YearToAvoid

2018 Audi Q5 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 16 Q5 years

The 2018 Audi Q5 ranks worst of 16 model years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 100, 204 complaints, and 6 recalls including 1 do-not-drive recall. Electrical System issues lead at 38% of complaints, making this year an Avoid relative to other Q5 years.

Complaints
204
Recalls
6
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
10 / 0
Injuries / deaths
5 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
25
23 city / 27 hwy

Top 2018 Audi Q5 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System78 (38%)
  2. Engine44 (22%)
  3. Other44 (22%)
  4. Suspension, Wheels & Tires30 (15%)
  5. Structure & Body26 (13%)
  6. Brakes23 (11%)
  7. Collision Avoidance & Cameras22 (11%)
  8. Airbags13 (6%)
  9. Steering11 (5%)
  10. Transmission & Powertrain10 (5%)

What owners report

  • Owners report sudden unintended acceleration while parking at low speed, causing the vehicle to jump curbs or crash into buildings and fences.
  • Some describe the brake pedal being depressed but the car still lurching forward or failing to stop, sometimes with airbags not deploying.
  • Several incidents happened while stationary or nearly stopped in parking lots, with the car reportedly accelerating on its own instead of stopping.
  • One owner reported the front pre-sense collision warning system failing to prevent a crash despite being advertised as a safety feature.
  • A rear-end collision on a highway triggered no airbag deployment despite the impact speed being over 40 mph.
2018 Audi Q5 complaints: complaints filed per quarter382018 Q12019 Q22020 Q32022 Q12023 Q22024 Q32025 Q4
319 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2018 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2023 Q3 (38).

2018 Audi Q5 recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V947000Dec 8, 2021Structure & Body288,991 vehicles

    Structure:body

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, 2018-2022 Q5, and SQ5 vehicles. A liquid spill in the rear seat, or water ingress from an insufficient body seam underneath the vehicle may allow liquid to penetrate the gateway control module, causing it to shutdown.

    Risk: A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will install a protective cover on the gateway control module and seal an underbody seam as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90S9.

  2. NHTSA 19V737000Oct 16, 2019Structure & Body174,278 vehicles

    Structure:body

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi SQ5 and 2018-2020 Audi Q5 vehicles. The rear wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach from the vehicle.

    Risk: The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.

    Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four clips securing the forward part of the rear wheel arch trim, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 66K8.

  3. NHTSA 19V416000Jun 5, 2019Suspension, Wheels & Tires126,161 vehicles

    Wheels:hub

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach.

    Risk: The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will secure the wheel arch trim with an additional screw and nut, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66K6.

See all 6 recalls for the 2018 Audi Q5 →

2018 Audi Q5 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
23 MPG
Highway
27 MPG
Combined
25 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,200
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2018 compared with other Q5 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2016Caution5377524
2017Best042521.5
2018Avoid1002046 !25
2019Good4052524
2020Best1325625.5

All Audi Q5 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Audi Q5 reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2018 Q5 has the highest Complaint Index (100) among all 16 model years tracked, with 204 complaints and 6 recalls, so it ranks as the year to Avoid relative to other Q5 years.
What is the main problem area for the 2018 Audi Q5?
Electrical System complaints account for 38% of all reports (78 complaints), followed by Engine issues at 22% (44 complaints).
Does the 2018 Audi Q5 have a do-not-drive recall?
Yes, recall 18V369000 covering brake caliper pistons was flagged as a do-not-drive recall, requiring dealers to bleed the rear brakes.
How does the 2018 Q5 compare to other years?
The 2018 Q5 has a Complaint Index of 100, higher than every other tracked year including 2012 (80) and 2023 (87), making it the worst-ranked year for reported problems.
What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Audi Q5?
The 2018 Q5 gets an EPA-rated 25 mpg combined (23 city / 27 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,200.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.