2013 Audi Q5

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2013 Audi Q5 has 107 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (31% of all complaints), specifically: unexpected braking. i at once pulled off the road into a driveway and attempted to place the vehicle in park but was unable to shift out of drive. i eventually was able to stop the engine with the shifter still in drive. i contacted the dealership and roadside assistance. the vehicle was towed t. ⚠️ 7 fire reports filed.

7 fire reports 1 crash report 2 injuries

107

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

33 complaints

31%

• UNEXPECTED BRAKING. I AT ONCE PULLED OFF THE ROAD INTO A DRIVEWAY AND ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK BUT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE. I EVENTUALLY WAS ABLE TO STOP THE ENGINE WITH THE SHIFTER STILL IN DRIVE. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED T
• ARRIVED AT WORK. WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF ARRIVING A COWORKER ALERTED MY HUSBAND THAT HIS CAR WAS SMOKING. MY HUSBAND WENT OUT TO THE CAR AND THERE WAS SMOKE BILLOWING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. HE QUICKLY OPENED THE BACK DOOR, GRABBED HIS WORK ISSUED LAPTOP AND BY THEN IT HAD BURST INTO FLAMES. THIS HAPPENED
• WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE 68 THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON FOLLOWED BY THE EPC LIGHT. THE CAR LOST SOME POWER AND THE CAR BEGAN TO SPUTTER. BY REDUCING THE CAR SPEED TO 40 MPH I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY AND PULL INTO A CAR REPAIR FACILITY IN HAGERSTOWN, MD. I HAS THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports

“UNEXPECTED BRAKING. I AT ONCE PULLED OFF THE ROAD INTO A DRIVEWAY AND ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK BUT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE. I EVENTUALLY WAS ABLE TO STOP THE ENGINE WITH THE SHIFTER STILL IN DRIVE. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

18 complaints

17%

• STEERING IS VERY IMPRECISE AND HAS A NOTCHINESS EFFECT. WHEN I'M GOING DOWN A HIGHWAY STRAIGHT, I HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME KEEPING IT STRAIGHT. IT FEELS UNSAFE WHEN I'M GOING ON A CURVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS SINCE THE STEERING WHEEL MAY SHIFT. CONFIRMED BY DEALERSHIP NOTHING IS WRONG WITH STEERING AND ALIG
• THERE IS A NOTCHINESS FEELING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS IS ESPECIALLY SEEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND MAKES THE CAR HARD TO KEEP STRAIGHT. *TR
• WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT, THERE APPEARS TO BE A NOTICEABLE NOTCH IN THE STEERING. THE WHEEL WILL HAVE A TENDENCY TO WANT TO STRAY FROM THIS NOTCH AS IF ROLLING OFF A BUMP. IT IS NOT ALWAYS AS NOTICEABLE. AT IT'S WORST IT FEELS AWKWARD TO KEEP THE VEHICLE TRAVELING STRAIGHT. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“STEERING IS VERY IMPRECISE AND HAS A NOTCHINESS EFFECT. WHEN I'M GOING DOWN A HIGHWAY STRAIGHT, I HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME KEEPING IT STRAIGHT. IT FEELS UNSAFE WHEN I'M GOING ON A CURVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS SINCE THE STEERING WHEEL MAY SHIFT. CONFIRMED BY DEALERSHIP NOTHING IS WRONG WITH STEERING AND ALIG”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

9 complaints

• THE SPEAKERS IN THE AUDIO SYSTEM RANDOMLY EMIT A VERY LOUD POP! THIS NOISE HAPPENS EVEN WITH THE VOLUME OF THE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM ALL THE WAY DOWN AND ALSO HAPPENS WHEN RADIO OR ANY AUDIO IS PLAYING. THE NOISE IS VERY STARTLING! *TR
• AUXILIARY WATER PUMP CAUGHT ON FIRE. CAR WAS PARKED. NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. OPENED HOOD AND FOUND FLAMES (VERY SMALL). WAS ABLE TO PUT IT OUT WITHOUT VEHICLE DAMAGE. TOWED TO DEALER AND AM AWAITING RESULTS FROM AUDI
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 AUDI Q5. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SMOKE WAS SEEN UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DUE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INJURIES. THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAM

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

“THE SPEAKERS IN THE AUDIO SYSTEM RANDOMLY EMIT A VERY LOUD POP! THIS NOISE HAPPENS EVEN WITH THE VOLUME OF THE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM ALL THE WAY DOWN AND ALSO HAPPENS WHEN RADIO OR ANY AUDIO IS PLAYING. THE NOISE IS VERY STARTLING! *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

