Audi Q5 2016 — Reported problems

Driving on May 20, 2026 near my home in Florida, power steering assist failed suddenly making it very difficult to steer. Red light on dashboard lit up indicating steering failure. According to a search of the NHTSA records, this is a known issue with these cars. (NHTSA Campaign 15V452000, Audi Action Code 48M1. If I had been on a highway or busy street, the sudden failure would have likely caused an accident. The car was towed to Windemere Automotive in Naples, Florida. The steering rack was defective and replaced, at a cost of $4700. Letter written to Audi of America, INC about this incident. I received no response. This event occurred with no warning, an no previous hint of a steering problem.

1) Rear subframe supports differential, axels, suspension, brakes, wheels and tires 2) If rear suspension fails , above noted assemblies will fall out of the car 3) Yes, dealer and independent garage have inspected and condemned 4) Manufacturer is aware of the problem, 5) No warnings or messages appeared, 6/29/26 at garage for oil change, garage was installing a subframe for another q5 so he was familiar with the issue

My Q5 failed inspection due to a rusted subframe, so badly there is a huge hole in it. The dealership sent photos and notes to Audi but the dealership claims Audi denied my warranty claim (12 Year Corrosion Warranty) because it's not a body panel (the verbiage used in the warranty). However, Audi customer service told me it was because the dealership wrote a note that it was due to neglect. This is a safety defect that I was unaware of until now - I keep up with oil changes, have my car inspected every year and was never made aware of the problem until now so how would I be expected to know what was happening beneath my car. I've done lots of research online and this seems to be on the verge of becoming a common issue seen in 2010-2017 Q5s. So much so, there's a law firm investigating it like DiCello Levitt - could be a design flaw, there is a plastic covering known to trap moisture and debris. I also don't live in an area that gets much snow, some years we don't have any and I get monthly car washes.

Mechanic was checking the car and noticed subframe is rusted through underneath the plastic cladding. Audi dealers should cover this under warranty as it’s a safety issue. This happened due to poor designing.

I am reporting a safety issue involving my 2016 Audi Q5. The vehicle previously underwent recall 20Z8/20W9, which addresses fuel pump flange cracking that can cause fuel leaks and fuel vapor odors. Despite this recall repair being marked as completed, I am now experiencing a strong gasoline smell inside the cabin. This appears to be the same condition the recall was intended to fix. When I called the authorized Audi dealership (Audi San Jose), I was told I would be responsible for diagnostic and repair costs because the recall had already been completed and is no longer covered. I believe this indicates that: The recall remedy may have been ineffective, or The defect has reoccurred This presents a potential fire hazard and safety risk. I am requesting that this issue be reviewed, as it appears the recall did not adequately resolve the safety defect. Date issue first noticed: [04/27/2026] Mileage at time of issue: [101k] Thank you.

I am reporting a defect related to carbon buildup in the Secondary Air Injection (SAI) system on my 2016 Audi Q5 3.0L Supercharged (engine code CTUC). My vehicle has been diagnosed by an Audi dealer with DTC P0491 – Secondary Air Injection System Insufficient Flow, and restricted secondary air flow has been confirmed through Audi-authorized diagnostics. This failure mode is described in TSB 2014569 and TSB 2014665/4. I discovered this when the check engine light illuminated and I sought a diagnostic from the dealer which cost me $249. Audi has acknowledged this condition as a defect in other vehicles by issuing Warranty Extension U19 (10 years / 120,000 miles), which covers carbon buildup in the secondary air injection ports. However, Audi denied U19 coverage for my vehicle solely because my VIN is not included in the warranty extension population. This condition results in increased emissions which impact the environment and which will cause the vehicle to not pass the emissions inspection required for registration. Audi has not provided any technical explanation distinguishing my vehicle from those covered under U19, despite identical fault codes, failure mechanism, and required repair procedure. The repair involves removal and cleaning of carbon buildup in the cylinder head secondary air ports and is quoted at approximately $2,500.

I was driving down the highway and all of a sudden my sunroof exploded. It sounded like a loud gunshot. I got off the exit pulled over and I saw that my sunroof was shattered. On my Audi Q5 2016.

