2021 Audi Q5 problems & reliability
69 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Audi Q5, alongside 8 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2021 Audi Q5 vehicles were involved in 13 fatal crashes with 5 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
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 25 | 36% |
| Engine → | 17 | 25% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance → | 10 | 14% |
| Power Train → | 10 | 14% |
| Unknown OR Other | 8 | 12% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 6% |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 6% |
| Steering | 3 | 4% |
| Structure | 3 | 4% |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I was driving at highway speeds when a "Transmission Malfunction" warning appeared, and the vehicle lost the ability to accelerate. Once I was able to pull over and put the vehicle in Park, it completely lost the ability to engage Drive or Reverse, leaving me stranded. Important to note pulling over was difficult as I…”
Engine · filed Jun 29, 2026
“The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the vehicle decelerated before the vehicle stalled. During the failure, the check engine, oil, and coolant warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer to…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Jun 22, 2026
“If I have a sensor that will malfunction due to water then there should be a water indicator alert. My sunroof vent was blocked and water went into my trunk where the core module is. I had just come to a red light to turn on to a major highway and my car began to smell like fuel. I rolled down the windows and realized…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Jun 22, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
1,109 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Audi Q5. The 10 most recent:
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
This bulletin provides information when DTC B105A1A, B103E25 is stored in 0017; fuel tank level implausible.
TSB_2081573_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 13, 2026
This service information TSB provides warranty coverage information for vehicles with a broken sunroof panel.
TSB_2078648_2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 10, 2026
This bulletin provides informatoinw hent here are scratches or a coating on the cover of the instrument cluster, or particles inside of the housing.
TSB_2073747_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2026
This bulletin provides information when there is a film/visible rings on the clear glass cover of the headlight when the dipped beam is switched on.
TSB_2073282_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2026
A software update is available for the high‑voltage battery on vehicles included in this service action. This update includes quality enhancements that improve battery diagnostic capabilities, allow for more precise…
Dealer 93HO_20260709 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2026
A software update for the high-voltage battery that contains quality improvement measures is available for Audi Q5 PHEV vehicles. The new software optimizes the diagnostic functions in the battery, enables the battery…
Dealer 931K_20260709 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2026
A software update is available for the high‑voltage battery on vehicles included in this service action. This update includes quality enhancements that improve battery diagnostic capabilities, allow for more precise…
Circular 93HO_20260709 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2026
A software update for the high-voltage battery that contains quality improvement measures is available for Audi Q5 PHEV vehicles. The new software optimizes the diagnostic functions in the battery, enables the battery…
Bulletin 931K_20260709 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2026
This bulletin provides information when DTC B105A1A, B103E25 is stored in 0017; fuel tank level implausible.
TSB_2081573_3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 2, 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 2021 Audi Q5 has 8 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 2021 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.