2015 AUDI Q5 Recalls, Complaints & Safety

The contact owns a 2015 Audi Q5. The contact stated that the rear subframe was extremely rusted and could not pass a safety inspection. The vehicle was driven to the dealer, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 82,351.

The contact owns a 2015 Audi Q5 equipped with Firestone Tires, Tire Line: Firehawk A/S, Tire Size: P235/55/R19, DOT Number: 1RBE793E9. The tires were purchased in 2022. While the contact’s wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle, and the rear driver’s side tire had a blowout. The contact's wife was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact was unsure if the tire was replaced or if the vehicle was driven to the residence nearby with the blowout tire still on the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a tire specialty shop, where the rear driver’s side tire was replaced. On another occasion, while the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver heard an abnormal sound before rear passenger’s side tire had a blowout. No warning lights were illuminated. A passerby assisted the contact's wife in changing the tire. On another occasion, while the contact’s wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver’s side front tire had a blowout. The contact changed the flat tire once the vehicle was driven back to the residence. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the inside of the tire, where the bead of the tire meets the rim, was cracked. The contact noticed tire crazing all over the tire, and that the inside of the tires showed deep cracks. The contact stated that the other two tires showed the same failure. The tire manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The tire failure mileage was approximately 130,000. The vehicle failure mileage was unknown.

1.What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? EPC light is on, car stalled on highway towed in Audi Dealership Jan/2023, On August 18, 2025 The vehicle experience catastrophic engine failure, electrical issues, coolant system defects,and currently inoperable and safety risk. 2.How was your safety or safety of others put at risk? vehicle stalled on street potentially public safety risk. 3.Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, Audi dealership service center recommendation buy $22,000 for brand new engine . 4.Has the vehicle or component been inspected by manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Inspected by Audi Dealership Service Center, and State Farm claims representative. 5.Were there any warning lamps, message or other systems of the problem prior to the failure, and when they first appear? When did first appeared a problem EPC light goes off and on January 17, 2023, loss of engine power, oil/coolant leaks, and etc.

Engine consumed a quarter of oil every 300 miles. The EPC light and engine light illuminated. The vehicle went into limp mode. I had the vehicle towed to a certified mechanic.Vehicle was inspected by a certified mechanic and will need a new engine. Engine only has 85,000 miles and oil was changed every 5000 miles.

The cooling system failed without warning! As I’m driving on the highway my vehicle began smoking! I smelled a burnt smell! Upon getting off the highway , I noticed my coolant had leaked almost completely out! I check my vehicle every morning before work as I drive through three counties to get to work and my coolant was full as I had just topped it off that morning! Upon inspection it was found from a local mechanic to be the water pump! My truck was fine last month upon getting a n inspection.

i have had necessary service checks; however, the spark plugs keep getting burned out. the car is barley 10 yrs old i have replaced the spark plugs 4 times this year alone. Its like every 2 months for the last year. this is abnormal

Rear subframe rusted out at only 85,000 miles

2015 Audi Q5 Quattro (all wheel drive). During recent inspection the vehicle was found to have extreme corrosion, cracking, and structural failure of the rear subframe and subframe crossmember. The rear steel subframe is manufactured as an assembly. The rear subframe assembly supports all of the rear suspension components and rear drivetrain and drivetrain components. My vehicle is always garaged and no other corrosion was found during inspection of the entire vehicle. The finding is a manufacturing defect that is only isolated to the rear subframe assembly of the vehicle. Due to the extreme nature of corrosion and cracking found on the subframe assembly this should be considered a high priority warning for Audi Q5 owners. A total failure of all rear suspension and drivetrain components may result.