While driving and when parked, a strong odor of gasoline enters the cabin and garage. This poses a significant risk of fire and health hazards from fumes. The issue relates to the fuel system. The vehicle was previously serviced for the 2017 fuel system recall, but the problem has reappeared. This defect puts my safety and the safety of others at risk because it could result in a fuel leak and possible fire. The problem has not yet been confirmed by a dealer during this recurrence, but it has been persistent and makes the vehicle unsafe to drive. No warning lamps or dashboard messages appeared before or during the problem.

Vehicle: 2016 Audi Q5 2.0 Premium Plus Date of Incident: March 31, 2025 I was in a front-end collision at approximately 20–25 mph when I struck a concrete pole. The impact was hard enough to severely damage the vehicle—the pole intruded deep into the engine bay, fluids leaked, and the front end was totaled. Despite this, none of the airbags deployed. As a result, I sustained multiple injuries: Severe bruising across my chest and stomach from the seatbelt A head injury and forehead swelling from hitting the steering wheel Persistent pain in my neck, chest, and abdominal area since the accident I have photo evidence of the injuries and damage, and family members who witnessed my condition via FaceTime shortly after the crash. I have checked both the NHTSA and Audi recall databases using my VIN, and there are no open recalls listed for this vehicle. I was never notified of any safety concerns or service requirements regarding the airbags. This is extremely concerning and I believe the airbag system may have failed in a situation where it was clearly needed. Please investigate this issue, as it poses a serious risk to driver safety.

Paid for fuel pump when should b covered on recall

The vehicle had a oil leak that began in 2022 right after I bought the vehicle used. The light continued to come on indicating low oil. Eventually, they found a leak in the pistons. They were replaced. Again in 2023 a leak was found near and around the upper timing gasket and vacuum pump. Now 2025, a new leak is found transmission line and the dipstick.!

I just purchased car and was told of no recalls

Back in 2017 there was a recall on my 2016 Audi Q5 regarding the fuel pump. Audi's solution to this recall was to replace the fuel pump if it had any cracks, but if there weren't any cracks their protocal was to just put a protective shield on the fuel pump. Since my car was only a year old, all that Audi did was the protective shield. A few weeks ago, my car started smelling like leaking fuel. After a couple days I took it to Audi since there had been a recall. My car has less than 63,000 miles on it and according to service persons that have looked at my car, it is in excellent condition. However, Audi service told me that because the protocol for the recall was performed on my car back in 2017, there was nothing they could do except replace my fuel pump and charge me for the work done. The noxious fumes were so bad that I could not drive my car without having all the windows down. I found out that when the intake fuel pump goes bad, so does the high pressure fuel pump and both have to be replaced along with the pressuer sensor. This cost me $2,700. After getting my car back and driving it less than 25 miles, I was stranded on the road and had to have my car towed back to the shop with a broken steering rack and a dead battery. Come to find out, the steering rack is another issue going on with Audi vehicles. These are very serious and life threatening situations, especially with noxious fumes from gasoline which is highly flammable. Audi needs to reimburse me the $2,700 for the fuel pump replacement cost that I would not have incurred if my fuel pump had actually been replaced in 2017, instead of a band-aid being put on it, which was negligence on Audi's part. By not replacing the fuel pump, I ended up with a gas leak in my car, my car dangerously breaking down in the middle of the road and having to be towed and ultimately a very costly repair for me of which Audi doesn't want to own any responsibility in.

Audi had Valves and pistons fail on the highway at 75mph on Nov 28,2024 at 117000 miles Had the vehicle since 2021 and 17000 miles. Complained to the dealerships at the last 3 oil changes about excessive oil consumption. They told us not to worry about it, full aware that they had lost a lawsuit over this very issue. We were never informed about this lawsuit, and now Audi refuses to fix THEIR problem. We are very lucky when the engine blew up that there was no one behind us, otherwise it would have been a major highway accident. Now Audi wants $18,000 to replace the engine.

Power steering failure. While driving warning light came on and power steering immediately went out. No prior warnings. Safety was put at risk because steering was basically inoperative, had to muscle to turn, unable to stop at intersections due to difficulty turning when coming to stop. Had vehicle towed to dealership because unable to drive. Had to replace power steering rack with adaptions. The j500 electromechanical power steering control module integrated into the steering rack was was electrically faulty.

