2016 Audi Q5: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
77 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Reviewed by the MotorJury data desk · 2 sources · Last updated 2026-08-20
77 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Complaints per year on the road: 7.7
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
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…
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…
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.
What the community is saying right now.
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 17V002000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 vehicles, 2013-2016 Audi Allroad … |
| 17V001000 | Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Audi Q5 vehicles. The sunroof drainage system may allow water… |
| 17V298000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Audi Q5 and 2013-2017 Audi Q7 vehicles. These gaso… |
| 17V622000 | Electrical System:Wiring | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad and Q5 vehic… |
| 18V229000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Au… |
EPA combined 26 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,050
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (26 complaints in our indexed sample).
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 72/100, computed from 77 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2016 Audi Q5, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 03/01/2017. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorComplaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-08-20.