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2019 Audi Q5 Recalls, Issues & Maintenance

The 2019 Audi Q5 carries 5 open NHTSA recalls — most recently covering body control module/bcm and hub. Owners report 7 recurring issue clusters, led by “Turbocharger wastegate actuator failure.” Audi follows the VW Group Longlife service rhythm: oil and minor service every 10,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first, using oil that meets VW 502 00 / 504 00 (or 508 00 for newer 0W-20 engines) — generic synthetic does not qualify. S tronic dual-clutch gearboxes need fluid service every 40,000 miles despite 'lifetime fill' claims. Fully electric models (e-tron, e-tron GT) skip oil service entirely but keep brake-fluid, cabin-filter, and coolant-circuit intervals.

5 Open Recalls

Source: NHTSA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE/BCM

Campaign #21V947000 · Aug 12, 2021

Issue: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, 2018-2022 Q5, and SQ5 vehicles. A liquid spill in the rear seat, or water ingress from an insufficient body seam underneath the vehicle may allow liquid to penetrate the gateway control module, causing it to shutdown.

Risk: A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will install a protective cover on the gateway control module and seal an underbody seam as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90S9.

WHEELS:HUB

Campaign #19V416000 · May 6, 2019

Issue: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach.

Risk: The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will secure the wheel arch trim with an additional screw and nut, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66K6.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Campaign #19V473000 · Jun 19, 2019

Issue: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. In the event of a crash deploying the passenger's frontal air bag, the instrument panel carrier may break due to incorrect welding. If the carrier breaks, there may be damage to the passenger frontal air bag.

Risk: A damaged frontal air bag may not provide adequate protection, increasing the risk of an injury.

Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel and the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began August 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 90N1.

STRUCTURE:BODY

Campaign #19V737000 · Oct 16, 2019

Issue: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi SQ5 and 2018-2020 Audi Q5 vehicles. The rear wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach from the vehicle.

Risk: The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.

Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four clips securing the forward part of the rear wheel arch trim, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 66K8.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

Campaign #19V277000 · Aug 4, 2019

Issue: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake master cylinder casting may be too short.

Risk: A short casting can cause a sudden loss of brakes, increasing the risk of crash. The electronic parking brake and its emergency brake function are not affected and will still function.

Fix: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the brake master cylinder, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 3, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 47O9.

Recall data refreshed Sep 6, 2026.

Known issues for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2019 Audi Q5.

Reported to NHTSA

Turbocharger wastegate actuator failure

ENGINE

6 NHTSA complaints · 2024-05 → 2026-04

“A failed (frozen) Turbocharger Wastegate Actuator. An engine warning light came on and engine had less power. It had to be replaced. There was a settled law suit for the same issue covering this item in previous vehicles settled in 2025”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11732112
“Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING Summary: The turbocharger on my 2019 Audi Q5 failed prematurely. The initial check engine light and loss of performance began at approximately 48,000 miles, which is within Audi’s 4-year/50,000-mile powertrain warranty”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11719734

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Drive system malfunction warning with power loss

POWER TRAIN

4 NHTSA complaints · 2022-05 → 2026-05

“2019 Audi q5 drive system malfunction/start stop malfunction. Error code will come on randomly in traffic and when you try to put your foot on the gas it hesitates and you need to push harder on the gas”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11737448
“The contact owns a 2019 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the catastrophic transmission failure message was displayed and the vehicle inadvertently shifted into manual third gear”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11465903

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Gateway control module water ingress

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

4 NHTSA complaints · 2022-01 → 2026-04

“During a rain storm a water egress issue damaged my comfort control module. An issue identified for many Audi Q5 vehicles; however my VIN for some reason is not showing this recall. It appears the recall may need to be expanded”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11654565
“The contact owns a 2019 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle stopped and jerked, and the RED master warning light illuminated, and the message “Electrical Control Module” failure was displayed”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11728482

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Tail light assembly failure

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

3 NHTSA complaints · 2023-08 → 2025-07

“The right back up light is defective. This light is in the right rear light housing that sits in the rear bumper. The defective light indicator came on before the 5 year/40k mile warranty had expired”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11674381
“I was driving on the highway in the early morning hours and several warnings appeared stating that the left and right tail lights, left and right brake lights, and center brake lights where faulty”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11564589

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Power steering failure

STEERING

5 NHTSA complaints · 2019-05 → 2022-04

“Power steering rack failed on 4/12/2022 as I drove on I-75 South between Gainesville and Tampa. Lost power steering on the Interstate, putting safety of my passengers (and other vehicles) at risk on the interstate”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11461451
“2019 Q5 - 19457 miles. Power steering failed while traveling on an internal curved road at 10mph. Fortunately, the road was not busy and I was able to pull besides a curb”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11455556