8 complaints

• WE HAVE KEY LESS ENTRY CAR. MY WIFE PUT MY SON IN CAR SEAT, PUT HER PURSE WITH KEYS AND CLOSED THE BACK DOOR AND WHEN SHE TRIED TO ENTER FROM FRONT DOOR THE CAR WAS LOCK, MY SON GOT LOCKED INSIDE THE CAR, EVEN WHEN THE KEY WERE INSIDE. CALLED THE AUDI CUSTOMER CARE, THEY SAID WHEN THE KEYS ARE INSID
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI Q5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE SUN ROOF. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES AND EVERY TIME THE ROOF WAS CLOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNAB
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI Q5 HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER ACCESSING THE POWER LIFTGATE, THE DOOR WOULD OPEN AND CLOSE ABRUPTLY. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE LIFTGATE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MI

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

“WE HAVE KEY LESS ENTRY CAR. MY WIFE PUT MY SON IN CAR SEAT, PUT HER PURSE WITH KEYS AND CLOSED THE BACK DOOR AND WHEN SHE TRIED TO ENTER FROM FRONT DOOR THE CAR WAS LOCK, MY SON GOT LOCKED INSIDE THE CAR, EVEN WHEN THE KEY WERE INSIDE. CALLED THE AUDI CUSTOMER CARE, THEY SAID WHEN THE KEYS ARE INSID”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

8 complaints

• 2013 AUDI Q5. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE REAR SEAT ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM MONITOR MOUNT CONFIGURATION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE ASSUMED WHEN HE WAS HAVING THE VEHICLE BUILT, THE REAR SEAT ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM DVD MONITORS WOULD BE MOUNTED IN THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEAT HEAD REST, LIKE
• THE GLUE THAT HOLDS THE PANORAMA SUN-SHADE TO THE SIDE RAILS FAILS IN HOT CLIMATES. SEPARATION FROM THE SIDE RAIL GUIDES CAUSES THE SUN-SHADE TO CATCH AND TEAR. THIS PART CANNOT BE REPAIRED AND MUST BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $1500+. I CONTACTED AUDI AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE OF THE GLUE IS
• VEHICLE BEGAN STARTING ROUGHLY 1/4/2018. TOOK IT TO THE AUDI DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER HAVE FAILED. VEHICLE HAS 50,000 MILES.

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

“2013 AUDI Q5. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE REAR SEAT ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM MONITOR MOUNT CONFIGURATION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE ASSUMED WHEN HE WAS HAVING THE VEHICLE BUILT, THE REAR SEAT ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM DVD MONITORS WOULD BE MOUNTED IN THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEAT HEAD REST, LIKE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 107 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: UNEXPECTED BRAKING. I AT ONCE PULLED OFF THE ROAD INTO A DRIVEWAY AND ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK BUT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE. I EVENTUALLY WAS ABLE TO STOP THE ENGINE WITH THE SHIFTER STILL IN DRIVE. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: STEERING IS VERY IMPRECISE AND HAS A NOTCHINESS EFFECT. WHEN I'M GOING DOWN A HIGHWAY STRAIGHT, I HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME KEEPING IT STRAIGHT. IT FEELS UNSAFE WHEN I'M GOING ON A CURVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS SINCE THE STEERING WHEEL MAY SHIFT. CONFIRMED BY DEALERSHIP NOTHING IS WRONG WITH STEERING AND ALIG
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: THE SPEAKERS IN THE AUDIO SYSTEM RANDOMLY EMIT A VERY LOUD POP! THIS NOISE HAPPENS EVEN WITH THE VOLUME OF THE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM ALL THE WAY DOWN AND ALSO HAPPENS WHEN RADIO OR ANY AUDIO IS PLAYING. THE NOISE IS VERY STARTLING! *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: WE HAVE KEY LESS ENTRY CAR. MY WIFE PUT MY SON IN CAR SEAT, PUT HER PURSE WITH KEYS AND CLOSED THE BACK DOOR AND WHEN SHE TRIED TO ENTER FROM FRONT DOOR THE CAR WAS LOCK, MY SON GOT LOCKED INSIDE THE CAR, EVEN WHEN THE KEY WERE INSIDE. CALLED THE AUDI CUSTOMER CARE, THEY SAID WHEN THE KEYS ARE INSID
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)