2021 Audi Q5
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2021 Audi Q5 is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 966 on record.
2021 Audi Q5 at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
2021 Audi Q5 recalls 8
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Audi Q5, and 2022 A7 E Hybrid Electric PHEV vehicles. The high-voltage battery may overheat.
Fix: Dealers will install advanced diagnostic software , free of charge. Volkswagen will monitor available online vehicle data and contact owners as necessary, to advise them not to charge the vehicle until the battery can be replaced. For vehicles in which online data is unavailable, owners are advised…
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2022-2024 RS e-tron GT, e-tron GT, Q4 e-tron Sportback, Q4 e-tron, 2020-2021 Audi A8, 2019-2024 e-tron Quattro, 2020-2024 e-tron Sportback Quattro, Q5, and 2021-2022 A7 vehicles. When using the industrial 220V/240V plug at the 100% charge setting, some home power outlets may be incapable of handling the electrical current required to utilize the compact c…
Fix: Owners are advised not to use the 220V/240V compact/portable charging cable and only use the 110V home charging cable or public charging stations. Dealers will supply a new 220V/240V compact/portable charging cable with an incorporated temperature sensor, free of charge. Owner notification letters …
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Audi Q5 Sportback, Q5, 2022-2023 Volkswagen Atlas FL, and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The engine connecting rod bearings may become damaged, which can result in engine failure.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace an affected engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 6, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this …
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8, RS7, RS6 Avant, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, Q8, Q7, Q5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, Q5, A7, A6, A6 Allroad, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, A5 Cabrioleet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, SQ7, S5 Cabriolet, E-Tron Quattro, SQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ5, S8, S7, S6 Sedan, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, 2022 E-Tron GT, and 2021-2022 RSQ8 vehicles. Due t…
Fix: Dealers will update the infotainment unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DZ.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected af…
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.
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.
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.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Se…
Fix: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. 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 r…
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to …
Fix: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
2021 Audi Q5 common problems
The most-reported problem areas across all 74 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.
2021 Audi Q5 safety ratings
Rollover risk: 16.4% — NHTSA's estimated chance of rollover in a single-vehicle crash (dynamic test: no tip).
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2021 Audi Q5 SUV AWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.
2021 Audi Q5 MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 2 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 2021 Audi Q5 costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Dimensions & weight
Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2021 Audi Q5 — ranges cover the 3 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
Manufacturer service bulletins 1146
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 1146.
This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
Bulletin TSB_2052680_2 · Sep 2026This bulletin provides information when the starter/generator drive belt is noisy or came off.
Bulletin TSB_2083393_1 · Engine · Sep 2026This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
Bulletin TSB_2083409_1 · Sep 2026This bulletin provides information when there is a warning message in the instrument cluster about external sound.
Bulletin TSB_2083385_1 · Electrical System · Sep 2026This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning.
Bulletin TSB_2020552_15 · Visibility/wiper · Sep 2026This bulletin provides informaiton when DTC B200FF0 is stored.
Bulletin TSB_2065871_4 · Steering · Sep 2026This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.
Bulletin TSB_2074846_5 · Steering · Sep 2026This bulletin provides information when the rear parking sensor sometimes does not work, rear parking sensor loose, rear parking sensor fault message.
Bulletin TSB_2068573_6 · Electrical System · Sep 2026This bulletin provides information about billing for a broken sunroof glass panel.
Bulletin TSB_2078648_4 · Structure · Sep 2026This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped.
Bulletin TSB_2030471_9 · Sep 2026Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the Q5 AWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
Canadian recalls 7
Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2021 Audi Q5. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.
Accessories
Issue: Under certain conditions, the plug for the 220 V compact vehicle charging cable could become damaged by the house power outlet. As a result, the cable could overheat while charging. Note: This recall only affects electric and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) models. Safety Risk: Wiring that overheats could create a fire risk. Corrective Actions: Audi will notify owners by…
Transport Canada #2023659 · Dec 2023Engine
Issue: On certain vehicles, the connecting rod bearings may become damaged. If this happens, the engine could make abnormal noises and a warning light may turn on. If you continue to drive the vehicle with these symptoms, the engine could fail and/or an oil leak could occur. Safety Risk: An engine failure can cause a sudden loss of power, which could increase the risk of a cras…
Transport Canada #2022576 · Oct 2022Visual System
Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display. Canadian regulations require the rearview image to display when the transmission is shifted into reverse gear. Safety Risk: A rearview camera image that does not display could reduce a driver's ability to see behind the vehicle while backing up. This could increase…
Transport Canada #2022565 · Oct 2022Suspension
Issue: On certain vehicles, the rear wheel alignment was not checked during recall 42L1 (Transport Canada Recall 2021-249). As a result, the steering could pull to one side or another and the tires could wear unevenly. If you continue to drive the vehicle in this condition, there may be reduced traction. Eventually, a tire could fail and lose air pressure. Safety Risk: A tire f…
Transport Canada #2022022 · Jan 2022Electrical
Issue: On certain vehicles, if you spill liquid on the rear seat, or drive through heavy rain or deep water, the gateway control module could be damaged. If this happens, the vehicle may enter emergency mode and suddenly lose power to the wheels. Note: The power steering and braking systems will continue to work. You may also see warning messages on the instrument panel when th…
Transport Canada #2021740 · Dec 2021Seats And Restraints
Issue: On certain vehicles, the passenger seat belt assemblies may contain defective automatic locking retractors (ALR). As a result, the seat belts may not properly lock to secure a child seat. Safety Risk: A seat belt that is used to secure a child restraint but is not properly locked could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Audi will notify owners by…
Transport Canada #2021486 · Aug 2021Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
About the Audi Q5
The Audi Q5 is a series of compact luxury crossover SUVs produced by the German luxury car manufacturer Audi from 2008. The original first-generation model was the third member of the B8 family to be released after the Audi A5 and fourth-generation A4, all being based on the Audi MLB platform. The second generation Q5 debuted in 2018 and shares the Audi MLB Evo platform with the corresponding B9 versions of the A4 and A5.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.
2021 Audi Q5 vehicles on record
2021 Audi Q5WA1AAAFY1M2083172
2021 Audi Q5WA1G2AFY5M2065264
2021 Audi Q5WA1BAAFY5M2052043
2021 Audi Q5WA1BAAFY4M2051403
2021 Audi Q5WAUZZZFY0N2017369
2021 Audi Q5WA1BAAFY6M2129860
2021 Audi Q5WA1BAAFY7M2082175
2021 Audi Q5WA1EAAFY4M2055786
2021 Audi Q5WA1AAAFY0M2135195
2021 Audi Q5WAUZZZFY8M2119999
2021 Audi Q5WA1BAAFY5M2057078
2021 Audi Q5WA1AAAFY9M2055295
2021 Audi Q5WAUZZZFYXM2091283
2021 Audi Q5WA1BAAFY6M2065805
2021 Audi Q5WA1GAAFY3N2020795
2021 Audi Q5WA1BAAFY4M2062658
2021 Audi Q5WA1CAAFY7M2054980
2021 Audi Q5WAUZZZFY4N2007279
2021 Audi Q5WA1AAAFY4M2105567
2021 Audi Q5WAUZZZFY9M2089038
2021 Audi Q5WA1AAAFY5M2053785
2021 Audi Q5WA1AAAFY3M2063117
2021 Audi Q5WA1G2AFY7M2075391
2021 Audi Q5WA14AAFYXM2092451