2012 Audi Q5

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Audi Q5 has 203 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (42% of all complaints), specifically: *** takata recall *** i am filing a complaint with nhtsa because i feel i am driving a, so to speak, "loaded gun." i find it completely irresponsible that my vehicle maker, audi, as well as takata, have not reached out to me regarding a very serious defect in my car. as you are well aware, this i.

2 crash reports 4 injuries

203

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

85 complaints

42%

• *** TAKATA RECALL *** I AM FILING A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA BECAUSE I FEEL I AM DRIVING A, SO TO SPEAK, "LOADED GUN." I FIND IT COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE THAT MY VEHICLE MAKER, AUDI, AS WELL AS TAKATA, HAVE NOT REACHED OUT TO ME REGARDING A VERY SERIOUS DEFECT IN MY CAR. AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE, THIS I
• TAKATA RECALL. I OWN A 2012 AUDI Q5. I DRIVE MY 2 YOUNG CHILDREN TO SCHOOL IN MY AUDI AND HAVE NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION. I FEEL INCREDIBLY NERVOUS AND IN DANGER DRIVING MY CHILDREN AND MYSELF IN SUCH AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. AUDI REFUSES TO GIVE ME A LOANER VEHICLE AND HAS NO TIME F
• TAKATA RECALL: I RECEIVED THE TAKATA RECALL 69N1 FOR TAKATA SDI DRIVER FRONTAL AIRBAG FOR MY 2012 AUDI Q5. THE RECALL NOTICE ALSO NOTIFIES ME THAT A RECALL REPAIR IS NOT YET AVAILABLE DUE TO UNAVAILABLE PARTS. AUDI OF AMERICA INFORMED ME THAT THEY ARE NOT LOANING OUT VEHICLES TO THOSE AFFECTED BY TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“*** TAKATA RECALL *** I AM FILING A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA BECAUSE I FEEL I AM DRIVING A, SO TO SPEAK, "LOADED GUN." I FIND IT COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE THAT MY VEHICLE MAKER, AUDI, AS WELL AS TAKATA, HAVE NOT REACHED OUT TO ME REGARDING A VERY SERIOUS DEFECT IN MY CAR. AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE, THIS I”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

47 complaints

23%

• ENTERING MY GARAGE, ABOUT HALFWAY IN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD; I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHILE ENTERING AND IMMEDIATELY PUSHED DOWN HARD, THE CAR SKIDDED AND STOPPED; I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO BETWEEN 4000 AND 5000 RPMS, AND THEN QUICKLY DROPPED BA
• IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION AT 70,000 MILES THAT I HAD TO OCCASIONALLY ADD OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. AT 95,000 MILES THE OIL CONSUMPTION INCREASED. CURRENTLY AT 100,000 MILES OIL CONSUMPTION INCREASED TO A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES. TWO AUTO REPAIR BUSINESSES, INCLUDING SHEARER AUDI OF SOUTH BURLINGT
• WHILE DRIVING CAR, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THERE WAS NO NOISE OR INDICATION OF A FAILURE. THE CAR DID SEEM A LITTLE LOW ON POWER. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEAL WHERE THE DIAGNOSED THAT THE TURBO CHARGER FAILED AFTER ONLY 45,371 MILES. WITH THE VEHICLE HAVING AVERAGED LESS THAN 10,000 MILES DRIVEN PE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“ENTERING MY GARAGE, ABOUT HALFWAY IN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD; I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHILE ENTERING AND IMMEDIATELY PUSHED DOWN HARD, THE CAR SKIDDED AND STOPPED; I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO BETWEEN 4000 AND 5000 RPMS, AND THEN QUICKLY DROPPED BA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

23 complaints

11%

• THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDDLE IS INADEQUATE AND ON MULTIPLE INSTANCES MY FOOT HAS GOTTEN STUCK. IT HAS GOTTEN STUCK WHILE ACCELERATING AND ALSO WHEN GOING TO MOVE MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND ONTO THE BRAKE PEDDLE. *TR
• DRIVE 2012 AUDI Q5 2.0T PREMIUM PLUS. I WAS DRIVING BACK HOME AND MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT (MIL) SHOWED UP. THE ENGINE IS MAKING WHISTLING SOUND. I TOOK MY CAR TO AUDI DEALERSHIP AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND SOME OTHER PARTS WOULD NEED REPLACEMENT. I GOT A LETTER FROM
• TAKATA RECALL. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. SOMETHING I AM PAYING A LOT OF HARD EARNED MONEY FOR MAY POTENTIALLY KILL ME. I CAN'T SELL THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT PAYING A LARGE AMOUNT TO COVER THE DIFFERENCE OF WHAT I OWE ON IT. HOW DO I GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED OR SELL WITHOUT OWING MONEY?

