Wednesday, September 23, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2015 Audi Q5 problems & reliability

99 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2015 Audi Q5, alongside 6 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 23, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.

Owner complaints
99
Recall campaigns
6
Fire reports
1 (1%)
Crash reports
3 (3%)

Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.

NCAP overall rating
4 / 5 stars
Front 4 / 5 · side 5 / 5 · rollover 4 / 5
EPA fuel economy
21–26 MPG combined
City 23 · highway 30 (typical trim)
Service bulletins (TSBs)
1,097
Manufacturer communications on file
Defect investigations
0
NHTSA ODI probes naming this model year

3 complaints report injuries (4 injured).

Federal crash records (FARS 20202023): 2015 Audi Q5 vehicles were involved in 10 fatal crashes with 6 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.

Most reported problems

ComponentComplaints
Engine38
Steering14
Unknown / Other14
Fuel/propulsion System12
Engine and Engine Cooling8
Suspension8
Electrical System4
Power Train4
Structure4
Service Brakes3

Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.

All 19 reported components →

Common symptoms owners describe

Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.

Mileage when problems occurred

Among the 38 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 54,024 miles (middle 50% between 35,397 and 76,441 miles).

under 20k
8
20–40k
5
40–60k
8
60–80k
8
80–100k
3
100–150k
6
150k+
0

Complaints by incident year

14
15
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26

What owners report

  • Ever since I have purchased the vehicle it has consumed alot of engine oil. I have to add engine oil every two months. I have reached out to Audi regarding the issue with no response or help.

    Engine · filed Sep 10, 2026

  • Bernardi Audi’s technician confirmed the rear subframe is rotted through (Repair Order #XXX/ Diagnostic Video: [XXX]), making the vehicle unsafe to drive.Given that this structural perforation falls within the window of Audi’s 12-Year Limited Warranty Against Corrosion Perforation, have requested assistance to cover…

    Unknown / Other · filed Aug 18, 2026

  • Vehicle failed inspection due to premature rust perforation damage of rear subframe caused by a plastic cover trapping water against the metal. Vehicle otherwise passed inspection.

    Structure · filed May 22, 2026

Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.

Technical service bulletins

1,097 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2015 Audi Q5. The 10 most recent:

  • This bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor.

    TSB_2074436_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 26, 2026

  • This bulletin provides information for all models regarding brake sounds.

    TSB_2069904_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2026

  • This bulletin provides information on the zirconium insercts in the brake piston (ceramic brakes only).

    TSB_2069078_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2026

  • This bulletin provides information when there is corrosion on the friction survace of steel brake discs.

    TSB_2067132_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2026

  • This bulletin provides information about leather care and seat repair.

    TSB_2076945_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 20, 2026

  • This bulletin provides information when there is a paint issue on alloy wheels.

    TSB_2079732_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 11, 2026

  • This bulletin provides information about the general approach for brake vibration concerns.

    TSB_2075120_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 11, 2026

  • This bulletin provides information on the GFF test plan required for AC compressor replacements regardless of the concern.

    TSB_20741717_15 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 11, 2026

  • This bulletin provides information when there is an ABS/ESC speed sensor implausible signal.

    TSB_2072304_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 11, 2026

  • This bulletin provides a statement regarding the bottleneck of supply for VW approved oil types VW 504.00 and VW 507.00.

    TSB_2082846_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 27, 2026

TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.

Safety recalls

The 2015 Audi Q5 has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.

Check whether your specific vehicle is affected

Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.

Check VIN on NHTSA →

Buying a used 2015 Audi Q5?

  • · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
  • · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
  • · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 54,024 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.
About this data. Complaint figures come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation consumer complaint database and count unique complaints (one per NHTSA case number). Complaints are submitted by vehicle owners and are not independently verified; complaint volume also reflects how many of these vehicles are on the road. Recall data comes from the official NHTSA recall database. This page is not affiliated with Audi or NHTSA.