Vehicle: 2015 Audi Q5 2.0T VIN: [XXX] At around 70,000 miles, my vehicle began consuming engine oil abnormally. I received a low-oil warning and had to add 1 quart every 1,000 miles. I first approached an authorized Audi dealer at 75,000 miles, who inspected the vehicle and stated this was “normal for older vehicles” and found no issues. However, the problem worsened rapidly. By 79,000 miles, I visited a second Audi dealer who acknowledged that this was a common problem in this engine type. They quoted me $16,000–$20,000 for a full engine replacement, stating they could not replace pistons alone. At 80,000 miles, my car now consumes 1 quart of oil every 200 miles. The oil warning light comes on frequently. I am forced to carry oil and top off multiple times per week. This is not normal wear for a luxury vehicle with regular maintenance. This condition creates multiple safety risks: •Sudden engine seizure or power loss if oil runs too low, especially while driving at highway speeds. •Loss of steering/brake assist due to oil pressure failure. •Increased fire risk from leaks or overheating. •Frequent roadside stops to add oil, risking exposure to traffic. •Distraction while driving due to monitoring oil levels. •Environmental hazard from oil spills. The engine remains available for inspection. The vehicle has only been inspected by Audi dealerships. Audi should be held accountable for a defect that compromises safety and reliability at relatively low mileage. I urge NHTSA to investigate and take appropriate action. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

System does no longer work. Audi Montgomery inspected the vehicle and deamed that both side blind spot warning components have failed. People come to trust the system and when it fails they would lane change, not be warned and cause an accident. Dealer comfirmed failed components. Opened a concern with Audi USA and was told I am responsible for repairing the failed system. 6/19/2025.

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally report a serious safety issue involving my 2015 Audi Q5 TDI (VIN # [XXX] ), which has developed severe corrosion on the rear subframe. I am the original owner of this vehicle, which has 92,700 miles and has been garage-kept and exclusively serviced by authorized Audi dealerships since purchase. On [XXX], following a failed Virginia State safety inspection, the vehicle was inspected by Audi of Chantilly, VA. Their service department confirmed that the rear subframe is cracked due to extensive rust and recommended immediate repair. I have attached both the inspection report and supporting photographs. This is not an isolated case. Numerous Audi Q5 owners have documented similar corrosion on the rear subframe, often attributed to a plastic cover that traps moisture and accelerates rusting. This appears to be a design defect with potentially dangerous implications. As it stands, the vehicle is not drivable. The compromised subframe poses a serious risk of structural failure while in motion, increasing the potential for loss of control, a crash, or injury. The dealership has estimated repairs at over $9,000, which I am currently seeking coverage for through Audi Customer Service. However, Audi has indicated that their corrosion warranty covers only body panels—not subframe components—despite the fact that the defect stems from their design. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2015 Audi Q5. The contact stated that there was an abnormal leak underneath the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start up as intended. The contact stated that the coolant reservoir was refilled; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was diagnosed on the scene by an independent mechanic, who determined that water pump had failed. The independent mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V229000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Common problem with engine cooling systems and oil systems failing. Failing emissions because of this and overheating with risk of fire. Common problem with the Q5s. Which some of them are recalled but not my 2015 q5 premium for some reason.

I've reported multiple times to my dealer about the oil comsumption back in 2022 and work was performed on the vehicle in the prior year to fix leak and brake noise issue since approx 2021 on my 2015 Q5 that currently only has 65,000 miles. No warning indicator presents regarding the brakes. However oil indicator and engine light icons display. I'm constantly checking the oil indicator level to see how much is still in the and then add add once it shows thats its extremly low. I have to do this everytime I am about to use the car. This can be dangerous at times since there's no indication that its very low and its not seen unless you go into the "car" section that shows the level, it has no alert display for the level. All required diagnostic and maintenance services have been performed with the dealer. When inspecting the brake issue they always come back with no findings say that no issue could be found, howeve when I'm driving it, it sqeeks and makes a grinding sound all the time. This has been going on for quite a few years. As for the oil consumption issue, this isssue has been in recent years and both times this has been looked into by the dealer I was informed that its not covered under any manufacturers warranty and would cost me approx. $10,000.00 for them to repair it or I could trade it in. This is a very expensive luxury car and at this low milage shouldn't have these types of issue. I've seen on various car sites that both the oil comsumption and piston issue is a known issue with this model Audi and that issue occurs aournd 60,000 miles but was rectified for the models that came after 2015. I wish I had know this before making this purchase. Now the driver seat adjusting panel is broken, this came out of no where about four weeks ago with no warning. I haven't received any recall notifications since my Audi Care coverage expired, not sure why this would stop because I didn't continue this service.

