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Engine & cooling

2014 Audi Q5 Engine problems

Owners have filed 38 complaints about the 2014 Audi Q5's engine & cooling with NHTSA - 36% of all its complaints, most recently on March 21, 2026. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.

Complaints
38
Recalls
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0

Engine recalls for the 2014 Audi Q5

Engine and engine cooling: cooling system

18V229000342,867 vehicles affected

The problem
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.
The risk
A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix
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.

Engine and engine cooling: cooling system

17V002000342,867 vehicles affected

The problem
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.
The risk
If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix
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

Engine & cooling

I am filing a safety complaint regarding a progressive engine defect. Beginning as early as 2019 (approximately 84,000 miles), I repeatedly reported excessive oil consumption and related engine concerns to authorized Audi dealerships. These complaints continued over several years. At no point was I informed that these symptoms could be associated with a known defect pattern or progressive engine failure. The condition has now escalated to a severe engine malfunction. The vehicle began exhibiting engine misfires,...

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flashing check engine light, EPC warning, and unstable operation. The dealership confirmed misfire fault codes and oil contamination affecting the ignition system. Engine replacement was initially recommended. Excessive oil consumption leading to internal contamination and misfires presents a significant safety hazard. Loss of engine power or sudden failure while driving can create dangerous conditions, particularly at highway speeds or in traffic. Despite the long history of reported symptoms, Audi of America has declined to provide assistance, citing only warranty status and failing to address the defect progression. The vehicle has now been inoperable at an Audi dealership for approximately 60 days (nearly two months), with no resolution. This situation raises concerns regarding a safety-related defect, failure to disclose a known issue, and a potential broader pattern affecting similar vehicles equipped with this engine. I am requesting that this issue be reviewed for potential defect investigation. The dealer provided diagnostic findings with Failure Codes via a temporary link that is no longer accessible. I am requesting a copy of the full report and will upload this (once received), along with other documentation.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11726072
Engine & cooling

Under Recall 19N4, the electric coolant pump was replaced in July 2019 at 73,496 miles. That replacement pump failed prematurely in March 2025 at 109,628 miles - lasting only 36,132 miles. This was a safety-related recall part intended to fix a known defect with the original pump. Audi refused to provide goodwill reimbursement for this premature failure. I am reporting this to request further investigation and possible expanded remedy.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11678346
Electrical systemEngine & cooling

Invoice from mechanic states my water pump failed along with other engine components which led to a domino effect of system failures and leaks with potential to cause fire. Similar recalls have been issued for 2014 Audi Q5s

Filed Incident Electrical system · EngineNHTSA 11670746
Engine & cooling

I have noticed 2 times that my engine burn out oil very quick before the next predicted oil change and lead to safety risk of boosting engine while driving long distance if there is no auto one near. After speaking with one of the maintenance guy the last time I went for oil change at Jiffy live, He told me that there was a recall for the same problem with some other Audi models. How could we expect your help to address this safety concern with the manufacturer. This is very dangerous situation that you can't neglect. Best regards,

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11661768
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2014 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle briefly lost motive power and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the daughter's residence. The contact stated that weeks before the failure, while the vehicle was being serviced at the dealer, it was determined that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the first failure. The failure mileage was 72,919.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11656761
Engine & cooling

Vehicle stopped while driving!!! Middle of the driving. Very dangerous. And it happened twice. With that as the headline, another known problem with this vehicle has been the engine oil needing to be filled literally every month. And time to time it resulted in "engine light" to come. So we kind of ended up in a "wolf cry" and really didn't act. However, we did take care to Audi service for oil refill and they IGNORED to do the inspection on engine light well under 100,000 miles and 10yrs on warranty. So our...