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDDLE IS INADEQUATE AND ON MULTIPLE INSTANCES MY FOOT HAS GOTTEN STUCK. IT HAS GOTTEN STUCK WHILE ACCELERATING AND ALSO WHEN GOING TO MOVE MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND ONTO THE BRAKE PEDDLE. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

10 complaints

• MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING IN MY 2012 AUDI Q5 ON THE HIGHWAY ON MAY 4 WHEN THE SUNROOF SHATTERED, DROPPING GLASS ALL OVER THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR AND US. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AHEAD OF OR NEXT TO US, NO OVERPASSES, NO PEOPLE... THE SUNROOF BLEW OUT FROM THE INSIDE AND THE VEHICLE BEHIND US
• I HAVE ALREADY FILLED THE ONLINE FORM ABOUT MY VEHICLE BUT WILL ALSO SEND TO AUDI CARE WA1DKAFP8CA096667 I HAD LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING AT 32000 MILES AND WAS TOWED. I WAS TOLD WHEN I WENT FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR LOW OIL PRESSURE, THEY THOUGHT MAY BE THE OIL SWITCH WAS AT FAULT AND I HAD TO PAY FO
• DUE TO EXTREME COLD WEATHER THE REAR SUNROOF GLASS PANE SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVER NIGHT IN NEGATIVE DEGREE WEATHER; NOT IN MOTION. AUDI DEALERSHIP RECOGNIZES THIS AS A NATURAL CAUSED INSTANCE, NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY AND NOT COVERED UNDER THE PAST RECALL, WHICH WAS ONLY FOR THE FRONT SU

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING IN MY 2012 AUDI Q5 ON THE HIGHWAY ON MAY 4 WHEN THE SUNROOF SHATTERED, DROPPING GLASS ALL OVER THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR AND US. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AHEAD OF OR NEXT TO US, NO OVERPASSES, NO PEOPLE... THE SUNROOF BLEW OUT FROM THE INSIDE AND THE VEHICLE BEHIND US”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

9 complaints

• THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT. THE SIDE MIRRORS ARE TOO LARGE AND PLACED IN A LOCATION ON THE WINDOW THAT CREATES A BLIND SPOT AND IN PARTICULAR THE DRIVER'S SIDE THERE ARE INSTANCES WHEN YOU CAN NOT SEE A CAR COMING AT YOU FROM THE LEFT, OR OF YOU ARE TURNING LEFT YOU CANNOT SEE IF THERE IS AN ISLAND.
• TAKATA RECALL HEAD CURTAIN BAG RECALL FUEL PUMP FLANGE RECALL I'VE HAD NO ACCIDENT OR MALFUNCTION AS YET, BUT WANT THE PRODUCTS TO BE REPLACED IN MY VEHICLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I'VE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SCHEDULE ANY TIME FOR THE RECOMMENDED
• DUE TO EXTREME COLD WEATHER THE REAR SUNROOF GLASS PANE SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVER NIGHT IN NEGATIVE DEGREE WEATHER; NOT IN MOTION. AUDI DEALERSHIP RECOGNIZES THIS AS A NATURAL CAUSED INSTANCE, NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY AND NOT COVERED UNDER THE PAST RECALL, WHICH WAS ONLY FOR THE FRONT SU

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT. THE SIDE MIRRORS ARE TOO LARGE AND PLACED IN A LOCATION ON THE WINDOW THAT CREATES A BLIND SPOT AND IN PARTICULAR THE DRIVER'S SIDE THERE ARE INSTANCES WHEN YOU CAN NOT SEE A CAR COMING AT YOU FROM THE LEFT, OR OF YOU ARE TURNING LEFT YOU CANNOT SEE IF THERE IS AN ISLAND. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 203 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: *** TAKATA RECALL *** I AM FILING A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA BECAUSE I FEEL I AM DRIVING A, SO TO SPEAK, "LOADED GUN." I FIND IT COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE THAT MY VEHICLE MAKER, AUDI, AS WELL AS TAKATA, HAVE NOT REACHED OUT TO ME REGARDING A VERY SERIOUS DEFECT IN MY CAR. AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE, THIS I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: ENTERING MY GARAGE, ABOUT HALFWAY IN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD; I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHILE ENTERING AND IMMEDIATELY PUSHED DOWN HARD, THE CAR SKIDDED AND STOPPED; I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO BETWEEN 4000 AND 5000 RPMS, AND THEN QUICKLY DROPPED BA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDDLE IS INADEQUATE AND ON MULTIPLE INSTANCES MY FOOT HAS GOTTEN STUCK. IT HAS GOTTEN STUCK WHILE ACCELERATING AND ALSO WHEN GOING TO MOVE MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND ONTO THE BRAKE PEDDLE. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING IN MY 2012 AUDI Q5 ON THE HIGHWAY ON MAY 4 WHEN THE SUNROOF SHATTERED, DROPPING GLASS ALL OVER THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR AND US. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AHEAD OF OR NEXT TO US, NO OVERPASSES, NO PEOPLE... THE SUNROOF BLEW OUT FROM THE INSIDE AND THE VEHICLE BEHIND US
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)