My words: An overheated electrical connection near the fuel tank overheated, thus cutting off the fuel pump system. This is similar to other fuel pump recalls with Audi A3 vehicles. BEGINNING OF MECHANIC REPORT: Concern? = Customer states he was on a trip driving on the highway, parked it and it wouldnt restart. Vehicle is cranking and not starting. Codes were pulled from the vehicle is there are fuel pump related codes. Cause = Confirmed concern vehicle does not start. fault codes P0087, p3073, p3043, removed rear seat and checked pump control module. found power supplied to control module but no power to pump. also found connector to control module melted. advise replacement of control module, in tank pump, and control module connector to start." END OF MECHANIC REPORT The markings on the fuel pump control module are as follows, line by line: "VW emblem" "Audi emblem" Germany 1j0 973 726 >PBI< FEP 1/3 3699

After paying to run an inspection test recommended by Audi USA, it was confirmed that the issue of the excess oil consumption was with the piston, and they also recommended changing the engine. It puts me at risk every time I drive the car because I am not sure how much oil my car has at this point. I have been reporting to the dealer my observation of excessive oil consumption. They kept telling me that it was because my car was old. I have an Audi Q5 2015 with 85,600 miles. I have done all my manufacturing maintenance at the dealer, so they have records that I do take care of my car. I paid to run a diagnostic test suggested by Audi USA. I was told that I have to pay about $30,000 to fix the engine ($13,000 + for the piston and $17,000 + for the engine). The car started warning me that it needed oil soon. I reported it to Audi USA and told them that this issue was one of the recalls done in 2017. I was told that I did not qualify for any coverage because it was only for cars that had an issue in 2017. Now, at 85,600 miles, I am using almost two-quarters of an ounce for every 1,000 miles. I called Audi USA over a month ago, and they asked me to take my car to the dealer so that they could run the test. I had to pay for the test only to confirm that I needed to change the engine and piston. This is a costly luxury car, and nobody should be going through this issue. Audi is responsible for this manufacturing defect.

Recently purchased a used vehicle from this dealership that there is a major issue with the drive train including the cv axel and also an issue with the tires that are on the vehicle. One of the tires had gone flat so I took it to the local Les Schwab to have it inspected and was told that I could not repaired it and that they could not sell me and put on the one tire because the vehicle manufacturer size was not met and that it can cause a danger on my 2015 Audi Q5 premium plus. The tire size that was on the vehicle that was purchased is 255/35ZR19, the manufacturers size is 235/55R19 per the les Schwab it can damage the vehicle and decrease the performance of the function of the vehicle which also impacts the speedometer reading and also the mileage tracking adding additional strain on the vehicle as well as decreasing its value faster. The vehicle is an all-wheel drive car and have the incorrect size is a safety concern as well as increasing the amount of mile that are driven that are artificial, also messing with the speedometer reading to have to go 10 mile over the limit to make it go the correct speed, this makes the computer think the vehicle is driving more mile than it is. I have informed the dealer of the issues, and they have refused to help and state that there is nothing to be concerned about. This information was not disclosed to me when purchasing the vehicle.

Level sensor on left rear suspension failed, causing headlights to be pointed downward and not safely lighting the road ahead. The sensor failed due to poor design, metal-to-metal ball and socket linkage in a corrosion-assured location under the car. When the metal-to-metal ball and socket corroded and froze, resulting load caused the sensor linkage to break. A search of Audi forums indicates that this problem is not uncommon, and this same sensor design is used in other Audi models and variants.

The Audi Q5 was new in 2015 and I am the original owner. The vehicle has 135,600 miles on it. During an oil change visit to my repair shop, they informed me of significant rust corrosion to the subframe. My Audi dealer in Chantilly acknowledged that subframe rust was a design flaw on model years 2014, 2015, and 2016. Audi will not cover this under their 12 Year Rust Corrosion Perforation warranty. I believe this to be a significant safety hazard to the owners and their families who are still driving their Q5 without knowledge of the impending disaster. Impending disaster could be a subframe collapse at highway speed.

