Most common 2023 Audi Q5 problems
Share of the 44 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 →
2023 Audi Q5 recalls (5)
Engine
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Q5 Quattro and Q5 Sportback Quattro vehicles. The cylinder head cover screws may have been improperly tightened.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the screws as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 5, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Electrical system › Propulsion system › Traction battery
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.
Remedy: 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…
Electrical system › Propulsion system › Traction battery
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Audi Q5 PHEV and 2022 Audi A7 PHEV vehicles. The high-voltage battery may overheat.
Remedy: Dealers will install advanced diagnostic software as the final remedy, anticipated to be available in the second quarter of 2025.
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 Audi S5 Cabriolet, A4 Allroad, Q5 Sportback, A3 Sedan, S5 Sportback, SQ7, TT Coupe, TT Roadster, RS5 Sportback, 2024 A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q8, RSQ8, 2023-2024 Q3, Q5, and Q7 vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger seat occupant detection system control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 8, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Electrical system › Propulsion system › Charging › Cable/cord › Onboard
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.
Remedy: 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.
What 2023 Audi Q5 owners say
Driver assistance
My wife was pulling into a parking spot when all of a sudden the cars engine accelerated causing the car to jump one curb, hit a step and striking a pole before finally the brakes stopped the car from going through a storefront. None of the safety crash features stopped the vehicle. My wifes foot was on the brake, not the accelerator. Previously we had the vehicle in for service to reset the computer that kept freezing. Unfortunately we did not research Audi in detail before we bought. Since this occurrence, we have seen that some of Audi's models have had a history of "unintended sudden acceleration" and that there was actually a class action lawsuit years ago. After reading about those occurrences, we believe that this is what occurred. Audi corporate sent their engineers to download the computer data. They concluded that there was no computer error and no evidence of impact. …
Automatic Emergency Braking system engaged when the vehicle was parked on an incline. Unable to release automatic emergency brake when vehicle was started with key. Ignition light warning - RED - symbol - brake failure. Required a tow to Audi dealership. Audi dealership in two states failed to use OMB II reader to scan codes at the time of emergency visit. Vehicle was released to owner without scanning codes at the time of the emergency therefore owner acquired more than 3-4 consecutive drive cycles before scheduled repair appointment 7 days after emergency incident described above because the Audi dealerships in two states (vehicle occupants were traveling long distance) failed to read and store computer codes immediately after emergency incident with the automatic braking system. This incident made the vehicle inoperable and placed the occupants of the vehicle in an unsafe situation. …
Electrical system
My wife and I were in the 2023 Audi Q5 with 1000 miles. I had complained to the dealer and manufacturer that this car was unsafe to drive. On June 9, 2023 I was driving slowly in my community. I tried to stop at a stop sign. NO brakes then at the same time the car had unintended sudden acceleration. We had no control, no brakes and hit a fence and shrubbery and cement fence. All airbags deployed.
I moved forward and hit this stone and then when I hit the stone. I tried to reverse and I lost control of my car. The car began spinning and I had no control of the car. The car finally crashed on it' s own. I could not brake or nothing. I was rushed to the emergency room. I had a headache and my body was sore.
Engine & cooling
My wife and I were in the 2023 Audi Q5 with 1000 miles. I had complained to the dealer and manufacturer that this car was unsafe to drive. On June 9, 2023 I was driving slowly in my community. I tried to stop at a stop sign. NO brakes then at the same time the car had unintended sudden acceleration. We had no control, no brakes and hit a fence and shrubbery and cement fence. All airbags deployed.
we purchased a new 2023 Audi q5 at the Audi dealer at Wesley Chapel. On October 3, we noticed a malfunctioning indicator light on the dashboard. We took the vehicle back to the dealer to fix the problem. One of the service agents told us, everything was good, just a software update. I also notified the problem to manufacturing company and still no solution. It has been 4 months since when the problem occurred. The malfunction indicator lamp is on all the time when we turn the engine on and while driving. There are a lot of safety concerns while driving.
2023 Audi Q5 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo plug-in hybrid | 7-speed dual-clutch | AWD | 25 / 27 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo hybrid | 7-speed dual-clutch | AWD | 23 / 29 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2023 Audi Q5 a good car?
Based on 44 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2023 Q5 rates avoid: 2.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Q5 at the same age. It is one of the Q5 years we suggest avoiding. 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 2023 Audi Q5?
The driver assistance — 15 complaints, 34% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic emergency braking. Next are the electrical system (10) and engine & cooling (7).
How many recalls does the 2023 Audi Q5 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2023 Audi Q5, the most recent from May 7, 2025 (engine). 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.
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.