2016 AUDI Q5 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
4/5
Safety Rating
97
Owner Complaints
5
Recalls
26
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2016 AUDI Q5
The 2016 AUDI Q5 has received a total of 97 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 6 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP. 26 technical service bulletins have been issued by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Engine (26 complaints), Unknown Or Other (11 complaints), and Electrical System (10 complaints).
Recalls for the 2016 AUDI Q5
NHTSA has recorded 6 recalls for the 2016 AUDI Q5, potentially affecting up to 1,611,248 vehicles.
Recall 18V229000 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
| 342,867 vehicles affected
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can either become blocked with debris from the cooling system causing it to overheat...
Consequence: A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4. Note: This recall is in additional...
View full details →Recall 17V622000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
| 216,913 vehicles affected
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad and Q5 vehicles. Contact corrosion within the electrical connector for the auxiliary heater may cause the heater wires to overheat or melt.
Consequence: The melted wires can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary heater and, as necessary, update the software, free of charge. The Recall began November 27, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are...
View full details →Recall 17V298000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
| 240,487 vehicles affected
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Audi Q5 and 2013-2017 Audi Q7 vehicles. These gasoline-powered vehicles have a fuel pump flange that may crack, allowing fuel to leak.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump flange if cracks are present. Flanges that do not have cracks will have a protective film applied. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began July...
View full details →Recall 17V001000 — AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
| 234,057 vehicles affected
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Audi Q5 vehicles. The sunroof drainage system may allow water to soak into the foam surrounding the side head air bag inflator canister resulting in the corrosion of the canister. If this happens, the corrosion can weaken the canister and the inflator could fracture without air bag deployment, propelling fragments...
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator and either coat it or replace it, as necessary, after removing the surrounding foam, free of charge. The recall is expected to began March 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer...
View full details →Recall 17V001000 — VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
| 234,057 vehicles affected
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Audi Q5 vehicles. The sunroof drainage system may allow water to soak into the foam surrounding the side head air bag inflator canister resulting in the corrosion of the canister. If this happens, the corrosion can weaken the canister and the inflator could fracture without air bag deployment, propelling fragments...
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator and either coat it or replace it, as necessary, after removing the surrounding foam, free of charge. The recall is expected to began March 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer...
View full details →Recall 17V002000 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
| 342,867 vehicles affected
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 vehicles, 2013-2016 Audi Allroad and Audi A4 vehicles and 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can be blocked with debris from the cooling system, resulting in the pump overheating.
Consequence: If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the software so that the power supply to the coolant pump is deactivated if the pump becomes blocked with debris, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 20, 2017....
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2016 AUDI Q5
97 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2016 AUDI Q5. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Visibilitywiper | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Coolingcooling System | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lane Departure Blind Spot Detection | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Structurebody | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
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
Safety Rating for the 2016 AUDI Q5
The 2016 AUDI Q5 received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2016 AUDI Q5
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. has issued 26 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2016 AUDI Q5. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
SM 56-2023 — EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
69BD Closure — AIR BAGS
Campaign Closure Notice
Circular69BDREV1 — AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
Audi is conducting a special parts collection program involving the head curtain airbags from selected 2016 model year Audi Q5 vehicles. Updated GFF labor operation
Circular69BDREV1 — AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:HEAD
Audi is conducting a special parts collection program involving the head curtain airbags from selected 2016 model year Audi Q5 vehicles. Updated GFF labor operation
Circular 69BD — AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
Audi is conducting a special parts collection program involving the head curtain airbags from selected 2016 model year Audi Q5 vehicles.
Circular 69BD — AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:HEAD
Audi is conducting a special parts collection program involving the head curtain airbags from selected 2016 model year Audi Q5 vehicles.
Dealer 69BD — AIR BAGS
Audi is conducting a special parts collection program involving the head curtain airbags from selected 2016 model year Audi Q5 vehicles.
A3920372059759_2 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION
This bulletin contains instructions for an oil leak in the bevel box.
A2320542059205_1 — EQUIPMENT
This bulletin contains information on when to submit a TAC ticket for DTC P220100 with various DFCC codes.
A6019302055255_1 — VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
This informational bulletin contains specs for the new sunroof lubricant.
Showing 10 of 26 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2016 AUDI Q5
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the AUDI Q5
- 2011 AUDI Q5 — 192 complaints
- 2012 AUDI Q5 — 200 complaints
- 2013 AUDI Q5 — 106 complaints
- 2014 AUDI Q5 — 125 complaints
- 2015 AUDI Q5 — 122 complaints
- 2016 AUDI Q5 (current)
- 2017 AUDI Q5 — 54 complaints
- 2018 AUDI Q5 — 300 complaints
- 2019 AUDI Q5 — 64 complaints
- 2020 AUDI Q5 — 33 complaints
- 2021 AUDI Q5 — 95 complaints