Audi Dealer inspection report said severe rear sub frame rust is a safety issue and requires replacement

The contact owns a 2015 Audi Q5. The contact stated when the vehicle was driven to the independent mechanic for an inspection for a possible oil leak, the mechanic observed that there was a significant amount of corrosion on the rear sub frame of the vehicle. The contact was advised by the mechanic that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the extreme corrosion of the rear sub frame. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

Cylinder #3 lost compression, down to 30 psi from 170 psi, causing the car to lose power and run extremely rough or not run on occasion. This is a safety hazard, especially risky for highway driving. There were no warning messages, car just start running very rough or wouldn't start. Such loss of compression has been reported by an Audi service manager who says Cylinder #3 is known to have this issue, but there is no recall for it yet. The problems began in May 2021. The car was drinking/consuming oil frequently and occasionally running rough. It was taken to multiple mechanics to identify the issue. Fixes included changing spark plugs, coils, and the PCV valve to provide temporary solutions at best. 5/24/21 increased consumption of oil began 9/9/22 rough idle, spark plugs replaced 10/14/22 rough idle and burning oil, taken to a service shop, replaced the PCV valve 7/12/23 rough idle again, spark plugs replaced again under warranty 2/14/24 - rough shake again, spark plugs replaced again and dead cylinder #3 confirmed

Sub frame is rusted out. Major safety issue. Confirmed by 3 independent auto repair shops. Removing and replacing the rear sub frames. $ 1800.00

I was driving down the road when the steering stop working and I could not control the direction that the tires moved. The direction of steering would not respond to my movements and I was unable to control the car. I was able to break and bring the car to a stop, however, if I were moving at a much faster speed this would have been extremely dangerous. I brought the car to our mechanic and we were informed that the tie rods were broken, the threading on the attachment pieces was completely rusted out and the threads were bare. The piece simply came apart and was malfunctioning. No warning signs or service lights came on in the vehicle before this happened and we had no indication that there would be an issue with the steering when operating the vehicle. Our mechanic told us this was one of the most dangerous things he's ever seen happen in a car and that our life was at risk. We regularly have our car inspected and serviced and there was no indication that this would happen. Our car had a major engine problem in August 2023 and was at the Valenti Audi Dealership in Waterbury, CT, during that time the car was inspected and we were not told the tie-rods had any problems.

We have never had an issue with the vehicle until we recently faced very cold Temps (-10 to -20). Was driving the vehicle, with no issues, and stopped to get gas. Upon restarting the vehicle it displayed a power steering error with a do not drive. The steerling lost all power steering function and was extremely hard to turn. We let the vehicle sit and restarted it 3-4 times and on the fourth try, the error went away and there was no further issues with the power steering on this (first) occasion. This has now happened intermittently since the first occurrence (even with very cold Temps) but with no regularity. Not sure if this is a malfunction or if there is something in need of replacement. It is extremely concerning.

in 2017 Audi repaired a leaky fuel pump in my Q5 due to a recall. My vehicle now has less than 35k miles since that repair and the new-replacement fuel pump flange is failing again. Fuel was coming out and created a significant fire risk to life and property. Audi has refused to deal with the issue and speaking with mechanics at 3 dealerships revealed that the replacement parts are failing at an alarming rate. I would like this looked into.

Complete hydraulic brake failure while on an interstate going 75mph. No warning, just sudden loss of regular and emergency brakes. I was able to cross 4 lanes of traffic to get to the shoulder where I waited absolutely terrified of being rear-ended for the two hours it took for a tow truck to arrive. My repair place was shocked at the problem, considering the car was 8 years old with low mileage. They found the only after-market part in the entire country and repaired it for under $2000 when they initially thought it would be $6000.

The contact owns a 2015 Audi Q5. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was discovered that oil had leaked into the engine coolant. Due to the failure, the oil cooler was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where an oil consumption test was performed. The test showed that the piston rings were defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

The car presently has about 92,000 miles on it. Around 80,000 miles (back over the winter) the oil light started to come on indicating I'm down a quart or so. I would find myself putting in a quart of oil every 1,000 miles or so. It has progressed. I understand the vehicle has a problem with the piston ring design such that the ring allows excess oil into the chamber and the ring itself might shatter. The problem, at best, prevents acceleration and deceleration...problematic on or off a highway. At worst, the ring shatters and engine stops. The 2012 - 2017 models and other models were involved in class action lawsuits. The 2015 escaped that litigation somehow. Though I'll be taking it to an Audi dealer for an oil consumption test as recommended. No one has yet to inspect the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2015 Audi Q5. The contact stated that after taking the vehicle to the dealer for service, the dealer determined that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to severe rust on the rear subframe. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 75,200.

