RoadVitals

2019 Audi SQ5

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
19
+1 complaint in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
5
Latest Dec 8, 2021
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

Overview

Our database contains 19 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2019 Audi SQ5, most frequently naming the engine, brakes and electrical categories. 5 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 808 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine416.0%
  • Brakes416.0%
  • Electrical312.0%
  • Exterior lighting312.0%
  • Airbags28.0%
  • Body & structure28.0%
  • Visibility28.0%
  • Driver assistance14.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

5 campaigns cover this model year

View all 5

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
21V947000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE/BCM; STRUCTURE:BODY

Dec 8, 2021
288,991 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: 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.Manufacturer number 90S9View on NHTSA.gov
19V737000

STRUCTURE:BODY

Oct 16, 2019
174,278 units potentially affected
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi SQ5 and 2018-2020 Audi Q5 vehicles. The rear wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach from the vehicle.
The risk: The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
The remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four clips securing the forward part of the rear wheel arch trim, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 66K8.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.Manufacturer number 66K8View on NHTSA.gov
19V473000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Jun 19, 2019
28 units potentially affected
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. In the event of a crash deploying the passenger's frontal air bag, the instrument panel carrier may break due to incorrect welding. If the carrier breaks, there may be damage to the passenger frontal air bag.
The risk: A damaged frontal air bag may not provide adequate protection, increasing the risk of an injury.
The remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel and the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began August 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 90N1.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.Manufacturer number 90N1View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 19
Engine
Filed Sep 7, 2026

Piston skirt extended warranty calls for replacement of the pistons. This does NOT fix the issue if the vehicle was driven long term with damaged pistons. In my case the vehicle started knocking 1000 miles after replacement. Unsafe to drive and I now how to pay for a new engine on my own.

NHTSA ID
11762508
Incident
Apr 22, 2026
Brakes
Filed May 28, 2026

Brake booster issue

NHTSA ID
11740518
Incident
May 27, 2026
Engine
Filed Jan 15, 2026

There’s a knocking noise coming from the engine that could lead to potential engine failure. There is a known manufacturers defect in these engines. Audi has extended a warranty, but not all cars are eligible. This should be a recall because if the engine fails on a high speed through a highway, it could be a highly dangerous situation

NHTSA ID
11711317
Incident
Dec 15, 2025
Engine
Filed Dec 17, 2025

Piston skirt recall and warranty. Bulletin number AWA-25-08. Needs investigated. Based off average Audi owner statistics along with NHTSA statistics, when this bulletin was released in August of 2025, over 60% of vehicles with this 3.0T engine code EA839 would be disqualified from repairs for under 80,000 miles.

NHTSA ID
11705497
Incident
Nov 1, 2025
Electrical
Filed Dec 9, 2025

The rear brake lights on my 2019 Audi SQ5 stopped functioning due to a failure of the Comfort System Central Control Module (J393). This defect is documented by Audi in Technical Service Bulletin 2055123/5 and earlier versions. The malfunction causes the “rear lighting warning” to appear in the instrument cluster, and the brake lights do not illuminate when the brake pedal is pressed. The issue is not related to bulbs or wear-and-tear; it is caused by a software defect in the vehicle’s body control module, which results in loss of communication with the rear-lighting system. The failure occurred at approximately 73,000 miles, but the defect existed earlier and is acknowledged by Audi in the TSB. Because brake lights are a federally required safety system, the vehicle cannot be safely operated until this defect is corrected. The dealership confirmed the issue and advised that the required repair is a software update to the control module. Audi has declined responsibility, leaving the vehicle unsafe to drive. This is a safety-critical defect involving a known software failure that disables brake lights, increasing the risk of rear-end collisions.

NHTSA ID
11704064
Incident
Dec 8, 2025
Body & structure
Filed May 12, 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Audi SQ5. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the front passenger’s side wheel flare detached. The driver’s side wheel flare was loosened. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.

NHTSA ID
11660370
Incident
May 10, 2025
Mileage
60,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 30, 2024

Panoramic roof glass exploded outwards while driving on the highway. No sign of rock damage or debris hitting. The glass is deformed outwards. The glass was sent towards the interior of the car. The sunroof shade was closed and many pieces of glass were caught by this otherwise the driver would have been hit by glass shards.

NHTSA ID
11611752
Incident
Aug 30, 2024
Fuel systemPowertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Apr 28, 2024

No warning lights or fault codes. Took it to Audi of Dallas and without a code they said they couldn’t troubleshoot it. The car makes a whining noise only while under acceleration and is prominate between 20-50 mph. Also the fuel gauge (electric) does not show the correct amount of fuel. I have already ran out of fuel and it still showed 200+ miles left and the gauge was still around 1/2. Also while at the dealer they replaced my motor mounts through my extended warranty and said i needed to replace the rear shocks but it wasn’t covered (3rd party extended warranty) that i purchased from the dealer i bought the car from in Austin.

NHTSA ID
11585696
Incident
Mar 22, 2024

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TSB_2069331_8

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides informaitn when there is a warning messsage; "Instrument cluster: fault. Limited warning messages. Please contact workshop"; DTC B200096.

TSB_2074436_3

This bulletin provides information when the horn sound quality is poor.

TSB_2067132_4

SERVICE BRAKES

This bulletin provides information when there is corrosion on the friction survace of steel brake discs.

TSB_2063528_5

STEERING

This bulletin provides service information when thre are engine noises in the vehicle interior.

TSB_2064681_6

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides information when there is an issue with wireless charging/wireless charging is not working.

TSB_2063546_5

STEERING

This bulletin provides service infomraiton regardin gthe identifaction of noises with dynamic steering.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Audi SQ5 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2027000—
2026300—
2025710—
2024600—
2023300—
2022520—
2021135057.8
2020840—
2019Viewing195056.6
2018245054.0
2017500—
2016600—
2015810—
2014121031.1
2013100—
2012000—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.