Home · 2018 Audi Q5 · Complaints

What 195 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Audi Q5

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (195)Crash / fire / injury (10)Electrical system (66)Engine (29)Suspension (24)Body & structure (20)Brakes (20)Driver assistance (18)Airbags (12)Speed control (12)Lights (11)Steering (9)

3 of 195 complaints match · Brakes · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Dec 19, 2022BrakesDriver assistanceCrash

I was trying to park my car in my office parking space, after right turn to parking space, I applied brake to stop, but the car suddenly accelerated and within few seconds it crashed into the office building. I was still applying brake when it accelerated and I could not do anything else. The fact that vehicle climbed two levels of curbs to hit the building shows that the acceleration was out of my control. And even vehicle's collision system did not kick in when car was climbed over the curb. Polic report #: 22-350-0239C Agency: SCCSO

NHTSA ODI 11498164

Nov 5, 2019Speed controlBrakesCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 AUDI Q5. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN A PARKING LOT WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO A STAIRWAY RAIL OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. THE CONTACT CALLED AUDI LIVERMORE (3400 LAS POSITAS RD, LIVERMORE, CA 94551) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

NHTSA ODI 11278273

Sep 26, 2019Transmission & drivetrainBrakesCrash

1.I HAD AN ACCIDENT AT APPROXIMATELY 10:45 A.M. ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 IN THE PARKING LOT FOR THE MEDICAL OFFICES LOCATED AT 2000 SOUTH MAYS STREET, ROUND ROCK, TEXAS. 2.I PARKED IN A SPACE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING, WHICH IS PART OF THEIR PROPERTY. 3.MY NORMAL HABIT IS TO PLACE THE CAR IN 'PARK' WHEN I STOP IN A PARKING SPOT. 4.SINCE IT WAS VERY WARM, I LEFT THE MOTOR RUNNING SO I'D HAVE AIR CONDITIONING AS I PLACED THE SUN SCREEN OVER THE WINDSHIELD. 5.THE SUN SHADE IS ONE PIECE AND TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO PROPERLY INSTALL. 6.WHEN I COMPLETED INSTALLING THE SUN SHADE, I NOTICED THE CAR WAS MOVING BACKWARDS AT LESS THAN 5 MPH. 7.I TRIED REPEATEDLY TO STOP THE CAR BY PRESSING ON THE BRAKE AND SLAMMING ON THE BRAKE. 8.WHAT WAS HAPPENING MADE NO SENSE TO ME; IT WAS SURREAL. WHY WAS THE CAR MOVING BACKWARDS AND WHY COULDN'T I STOP THE CAR? 9.THE CAR STOPPED WHEN IT HIT A PARKING LOT LIGHT POLE ON MY LEFT REAR AND THE LEFT FRONT OF A TOYOTA ON MY RIGHT REAR. 10.THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH EVERY PRE SENSE, DRIVER ASSISTANCE, AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM AUDI OFFERS; HOWEVER, ALL SYSTEMS FAILED TO DETECT OR AVOID THE COLLISION. 11.THE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY SOME WEIRD PROBLEM WITH MY 2018 AUDI Q5. THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO IN THE TIME I HAD WITHOUT THE BRAKES WORKING.

NHTSA ODI 11258331

Working with the data? Download all 195 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2018 Audi Q5 verdict →