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Passenger occupancy sensor false alerts

AIR BAGS

4 NHTSA complaints · 2021-01 → 2026-06

“Seat occupancy sensor, it's associated with code "B12251B"”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11746962
“VEHICLE KEEPS STATING SAFETY SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG CONTINUES TO TURN ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. EVEN WHEN MANUALLY SHUT OFF THROUGH GLOVE BOX, THE ALERT CONTINUES TO OCCUR WHILE DRIVING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11390728

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

False automatic emergency braking activation

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

4 NHTSA complaints · 2020-09 → 2026-03

“I was coming to a stop. No objects were in front of me. At about 5mph I was violently thrown forward as the car applied full braking. I do not recall whether I was braking, coasting”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11625856
“am writing to report a very concerning safety issue with my 2019 Audi Q5 and to request guidance on whether this may be covered under warranty or if my vehicle is experiencing a malfunction. On Saturday, while driving to an appointment, there was a bicyclist in the bike lane”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11726422

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 11, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 11, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter (Longlife Service)

Every 10,000 mi

Replace oil and filter every 10,000 miles or 12 months with VW 502 00 / 504 00 / 508 00 spec oil. S and RS models driven hard: many owners shorten to 5,000-7,500 miles. Wrong-spec oil is the leading cause of TFSI timing-chain tensioner and PCV problems.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 10,000 mi

Rotate every 10,000 miles with the oil service. quattro models: keep all four tires within 4/32" of each other — mismatched wear stresses the center differential.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 10,000 mi

Inspect pads, rotors, and wear sensors every 10,000 miles. Audi uses electronic pad-wear sensors on most models — replace the sensor with the pads.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 24,000 mi

Replace DOT 4 brake fluid every 2 years regardless of mileage — Audi's published schedule is time-based because the fluid absorbs moisture.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

S tronic Dual-Clutch Fluid

Every 40,000 mi

S tronic (DSG) gearboxes on A3/S3/RS 3, Q3, TT, and many A5/Q5 models: replace fluid and filter every 40,000 miles with the VW Group-spec fluid for your gearbox code. Skipping this service is the most common cause of mechatronic failure.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$470–$640

Shop

~$330–$450

DIY

Pro only

VW/Audi DSG service needs a fluid-fill procedure at a specific temperature — shop equipment territory.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

quattro Coupling Fluid (Transverse Models)

Every 40,000 mi

A3/S3/RS 3, Q3, and TT use a Haldex-style rear coupling: replace its fluid roughly every 40,000 miles (some model years specify sooner — check your manual). Longitudinal quattro (A5-A8, Q5, Q8) has no coupling service; see differential fluid instead.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$220–$290

Shop

~$155–$205

DIY

~$40–$90

VW/Audi/Volvo AWD coupling — specific fluid required. Filter usually swapped at the same time.

Spark Plugs

Every 40,000 mi

TFSI turbo engines: new plugs every 40,000 miles. RS models with the 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder: consider 30,000 miles under track or hard street use.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Engine Air Filter

Every 40,000 mi

Replace every 40,000 miles; inspect at 20,000 on turbocharged engines — a clogged filter shows up as sluggish boost response first.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Timing Chain (EA888 — Inspect Tensioner)

On condition / lifetime

2.0 TFSI (EA888) engines before roughly 2013 had timing-chain tensioner failures — have the tensioner revision checked by 80,000 miles on earlier cars. Later engines carry the updated design with no scheduled service.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Pro only

Timing chains are normally lifetime. Listen for rattle on cold start — that's the actionable signal. Replacement is major work, quote separately.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Differential Fluid (Longitudinal quattro)

Every 60,000 mi

Q5, Q8, and A5-A8 quattro: independent Audi specialists recommend front/rear differential fluid service around 60,000 miles even where Audi lists it as lifetime fill.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$150–$195

Shop

~$105–$135

DIY

~$20–$50

Drain plug + fill plug — straightforward DIY. AWD vehicles have two; budget for both.

Dust & Pollen Filter

Every 20,000 mi

Replace the cabin air filter every 20,000 miles or 2 years. Audi specifies an activated-carbon filter on most models.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

G12evo / G13 Coolant

On condition / lifetime

Audi coolant is labeled lifetime fill. Independent VW/Audi specialists recommend a refresh around 5 years or 100,000 miles to protect the water pump and thermostat housing — and only with the correct pink/lilac VW Group coolant.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

1 crashes 2010–2024

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

5

complaints mentioning a crash

0

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2019 Audi Q5 reflects Audi's published service intervals and the Audi Service Interval Display system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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