The vehicle engine no longer works. The coolant line broke without warning, and the whole engine needs to be replaced. The vehicle no longer works

On [XXX] at around 8:55-8:59 I finalized the paperwork for a purchase of a car, received the keys, drove out of the dealership and by 9:02 the check engine light came on and the car shook. On [XXX] at around 2:22 pm, as I was driving, the car shook, pulled up to red light and the car would not move. It shook, rattled and died. The EPC light came on. I owed the car back to the dealership. I noticed that parts of the car next to the muffler and the tailpipe were belong held together with making tape. I received a call from the dealership from Tony. He said the car was fixed by the owner. No clear verification that the dealership owner is as trained or licensed mechanic. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My Q5 requires an additional quart of oil approximately every 500-1000 miles since purchased in early August . Services included two oil changes, replacement of pan gasket and fill tube O-ring. No drips on the ground, just a minimum level reading every 30 days. That definitely should not be happening without some plausible explanation other than "That's what German cars do. I have a BMW and the same issue." It was not disclosed that I would have to purchase a monthly supply oil motor oil in addition to the cost of the vehicle.

The side assist went out and I had it replaced at the dealership. I paid out of pocket for this cost. The engine had been burning oil then started causing problems while driving prompting me to take into the dealership. I was informed that the engine is in backorder and it’s been a year since I’ve been waiting. I purchased the car used with around 79,000 miles on it around February 2023.

1) The Electromechanical Steering Unit is producing an error light on my instrument panel, and yes, it is available for inspection upon request. 2) If the steering unit fails, the results could be catastrophic for myself and others. 3) Yes, in multiple cases/places. There is a recall for this part in Canada. Also, an extended warranty was granted by Audi of America for this part for numerous 2011-2016 Audis, including the Q5, so long as they are under 10 years / 125,000 miles, which mine is. However, when I have gone into my local Audi and also called Audi of America, they said my vehicle is not included in this extended warranty and there is no recall on the part. 4) Yes, my car has been inspected by my local Audi. 5) Yes, the warning lamp continues to be displayed. No other symptoms have occurred.

ON OCTOBER 15 2023 AT AROUND 5.30 PM ME AND MY WIFE ARE COMING BACK FROM MY DAUGHTER"S HOUSE IN BASKING RIDGE NJ ,TO MY HOUSE IN WARREN NJ WHICH IS ONLY about 7 MILES. ITS LOCAL AREA WITH SPEED LIMIT AROUND 35 MILES/HR Z0NE .I WAS DRIVING ON MOUNT AIRY ROAD , SAW A RED LIGHT AT A DISTANCE, AND ALSO SAW A COUPLE OF CARS STOPPED AT LIGHT, AND SLOWLY APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. TO MY SURPRISE THE VEHICLE DID NOT DECELERATE, INSTEAD ACCELERATED VERY FAST, AND AT THAT MOMENT I STEERED THE CAR TO THE LEFT,TO AVOID HITTING ANY CARS IN FRONT OF ME,WHICH CAUSED ME TO CRASH INTO THE SIDE BARRIER. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES THE AMBULANCES CAME, AND RUSHED ME AND MY WIFE WITH MULTIPLE INJURIES AND FRACTURES TO ICU MORRIST0WN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. THE CAR HAS ONLY ABOUT 35,000 MILES. WE SLOWLY ARE RECOVERING WITH PHYSICAL THERAPY . THIS INCIDENT DEFINITELY CHANGED OUR LIVES, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT VEHICLE"S UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CAUSED ME TO CRASH.

