What breaks most · 2013 to 2026 model years
Audi SQ5 problems by year
Owners have filed 112 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Audi SQ5 across model years 2013 to 2026. Three years stand out: 2018 for electrical system complaints, 2019 for brakes complaints and 2014 for steering complaints. The quietest years are 2013, 2023 and 2022.
- Years to check closely: 2018, 2019, 2014
- Fewest complaints: 2013, 2023, 2022
- Complaints on file
- 1122013 to 2026, all trims
- Worst year
- 201824 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 40 fires · 9 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 18kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 24Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Engine (1) | |
| 12 | 0 | 1 | Steering (4) | |
| 8 | 0 | 1 | Body and structure (4) | |
| 6 | 0 | 0 | Steering (2) | |
| 5 | 2 | 0 | Wipers and visibility (1) | |
| 24 | 1 | 5 | Electrical system (8) | |
| 18 | 1 | 5 | Brakes (4) | |
| 7 | 0 | 4 | Forward collision system (3) | |
| 11 | 0 | 5 | Electrical system (4) | |
| 4 | 0 | 2 | Wipers and visibility (1) | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (1) | |
| 6 | 0 | 0 | Unknown or other (2) | |
| 6 | 0 | 1 | Forward collision system (2) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Unknown or other (1) |
What fails on the 2018 Audi SQ5
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 33% |
8 | 0 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 25% |
6 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2018 Audi SQ5 |
| Forward collision systemRadar and camera sensors | 17% |
4 | 0 | Shop forward collision system parts for the 2018 Audi SQ5 |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 17% |
4 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 13% |
3 | 0 | — |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 13% |
3 | 0 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2018 Audi SQ5 |
| Wipers and visibilityWiper motors and blades | 8% |
2 | 0 | Shop all wipers and visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 8% |
2 | 0 | Shop all steering parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Car's electrical system fried overnight during a rainstorm. All systems unresponsive to keys or key faub. Car was towed to used dealership and they told me due to drainage system blockage a pool of water collected in rear battery compartment and submerged the battery.
-
Issues with auto breaking in reverse car will sometimes stop abruptly while backing up when no other vehicles or people are present.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Audi SQ5 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2018, 2019, 2014 carry the most filings on the Audi SQ5. The 2018 alone has 24 complaints, led by electrical system.
What is the most common Audi SQ5 problem?
On the 2018 model year, the most-reported component is electrical system with 8 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Audi SQ5 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Audi SQ5 complaints that include mileage is about 18,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.