Recalls
6campaigns
2 brake · 1 electrical · 1 structure
Source: NHTSA
Complaints
207filed
Owner reports, 2014–2023 shown
Source: NHTSA ODI
Crash tests
5★overall
★★★★★ Frontal 5★ · Side 5★ · Rollover 4★
Source: NHTSA NCAP
Fuel economy
25mpg combined
$2,612/yr at this week's prices
Source: EPA · EIA
Specs
2 L 4-cyl· 7-speed automatic
EPA-listed configuration
Source: NHTSA vPIC
Recalls (6)
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2018 Audi Q5. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Listed for 2018 Audi Q5. Not checked against your VIN.
Control Module Shutdown Can Reduce Engine Power
Electrical system · body control module/bcm
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Volkswagen 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.
- Consequence
- 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 may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90S9.
94.1% repairedof 288,991 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 21V947000
Listed for 2018 Audi Q5. Not checked against your VIN.
Wheel Arch Cover Trim May Detach
Structure · body
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Volkswagen 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.
- Consequence
- 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. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 66K8.
95.2% repairedof 174,278 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 19V737000
Listed for 2018 Audi Q5. Not checked against your VIN.
Wheel Arch Cover Trim May Detach
Wheels · hub
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach.
- Consequence
- 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 Volkswagen customer at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66K6.
96% repairedof 126,161 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 19V416000
Listed for 2018 Audi Q5. Not checked against your VIN.
Hydraulic Brakes May Fail
Service brakes, hydraulic · foundation components · master cylinder
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake master cylinder casting may be too short.
- Consequence
- 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 service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 47O9.
97.7% repairedof 12,645 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 19V277000
Listed for 2018 Audi Q5. Not checked against your VIN.
NHTSA: Do not drive. NHTSA says owners should not drive these vehicles until the recall repair is done. What a Do Not Drive recall means
Insufficient Coating on Brake Caliper Pistons
Service brakes, hydraulic · foundation components · disc · caliper
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Volkswagen 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.
- Consequence
- 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 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.
98.6% repairedof 10,225 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 18V369000
Listed for 2018 Audi Q5. Not checked against your VIN.
Air Bags or Seat Belt Pretensioners may not Deploy
Air bags · frontal · driver side · inflator module
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Volkswagen 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.
- Consequence
- 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 customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
85.8% repairedof 5,947 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V955000
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (207)
207 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The electrical system is mentioned most often.
10involved a crash
0involved a fire
5injuries reported
0deaths reported
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 207 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 74 | 35.7% |
| Unknown or other | 45 | 21.7% |
| Engine | 31 | 15% |
| Suspension | 25 | 12.1% |
| Service brakes | 22 | 10.6% |
| Structure | 21 | 10.1% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 19 | 9.2% |
| Vehicle speed control | 14 | 6.8% |
| Air bags | 13 | 6.3% |
| Exterior lighting | 13 | 6.3% |
How 2018 compares with other Q5 years
Best and worst Q5 years →2014105
201599
201677
201742
2018207
201952
202037
2021103
202223
202350
| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 105 | 5 |
| 2015 | 99 | 6 |
| 2016 | 77 | 5 |
| 2017 | 42 | 5 |
| 2018 | 207 | 6 |
| 2019 | 52 | 5 |
| 2020 | 37 | 6 |
| 2021 | 103 | 8 |
| 2022 | 23 | 4 |
| 2023 | 50 | 5 |
This year (2018)Other yearsStill collecting reports
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Overall★★★★★
Frontal crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 16.4%★★★★☆
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2018 Audi Q5 suv awd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 25 mpg combined
25
mpg combined
23
city
27
highway
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,300
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 363 g/mi
- EPA class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle
What it costs you to run
$2,612per year
$218per month
600gallons a year
Miles ÷ 25 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 L 4-cyl · 7-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 23 / 27 / 25 | $3,300 | 363 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2018 Q5 for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2018 Audi Q5 FAQ
How many recalls does the 2018 Audi Q5 have?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns: 21V947000 (electrical), 19V737000 (structure), 19V416000 (wheel), 19V277000 (brake), 18V369000 (brake), 16V955000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2018 Audi Q5 problems?
Owners filed 207 complaints with NHTSA. Electrical system (74), Unknown or other (45), Engine (31) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2018 Audi Q5 get?
EPA rates the 2 L 4-cyl · 7-speed automatic version at 23 city, 27 highway and 25 combined mpg.
What safety rating did the 2018 Audi Q5 get?
NHTSA rated the 2018 Audi Q5 suv awd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (16.4% rollover risk).
How does the 2018 Q5 compare with other years?
Among the 2014–2021 Audi Q5 model years at least five years old, the 2020 drew the fewest complaints (37) and the 2018 the most (207). The 2018 drew 207. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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