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recent car stopped when we were just about 2 months over 10yrs and 3,000 miles over 100,000 mile warranty Audi has for the problem needs repaired. Please help. Now Audi is saying we needed to pay almost $6,000 to get that repaired. Which they have seen for months prior to the 10yrs and 100,000. It's really a unfair business practice.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11597723
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2014 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The engine and EPC warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who stated that the failure was due to the timing chain, piston rings, and a hole in the valve. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11575610
Engine & cooling

Oil consumption Burns a lot of oil

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11569774
Engine & cooling

Timing chain went out

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11566468
Engine & coolingFuel system

The car has a known "oil consumption issue" that has led to engine failure that Audi has failed to take responsibility for. This is a 2104 Audi Q5. The car is in San Francisco and available for inspection. The car vibrates and can't be safely driven at highway speeds, if the engine suddenly lost power on the highway it could be a major safety issue for the driver and other drivers. The dealer has reproduced the issue and diagnosed it as needing new Pistons and Rings at 99,000 miles (but it has had this issue...

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since in the 60,000 mile range, they just said keep adding oil). It has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives, just the dealers. I'm sure some warning lights came on, but could not say which ones or when.

Filed Incident Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11557145
Engine & cooling

In 2017 while driving in 10 degree weather, the overheat warning light and message to turn off engine came in. The car was not actually overheating and we took it straight to the dealership. They were not able to get it to replicate and advised it was possibly a faulty sensor. Fast forward to fall of 2023, the same warning light came on as soon as the car was turned on. Still no actual overheating per the dial in the car. We did check the coolant level and it was low. Dealership looked at and stated the didn't see...

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any leaks and suggested replacing thermostat. Took to another shop and they found a small leak in the water pump so we had it replaced. Car has less than 60k miles on it. Engine failure, fire are all concerns. Especially when commuting at high speeds on a highway. We're either dealing with a faulty water pump or thermostat.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11550926
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2014 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. The contact's son was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11550107
Engine & cooling

I bought my 2014 Audi Q5 in September of 2019 with 74, 291 miles from a reputable dealership in Cleveland, OH. After a few months of driving, I began to notice that the vehicle did not retain oil. This caused oil leaks which led to internal spillage, subsequent parts damage and random stalling. As a result, in May of 2022, during rush hour traffic, my car failed to accelerate mid-intersection, leaving myself and my passengers in danger of collision. After dealership and independent inspection, it was determined...

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there was an issue with the piston rings in the 2.0 Turbo engine. After speaking with the mechanic, Audi USA and conducting online research, I found that this has been noted and reported to Audi on several occasions for makes and models dating as far back as 2012. Because this is major engine issue, I fear for what other repercussions may result from the negligence. Upon further research, I also found that several class action lawsuits have been filed country-wide due to concern of this factory malfunction. These vehicles are large and capable of irreparable damage. Whatever steps can be taken to avoid sudden engine failure similar to my own is of highest priority.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11493156
Engine & cooling

Engine oil consumption between every 200miles and 300miles spends a quarter of complete engine oil

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11464076
Engine & cooling

Timing chain, turbocharger and high pressure fuel pump has to be replaced for the car with 75000 miles on it. Was advised by the shop supervisor that it's caused by faulty engine. That this type of damage is highly unlikely for the car under 100000 miles. Turbocharger is under extended warranty from the previous Audi recall.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11461655
Engine & coolingFuel system

Check engine light on and diagnostic test shows particular matter sensor malfunction. This is apparently under recall, but my VIN is not included

Filed Incident Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11451934
Engine & cooling

My 2014 Audi Q5 2.0L Turbo, at 84339 miles, is consuming oil between oil changes. 4300 miles after my last oil change by the Audi dealership, I had to add oil. The dealership, Gwinnett Audi, 3190 Satellite Blvd, Duluth, GA 30090, said that Audi is paying for the oil top off for all customers. Seems odd that if this is normal that Audi would voluntarily reimburse the dealership for this expense. I am concerned, based on internet searches, that this will continue to get worse and I will be adding more and more...

