2019 Audi SQ5: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
18 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 18 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 2.57
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
There’s a knocking noise coming from the engine that could lead to potential engine failure. There is a known manufacturers defect in these engines. Audi has extended a warranty, but not all cars are eligible. This should be a recall because if the engine fails on a high speed through a highway, it could be a highly dangerous situation
Piston skirt recall and warranty. Bulletin number AWA-25-08. Needs investigated. Based off average Audi owner statistics along with NHTSA statistics, when this bulletin was released in August of 2025, over 60% of vehicles with this 3.0T engine code EA839 would be disqualified from repairs for under 80,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2019 Audi SQ5. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the front passenger’s side wheel flare detached. The driver’s side wheel flare was loosened. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.
Recalls: 5 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 19V416000 | Wheels:Hub | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. |
| 19V277000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. |
| 21V947000 | Electrical System:Body Control Module/Bcm | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, 2018-2022 Q5, and SQ5 vehicles. |
| 19V737000 | Structure:Body | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi SQ5 and 2018-2020 Audi Q5 vehicles. |
| 19V473000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size premium car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,600
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Service Brakes4 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Engine3 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System3 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Exterior Lighting3 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
- Structure2 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Visibility/Wiper2 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
Other Audi SQ5 years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2019 Audi SQ5?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Service Brakes (4 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2019 Audi SQ5 a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 67/100, computed from 18 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2019 Audi SQ5's most common problem?
4 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2019 Audi SQ5 sit in the Service Brakes group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $580–$1,140 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2019 Audi SQ5 cost to run per year?
About $5,298 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,490 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2019 Audi SQ5 have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2019 Audi SQ5, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 05/06/2019. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other luxury midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2019 Audi SQ5 really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & 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: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 18 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 18 NHTSA complaints on record (2.6/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (1.1/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality