2020 Audi Q5 E
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2020 Audi Q5 E has 21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (19% of all complaints), specifically: complete failure of the car to start or turn on. this occurred once in 2021 and a second time in 2023. taken to dealership. diagnosed with a computer problem. fixed by dealership.. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.
21
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
0.3x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ELECTRICAL
4 complaints- • Complete failure of the car to start or turn on. This occurred once in 2021 and a second time in 2023. Taken to dealership. Diagnosed with a computer problem. Fixed by dealership.
- • Jul 9 2024. Plug-in hybrid battery fire. Car plugged in at 11:10am with an empty battery. At 1:45pm we noticed white smoke emitting from the battery, (rear left near charge port). Immediately unplugged. Fire Department on scene, car pushed to street. Disconnected battery, observed heat and some blac
- • Ecu Malfunction leading to Cooling system malfunction The car after idling more than 30 min with the A/C off has a "drive system malfunction". The warning displays on the dash and the engine runs violently rough until the car shuts itself off. The Audi has done this several times, though not while
“Complete failure of the car to start or turn on. This occurred once in 2021 and a second time in 2023. Taken to dealership. Diagnosed with a computer problem. Fixed by dealership.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
4 complaints- • Complete failure of the car to start or turn on. This occurred once in 2021 and a second time in 2023. Taken to dealership. Diagnosed with a computer problem. Fixed by dealership.
- • Ecu Malfunction leading to Cooling system malfunction The car after idling more than 30 min with the A/C off has a "drive system malfunction". The warning displays on the dash and the engine runs violently rough until the car shuts itself off. The Audi has done this several times, though not while
- • An Electrical Malfunction has caused several safety issues causing the car engine to idle and have "drive system malfunction" The warning system being displays on the dashboard has show not only cooling issues but issues relating to the brakes and overall engine making the car unsafe to drive. The
“Complete failure of the car to start or turn on. This occurred once in 2021 and a second time in 2023. Taken to dealership. Diagnosed with a computer problem. Fixed by dealership.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
BRAKES
3 complaints- • Brake Booster Brake Serví Unit faulty Making noise, took t mechanic and I was told there is a technical service bulletin on this. I called Audi of Danbury and I was told there is no recall. I was told by my mechanic it can cause car t run bad and die.
- • An Electrical Malfunction has caused several safety issues causing the car engine to idle and have "drive system malfunction" The warning system being displays on the dashboard has show not only cooling issues but issues relating to the brakes and overall engine making the car unsafe to drive. The
- • I understand that there have been recalls for the brake booster in some 2020 Audi Q5s. I have had my brake booster light come on, but my VIN is not in the recall. My car has less than 50,000 miles on it and I should not be having this issue. I think my car should be recalled and this issue should be
“Brake Booster Brake Serví Unit faulty Making noise, took t mechanic and I was told there is a technical service bulletin on this. I called Audi of Danbury and I was told there is no recall. I was told by my mechanic it can cause car t run bad and die.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
WHEELS
2 complaints- • I went to dealership to fix recall and the dealership didn't finish work on recall because they wanted me to pay for an alignment when it says it should off been fixed on your website because the recall damaged my tires unevenly.
- • Recall Number: 22V034 Audi has a current recall impacting the alignment of the rear axle. It is causing uneven and unsafe wear on the rear tires. Our tires are experiencing this greatly. We took the car into our Audi dealership. Audi, the manufacturer, rejected the request for tire replacement clai
“I went to dealership to fix recall and the dealership didn't finish work on recall because they wanted me to pay for an alignment when it says it should off been fixed on your website because the recall damaged my tires unevenly.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
2 complaints- • I went to dealership to fix recall and the dealership didn't finish work on recall because they wanted me to pay for an alignment when it says it should off been fixed on your website because the recall damaged my tires unevenly.
- • RECEIVED LETTER FROM AUDI REGARDING NHTSA:22V034. LETTER INDICATED THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE REAR AXLE SUSPENSION ALIGNMENT WHICH COULD LEAD TO PREMATURE AND EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR AND, POTENTIAL TIRE FAILURE. AFTER INSPECTION, DEALER (FLETCHER JONE AUDI, COSTA MESA, CA) SAID THERE WERE NO ISSUES DES
“I went to dealership to fix recall and the dealership didn't finish work on recall because they wanted me to pay for an alignment when it says it should off been fixed on your website because the recall damaged my tires unevenly.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 21 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ELECTRICAL: Complete failure of the car to start or turn on. This occurred once in 2021 and a second time in 2023. Taken to dealership. Diagnosed with a computer problem. Fixed by dealership.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: Complete failure of the car to start or turn on. This occurred once in 2021 and a second time in 2023. Taken to dealership. Diagnosed with a computer problem. Fixed by dealership.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BRAKES: Brake Booster Brake Serví Unit faulty Making noise, took t mechanic and I was told there is a technical service bulletin on this. I called Audi of Danbury and I was told there is no recall. I was told by my mechanic it can cause car t run bad and die.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐WHEELS: I went to dealership to fix recall and the dealership didn't finish work on recall because they wanted me to pay for an alignment when it says it should off been fixed on your website because the recall damaged my tires unevenly.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Audi Q5 E — Year Comparison
How does 2020 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 21
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 1
- Crash reports
- 0
- Injury reports
- 0
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2020 Audi Q5 E