Audi Q5: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
1,357 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Audi Q5, model years 2009 to 2026. 3 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2012 (engine 4.7×); 2011 (engine 4.3×); 2015 (engine 4.4×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2009, 2017, 2019. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Q5FEW REPORTS | 31 | quiet: 1 of 11 | 6 | |
| 2010 Q5FEW REPORTS | 100 | — | 4 | |
| 2011 Q5FEW REPORTS | 143 | engine 4.3× | 5 | |
| 2012 Q5 | 168 | engine 4.7× | 6 | |
| 2013 Q5FEW REPORTS | 89 | — | 5 | |
| 2014 Q5FEW REPORTS | 105 | — | 5 | |
| 2015 Q5FEW REPORTS | 100 | engine 4.4× | 6 | |
| 2016 Q5FEW REPORTS | 78 | quiet: 4 of 11 | 5 | |
| 2017 Q5FEW REPORTS | 42 | quiet: 2 of 11 | 5 | |
| 2018 Q5 | 209 | — | 6 | |
| 2019 Q5FEW REPORTS | 53 | quiet: 3 of 11 | 5 | |
| 2020 Q5FEW REPORTS | 25 | — | 6 | |
| 2021 Q5FEW REPORTS | 75 | — | 8 | |
| 2022 Q5FEW REPORTS | 22 | — | 4 | |
| 2023 Q5FEW REPORTS | 46 | — | 5 | |
| 2024 Q5FEW REPORTS | 20 | — | 4 | |
| 2025 Q5FEW REPORTS | 47 | — | 1 | |
| 2026 Q5FEW REPORTS | 4 | — | 0 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Other Audi models
Audi A3 · Audi A3 Cabriolet · Audi A4 · Audi A4 Allroad · Audi A5 · Audi A6 · Audi A8 · Audi Q3 · Audi Q7 · Audi Q8 · Audi S4 · Audi TT · Audi e-tron. All makes and models.
Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 20122018