I was pulling into a parking space at approximately 5 mph and the car unintentionally accelerated causing me to jump the curb, go over a grass median and land perpendicularly onto a one-way active road. There were trees and other items on the median I could've hit had I'd been pulling into a different parking space. I also could've hit cars on the road. I quickly got off the road and parked the car.

continually having to add a quart of oil to the vehicle and rear tail pipes have turned soot black from oil burning out the tailpipe. I purchased the vehicle and i was having to have the oil changed a lot. then i noticed that the oil light was on every 500-1000 miles and i was constantly having the oil changed. i researched and the oil should not be changed that often. i took to dealership twice to no avail. i took it back with the same issue. they kept the vehicle almost three months and told me that motor would have to be torn down and if warranty didnt pay i would have to pay over 15,000.00 for a new engine. i dont have that kind of money for an engine and engines should last over 100,000 miles. the warranty company advised that if engine was torn down and itis an Audi problem they would not pay (they advised that Audi have this burning oil problem and they won't cover damages) and Audi will not take responsibility for the problem that is inherent in the engine and will not repair the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2016 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was an abnormal burning odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact checked the oil and coolant levels and became aware that the coolant level was very low. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after filling the coolant reservoir the odor went away. The contact stated that the odor returned, and the coolant level was very low. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V002000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Coolant pump failed at 90K miles and eight years. Herb Chambers Audi Burlington denied there was ever a warranty for this issue, instead stating that the car in general was out of warranty (over 5 years from overall warranty), failed to refer us to the Settlement Claim administer as the NHTSA says they are required to under your guidelines (https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2022/MC-10214802-0001.pdf), and again in fact failed to mention the warranty extension at all. They then quoted us at $2,580 for the repair and demanded we pick up the car by 5 pm if we did not agree to this fix, and that they would charge us to leave the vehicle on site. We then had to drive the vehicle to another dealership, where while we waited to hear from Audi on coverage of the repair—ultimately denied—we had it fixed and paid $1,970 for the fix, because the car we were told by Burlington (which refused to acknowledge the existence of a warranty extension) was dangerous to drive, and indeed the leak was so bad we had to refill it even after it was sitting in the driveway overnight. Our complaints are as follows: 1) Audi Burlington is not following NHTSA guidelines in the least re the coolant pump lawsuit and in fact dies not acknowledge the existence of said warranty 2) The class action case Zhao, et al. v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 2:21-cv-11251 while helpful is not adequate. Our car has been meticulously maintained and at just over the required mileage (though under the years) it had a failure that, had it been ignored, would have been catastrophic.

SUV has major blind spot on side view mirrors. Also, consume excessive amounts of engine oil. Audi needs to include the Q5 2016 year in a class action lawsuit. OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!

Engine shuts off while driving at highway speeds. No engine warning light comes on, just complete lack of power. Need to pull off, put car in park and restart. Happens more often in colder weather, but is very sporadic. Audi said it was fuel issue. It is not. Jundreds of gas fill-ups with all different brands. This has been happening for years, and began within months of purchasing the car. It is getting more and more frequent. There is no fault code associated with it when I've brought it in for diagnostics. Very disconcerting when driving 75mph in left lane,and you experience a complete loss of power. Last incident was August 12, 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Audi Q5. The contact stated that on several occasions while the vehicle was started, there was a loud whistling sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the breather valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,900.

This vehicle guzzles oil. On average, I have to add a quart of oil every 200 - 300 miles. No leaks are evident but always see white smoke from tail pipes.

Excessive oil consumption

The entire steering system failed. While the car was in motion, the steering wheel completely locked up and could not be turned even a degree. This caused extreme safety concern as the road was curving but the car could not be steered. The problem was confirmed by an independent mechanic and then by an Audi dealership service department. The entire steering component was then replaced.

Power steering Control Module failure at cold temperatures. Knows to be an issue on many Audi cars between 2011-2016. This caused my power steering to fail suddenly. My safety was impacted because i lost the ability to steer while driving. The vehicle and the steering rack is available for inspection at any time. Problem continues to be in effect. There are warning messages and lights on the instrument cluster along with fault codes significant for power steering module failure.

In short my front right brake caliper failed. To be clear, brake fluid seeped out of the main 2 halves of the caliper. After some investigation there appears to be a recall on this issue on 2017 models and newer but not on my 2016. Per my mechanic this failure is rare and unusual and could have been catastrophic. The brake light warning did come on, but the amount of fluid that seeped was significant in that even 1 day after my light came on and driving a short distance to the shop, almost all of my brake fluid had seeped out.