Car worked fine with no signs of any issues or concerns. I stopped at a light and the car turned off as the start-stop system normally does. However when the light went green, the car would refuse to start flashing "Steering Malfunction, Do not drive"... I'm at a light on a highway, what do you mean "do not drive"! The power steering was completely lost and it seems because of it, the entire system would refuse to allow the car to even start. The car had to eventually be pushed off the highway after causing an incredible amount of traffic and then towed. I contacted Audi and they appear to know about this issue, however will only warranty a very specific fault code, and will not honor any other faults in the system or any car that doesn't have a perfect history. Estimated cost to repair this absurd faulty steering rack according to online sources is almost $4000. Audi even recalled this system on they're higher package cars like the SQ5 but still wont recall this system in the Q5 line up.

Faulty pistons, piston rings and piston heads responsible for excessive oil consumption. Excessive oil consumption occurs because the combustion chamber is not properly sealed off from the Audi turbo engine parts that need to remain lubricated. Because of inadequate lubrication, fragments of the piston rings flow through the Audi 2L turbo engines and damage important components. As a result, our 2015 Audi Q5is at risk for immediate loss of engine power. There is currently a class action law suit against Audi for this problem for cars in this year range, but nothing has been solved.Audi's answer to this problem is to bring the car in every 300-500 miles for free oil top offs. This does NOT solve the underlying problem nor eliminate the deadly risk of total engine failure. People are driving around in vehicles at risk for complete failure. The Audi dealership states that to replace piston rings, it will cost between $10,000 and $12,000. Absolutely unsafe and unacceptable.

My 2015 Q5 is experiencing excessive oil consumption and has failed the oil consumption test. This is a known defect in older cars for which there was a successful class action suit and now it seems that this defect is also present in certain Audi cars between 2010-2017. The excessive oil consumption stems from a piston and ring defect. The defect is causing the cars' pistons and piston heads to break off into pieces. This causing a number of problems requiring costly repairs and makes the car unsafe to drive. In addition to excessive oil consumption, the car can experience a sudden loss of power while driving (which is a safety issue) and engine knocking. My mechanic has inspected the car, run the oil consumption test (which the car failed) and told me that the piston and rings need to be replaced. He also stated that he has seen this in Audi's and that it is a known problem. Currently, my low oil light is coming on every 800 miles (normal would be 5000+miles). You are welcome to inspect my car at any time.

The contact owns a 2015 Audi Q5. The contact stated that water was leaking into the vehicle through the sunroof. The contact stated that water also soaked into the foam surrounding the side head air bag inflator canister. The contact stated there was mold in the rear passenger’s and driver’s side seats and inside the trunk. The contact stated that the battery and electrical equipment were under water and covered in mold. The vehicle was towed to a service station where it was inspected and determined that water had leaked through the sunroof and the surrounding foam needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V001000 (Visibility, Air Bags). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed at the dealer, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

When I reached approximately 101,000 miles my low oil indicator yellow light came on. The car does not have a dipstick so I could not manually check this. I thought the oil level sensor was broken, as I have not had this light come on in the first 101,000 miles. I regularly change the oil according to manufacturer guidelines of every 10K miles. Eventually the red low oil level light came on and the car told me to add oil. I went and had the oil changed and they told me there was only 2.9 quarts of oil remaining in the car when they changed it. Obviously the car is buring oil as I have no indicated leaks on my garage floor or driveway. I note this is an issue on many online forums. If the negine were to sieze at speed while driving it will be very dangerous.

Driving on the highway the panoramic sun roof window shattered. Sounded like an explosion. Glass shattered and flew throughout car and blew away. Posed hazard to those in car as the glass shattered. Could have caused hazard if driver did not maintain control due to sudden sound and sudden incidence. Extremely dangerous.

The contact owns a 2015 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the message "Pull Over Immediately" and a chime started to sound. The contact pulled off the road and placed the vehicle into park (P) and turned off the vehicle down for approximately 20 minutes. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle started to overheat, and the warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure became reoccurring. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to a dealer who diagnosed that the radiator was cracked and lost all coolant, and that the radiator, thermostat and seals needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V229000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed in cold weather, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN and that the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.