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oil without getting the problem resolved. The dealership told me it would cost $7,000 to fix the engine and there is no longer a warranty. This vehicle should not be burning oil at $80,000 miles. Audi needs to make permanent repairs to fix the problem, not just put a bandaid on it. I am not the only Audi owner with this problem.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11428479
Engine & coolingFuel system

I am writing about an incident that happened to my wife while she was driving my car from Los Angeles, CA to Phoenix, AZ on June 16, 2021. My wife was driving the Audi Q5 at approximately 75mph and 125 miles west of Phoenix (near the CA/AZ border) when the car suddenly loss power. She stepped on the gas and noticed the speed gradually dropping. Fortunately, she had the presence of mind and barely had enough time to pull over to the shoulder. It was at this point that she called to tell me that the car would no...

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longer start and the "check engine" and "EPC" light indicators were illuminated. This occurred at approximately 12:30 noon during a severe heatwave where the outside temperature was 117 degrees. I asked her to wait for 10 minutes to try to restart the car; the car would not restart. She called AAA Towing and was told the wait would be over one hour because of the rural location (Quartzsite, AZ). She ended up waiting a little over 3 hours in her car, without air conditioning, in 117 degrees for a tow truck driver to arrive. The car was towed to her sister's house in Goodyear, AZ at a cost of $673. The next day, she had the car towed to the Audi Dealership in Peoria, AZ where it was diagnosed the car had suffered a fuel vapor lock due to the heat. The car has less than 28,000 miles on the odometer when the incident happened. Audi Peoria kept the car for a couple of days because the parts had to be ordered from Los Angeles. Ultimately, the repair bill from the dealership came to $1,983. I felt helpless and scared for my wife that I was not able to assist her as I was 3 hours away. What if my wife (or another driver) was unable to pull over to the side of the road? The chances of an accident are dramatically increased if the vehicle was stuck on the highway. As you can imagine, my wife has been traumatized by this incident and we are both fearful that this incident can happen again. Therefore, we request that NHTSA investigate this incident.

Filed Incident Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11421907
Engine & cooling

This SUV has a 2.0 engine that consumes oil. I have to add a quart every 200-300 miles as the IP light indicates the engine is at the minimum oil level. This is not normal to be adding oil this frequently. Audi/VW has had problems in the past with vehicles that used excessive amounts of oil and a settlement was reached with owners. It seems they have not fixed the issue and I believe an investigation is needed and corrective action should be taken again by Audi/VW to make owners whole and to finally fix the problem. They need to find the root cause of this problem and fix it.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11421060
Transmission & drivetrainEngine & cooling

Slight oil leak from oil cooler line slight leak at the coolant reservoir. Burns oil quickly

Filed Incident Power train · EngineNHTSA 11414410
Engine & cooling

After 53661 check engine light came on,after driving it it went off only to come back on and stay on. After taking it to the dealer "found timing chain stretched. Replaced timing chain and tensoner"

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11397790
Engine & cooling

Check engine light started coming on intermittently at 64683 miles. Car was taken to audi dealer to trouble shoot. Diagnosed as "cold start fuel performance fault caused by stretched timing belt." Out side of warranty and class action law suit audi found at fault for earlier models for this.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11301235
Engine & cooling

Tl* the contact owns a 2014 audi q5. While the vehicle was parked outside of the contact's residence, the check engine oil warning indicator illuminated when the vehicle was started. The contact stated that she needed to add oil to the engine every two weeks. The vehicle was taken to biener audi (located at 795 northern blvd, great neck, ny 11021, (516) 829-2834) three times. On october 13, 2019, the contact was informed that the piston sizes were too small and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 81,886.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11280881
Acceleration & cruise controlEngine & cooling

Tl* the contact owns a 2014 audi q5. While driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle independently accelerated up to 80 mph. The contact shifted into neutral and the vehicle gradually came to a stop without crashing. The contact stated that the tachometer was red-lined at the time. The vehicle was taken to audi orland park (located at 8021 159th st, tinley park, il 60477, (708) 342-0300) where it was diagnosed that both water pumps failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

Filed Incident Vehicle speed control · EngineNHTSA 11222625
Engine & cooling

TIMING CHAIN

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11221270

Audi Q5 engine complaints by year

Q5 engine problems, every year

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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