Component: 2016 Audi Q5 Available for inspection : UNKNOWN Safety risk: YES The car was just driven and parked in the garage, approximately 30 minutes prior to our discovery of the fire. My wife and I had to escape the fire. UNKNOWN YES The Town of Sterling, MA fire department investigated the fire and determined that the vehicle caused the fire (See attached report). Then, AMICA Insurance Company had [XXX] from NEFCO do an investigation. He verbally told us that he thought it was the car that started the fire, but he was told by the insurance company attorney to not make a written report (See attached email). AMICA had the vehicle brought to SD Lyons Facility in Seekonk, MA to investigate the vehicle's charred remains. Audi's representatives were also present. No physical evidence was found to prove that the car caused the fire. [XXX], Fire Investigator, in his attached email to us indicated that this does not mean the fire did not originate at the vehicle but that they could not find any physical evidence from the burnt remains of the car. In addition, there are eye witnesses, since the garage door was open. Our neighbors across the street saw what seemed to be small flames flickering near the right rear side of the car, which would flare up and decrease. Soon there after the car was consumed in fire. The description given sounds like a possible rule leak. This vehicle was purchased at Audi Nashua in NH and was regularly serviced by this dealership. NO INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The contact owns a 2016 Audi Q5. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the "Steering Fault - Do not drive Vehicle” message was displayed on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the contact used excessive effort to drive the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective rack and pinion. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000. The contact stated that the vehicle is also experiencing excessive oil consumption.

The contact owns a 2016 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the oil pressure warning light flashed on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic on several occasions and unknown repairs were performed; however, after each repair, the failure persisted. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact attempted to reach the manufacturer but had no success. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V229000 (Engine and Engine Cooler). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

Purchased a 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus in June of 2022, I only had it for about a month and the light came on asking me to put a quart of oil in it. After adding oil the light went off, Well it has done it two more times since the first time. While having the car serviced in August I asked the service associate why does it do that, I was told that that's just what they do. That made no sense me, So I did a little investigation and found out there was a class action lawsuit filed because of this issue. I didn't own the car at that time, Audi should continue to service these vehicles that might have slipped through the cracks and wasn't repaired during this lawsuit. There are many people just like me who are purchasing these cars, without knowing about this issue and has the vehicle been repaired or not. It is unsafe to drive these cars like this because it can lose power on the highway and thus cause the driver to be injured or even killed. Audi keep telling people that they just do this, when they know that there was a law suit about this issue, but have so many vehicles out there that hasn't been repaired.

Confirmed carbon monoxide poisoning. On Tuesday October 19th, 2022, at 11 am, I drove my 19 year old niece, a student at Uni San Francisco, to a transit station about 2 hours from my home. When we got out of the car to say goodbye I felt quite dizzy, sleepy, and a bit nauseous. I got back in the car and drove about an hour towards home and felt so dizzy that I stopped and got out of the car to get some food, just incase that was the issue. I walked around at a shopping center for about 4 hours until I felt a bit better. I got back in the car and drove another hour home. As soon as I got out of the car at home, about 7:15 pm, it was very apparent that the dizziness had returned. I called my Dr the next morning and she sent me to the ER for a blood gas test which confirmed carbon monoxide poisoning. I called my niece and she confirmed she felt the same symptoms upon arrival at the transit station.

Audi Q5 is consuming oil and requiring it to be filled every 300 to 500 miles. It is unsafe for people to continually be pulling over over the side of the road. Audi will not fix, even if car fails oil consumption test. Price to fix is around 9K. The problem is also causing loss of power, which is not safe, especially while driving on the highway. Audi acknowledges the problem and states "they do that".

My 2016 AUDI Q5 got a fault on the steering (Steering Defective! Do not drive vehicle!) after changing a lane on a 35 miles/h road and I had lose all power steering and was nearly un-drivable 6 month earlier on 35k service maintenance I was complaining about jerky steering that happened twice when I change the lane on a highway after 40-50 miles trips. That time Audi Palo Alto Dealer was not able to reproduce the problem and there were no error codes that time. Today, the OBD scanner shows two error codes ABS:01309:Power Steering Module J500 and Power steering:00772:Oil pressure Switch F22. These error codes are not ressetable. The issue has not gone, it is permanent.