2013 Audi Q5 Engine Problems
NHTSA lists 35 engine complaints for the 2013 Audi Q5, 39% of its 89 total complaints for the year. Owners commonly report timing chain failures, sudden power loss, and engine fires, with a median failure mileage of 75,000. Two engine-related recalls (campaigns 17V002000 and 18V229000) address coolant pump issues.
- Engine complaints
- 35
- 39% of 89
- Crashes reported
- 0
- Fires reported
- 4
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 75,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 2
Typical engine symptoms owners report
- Timing chain and tensioner stretch or fail, sometimes requiring a new engine block, with failures reported between roughly 28,834 and 134,630 miles.
- Vehicle loses power or sputters at highway speed, often accompanied by the check engine or EPC warning light.
- Rough idle and violent vibration at stops or low speeds, in some cases tied to timing chain stretch.
- Smoke or fire under the hood, in several cases traced to the auxiliary water pump, with flames appearing while parked or driving.
- Sudden unintended acceleration or inability to shift out of drive reported at low mileage (around 2,000 miles) and again near 28,834 miles.
When 2013 Audi Q5 engine complaints were filed
First complaint Jun 29, 2013, latest May 19, 2024.
Engine recalls for the 2013 Audi Q5
- NHTSA 18V229000Apr 11, 2018Engine342,867 vehicles
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 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can either become blocked with debris from the cooling system causing it to overheat or can short-circuit from moisture within the pump.
Risk: A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4. Note: This recall is in additional to the coolant pump software update applied as a remedy under recall 17V002.
- NHTSA 17V002000Jan 3, 2017Engine342,867 vehicles
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 and Audi A4 vehicles and 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can be blocked with debris from the cooling system, resulting in the pump overheating.
Risk: If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the software so that the power supply to the coolant pump is deactivated if the pump becomes blocked with debris, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 19M1.
Engine complaints by Q5 model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many engine complaints does NHTSA have for the 2013 Audi Q5?
- NHTSA lists 35 engine complaints for the 2013 Audi Q5, which is 39% of the 89 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2013 Audi Q5 engine?
- Yes, two recalls cover engine-related coolant pump issues: campaign 17V002000 (software update to deactivate coolant pump power) and 18V229000 (pump replacement), both filed for 2013-2017 Audi Q5 and related models.
- At what mileage do 2013 Audi Q5 engine problems typically occur?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for engine complaints on the 2013 Q5 is 75,000 miles.
- Do 2013 Audi Q5 engine complaints involve fires?
- NHTSA data shows 4 fires among the complaints for this model year, with several sample reports describing smoke or flames from the engine bay or auxiliary water pump.
- Are engine complaints worse for the 2013 Q5 than other years?
- The 2013 Q5's 39% share of complaints tied to the engine is lower than the 45-50% share seen in 2015, 2016, and 2017, but higher than the 22-24% seen in 2018-2020.