- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- 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.
Vehicle safety record
2018 Audi SQ5 Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 2018 Audi SQ5 have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 5 recalls, the latest in December 2021 for the body control module / bcm.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical SQ5 year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
2018 Audi SQ5 recalls 5
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake master cylinder casting may be too short.
- The risk
- A short casting can cause a sudden loss of brakes, increasing the risk of crash. The electronic parking brake and its emergency brake function are not affected and will still function.
- The fix
- Audi has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the brake master cylinder, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 3, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 47O9.
Do not drive
- The problem
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, Passat, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen and GTI and Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reducing the brake performance.
- The risk
- A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the brake system has been checked. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 47N8, 47N9, and 47N6.
What owners say
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No complaints about the 2018 Audi SQ5 yet
No owner has filed a complaint about this vehicle with NHTSA. If yours has a problem, share it here and report it to NHTSA.
Audi SQ5: every year compared
All SQ5 years2018 Audi SQ5 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Audi SQ5 | 0 | 5 | C | |
| 2018 Audi A3 | 44 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 2018 Audi A4 | 43 | 1 | A | Compare |
| 2018 Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron | 12 | 1 | C | Compare |
| 2018 Audi A5 | 9 | 6 | C | Compare |
| 2018 Audi A4 Allroad | 9 | 3 | F | Compare |
| 2018 Audi A6 | 2 | 2 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2018 Audi SQ5
Does the 2018 Audi SQ5 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2018 Audi SQ5: body control module / bcm (December 2021); body (October 2019); hub (June 2019); master cylinder (April 2019) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
How many complaints has the 2018 Audi SQ5 had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 2018 Audi SQ5 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 51 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Audi SQ5 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
What should I do if my 2018 Audi SQ5 has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
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