sensor to detect an object or body to lift back up. A situation where a 2024 Audi Q5 liftgate closes by itself, potentially causing injury, is concerning. It does appear several factors can contribute to such a malfunction, causing a safety hazard. **Please note I have a video from my from home camera yet unable to upload it. I tried my best to take pictures from the video.
2024 Audi Q5, VIN: [XXX] Purchase Date: [XXX] The automatic tailgate has a foot sensing devise to open or close the tailgate. The problem is that when I am loading or unloading from the luggage area, my foot sometimes activates the sensor and the tailgate tries to close on top of me. I have not been injured yet, but it takes a significant force to overpower the tailgate and stop it. This happened on the first day I got the vehicle and has happened at least 5 more time since then. The dealer checked the vehicle and told me there were no problems shown in the OBD. I told them that I would like the foot sensor deactivated or disconnected. They told me they could not do that. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
The vehicle exhibits multiple, unresolved safety-critical defects across software and mechanical systems that create an unpredictable and dangerous driving environment. Despite multiple repair attempts, the manufacturer has failed to certify the vehicle as safe for operation. 1. Critical ADAS Failures (Forward Collision/Lane Keeping): Automatic Emergency Braking (Pre-Sense): The vehicle suffers from unprompted alerts and phantom braking incidents, creating an immediate risk of rear-end collisions. Lane Keeping Assistance: The system has experienced unexpected steering pull, which could lead to an unprompted lane departure. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): The system consistently fails to detect lead vehicles in 40% to 50% of instances. The most recent failure was documented via timestamped screenshot on May 12, 2026, around 4:07 PM PT. This defect is reproducible and renders the automated safety suite unreliable. 2. Powertrain & Mechanical Defects: Pneumatic Air Leaks: The vehicle exhibits 100% pneumatic air leaks during acceleration. The service center has dismissively characterized a total pneumatic system failure as "normal," which I find technically unacceptable and a sign of neglected mechanical integrity. 3. Electrical & Starting System: Recurring Ignition Failures: The vehicle has experienced multiple failures to start, most recently leaving my child and me stranded for 10 minutes. Safety & Use Impairment: These intermittent failures compromise the vehicle's utility and the safety of my family. Incident History: The first time this occurred, I called Audi Roadside Assistance, but the engine started approximately 30 minutes later; as a result, I do not call roadside assistance now when it happens and instead attempt to restart it repeatedly. Current Status: I am forced to drive the car in a constant dilemma, knowing it might fail at any time and leave me stranded.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
02 January 2026 11,910 Continuous error Audi connect installation; error during installation. Error during installation. Please contact support.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
The dash board lights all came on, windows rolled down, car could not be controlled and couldn’t put the gear in park. After further research on the internet, I found that there was a recall on 288,000 Q 5s in 2021 because of this issue. Dealer said the “gateway system” that controls all the communication died and they had to replace it. I think the 2021 issue is not completely resolved.
Many crash/fire reportsSome crash/fire reportsNo crash/fire in reports
Color = how serious (crash/fire involvement) · number = how many (share of all this car's reports). Tap any part to read real owner complaints.
Source: NHTSA — Owner Complaints · re-checked about every 24 hours
Crash-Test Safety Ratings
Official U.S. government 5-star crash-test results.
How to read these stars
These come from the government physically crash-testing this vehicle — front, side, and rollover — and scoring it 1 to 5 stars. Ratings are per body style, so a sedan and its coupe twin can differ. If a vehicle shows no rating, it usually means the government never tested that exact configuration — untested is not the same as unsafe, and we'll never blur that line.
Source: NHTSA — 5-Star Safety Ratings · re-checked about every 24 hours
Fuel Economy (MPG)
Official EPA estimates — the real numbers, not the brochure.
No official EPA fuel-economy match for this exact model. Rather than show a guess, we're leaving it blank.
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE — fueleconomy.gov · re-checked about every 24 hours