Most common 2013 Audi Q5 problems
Share of the 89 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Audi Q5 complaints by model year
Best Q5 years: 2020, 2017, 2019. Years to avoid: 2025, 2018, 2023, 2021, 2012. Compare all years →
2013 Audi Q5 recalls (5)
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
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.
Remedy: 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.
Electrical system › Wiring
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad and Q5 vehicles. Contact corrosion within the electrical connector for the auxiliary heater may cause the heater wires to overheat or melt.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary heater and, as necessary, update the software, free of charge. The Recall began November 27, 2017.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Audi Q5 and 2013-2017 Audi Q7 vehicles. These gasoline-powered vehicles have a fuel pump flange that may crack, allowing fuel to leak.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump flange if cracks are present. Flanges that do not have cracks will have a protective film applied. These repairs will be performed free of charge.
Air bags › Side/window
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Audi Q5 vehicles. The sunroof drainage system may allow water to soak into the foam surrounding the side head air bag inflator canister resulting in the corrosion of the canister.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator and either coat it or replace it, as necessary, after removing the surrounding foam, free of charge. The recall is expected to began March 2017.
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
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.
Remedy: 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.
What 2013 Audi Q5 owners say
Engine & cooling all 33 →
My daughter drove her car to Hobby Lobby in Opelika, AL. After being in the store for about 7 minutes they announced over the intercom for the owner of a black audi to come to the front. They told her that her car was on fire. She went outside and black smoke and fire was coming from the hood. A lady had already called 911. While waiting, flames started coming from the bottom of the car. The police arrived and started trying to put the fire out, then firefighters arrived and put the fire out. After the fire was put out, the car kept trying to start itself so they had to locate the battery to disconnect it. Luckily the firefighters were a few stores down and was able to get to it quick. The car is available for inspection and we feel that this is some type of malfunction that we shouldn't be responsible for. …
The contact owns a 2013 Audi Q5. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing an abnormal oil consumption. The low oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that she had been adding a quart of oil to the vehicle every 200 miles driven. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
Steering
When at highway speed, the vehicle veered hard to the left without any driver input, causing the car to cross several lanes of traffic and hit a concrete divider at ~65mph. The driver fractured her back, and one of three children in the car experienced injury. The vehicle was declared a total loss by insurance. The driver (my wife) indicated that a similar incident happened at low speed in a parking lot, but it resolved after shut down and restart of the engine. It is my understanding that the vehicle is currently either at or on the way to a Copart lot.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Audi Q5. While driving 20 MPH and exiting the freeway, the steering wheel failed to move and seized. The steering system malfunction warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer (Audi valencia, 23923 creekside rd, valencia, ca 91355, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the steering rack module and the power steering module needed to be replaced. The parts needed to be ordered. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer (samantha at [phone], ext 43358) was notified and opened case number: 180034706. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Electrical system
My daughter drove her car to Hobby Lobby in Opelika, AL. After being in the store for about 7 minutes they announced over the intercom for the owner of a black audi to come to the front. They told her that her car was on fire. She went outside and black smoke and fire was coming from the hood. A lady had already called 911. While waiting, flames started coming from the bottom of the car. The police arrived and started trying to put the fire out, then firefighters arrived and put the fire out. After the fire was put out, the car kept trying to start itself so they had to locate the battery to disconnect it. Luckily the firefighters were a few stores down and was able to get to it quick. The car is available for inspection and we feel that this is some type of malfunction that we shouldn't be responsible for. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2013 Audi Q5. While driving at an unknown speed, smoke was seen under the hood. The contact was not able to coast the vehicle to the side of the road due to heavy traffic on the interstate. The contact was able to exit the vehicle without injuries. The vehicle burst into flames, which were extinguished by the fire department. A police report was filed. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an insurance lot where it was deemed destroyed. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic to determine the cause of the failure. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 17V622000 (electrical system) and 18V229000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened case number: [redacted]. The approximate failure mileage was 27,000.
2013 Audi Q5 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo hybrid | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 24 / 30 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 28 / 23 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl supercharged | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2013 Audi Q5 a good car?
Based on 89 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Q5 rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Q5 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Audi Q5?
The engine & cooling — 33 complaints, 37% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the steering (18) and electrical system (9).
How many recalls does the 2013 Audi Q5 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2013 Audi Q5, the most recent from April 11, 2018 (cooling system). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Audi Q5?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2017 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2025, 2018, 2023, 2021 and 2012. See the full Audi Q5 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2013 Audi Q5 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 57,000 miles; 44% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.