2009 Audi Q5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Sep 9, 2026 · 31 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Q5 years
Far fewer complaints than other years 14th of 19 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 31 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Audi Q5. That ranks 14th out of 19 Q5 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (16 complaints, 52%), typically at around 54,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 2 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year.

Audi Q5
Audi Q5 GU 2.0 TDI in Filderstadt. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2009 Audi Q5 problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Air Bags16 · ~54,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion System5 · ~55,500 mi
Engine2 · ~76,750 mi
Suspension2 · ~61,000 mi
Unknown or Other2
Electrical System1 · ~47,500 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling1 · ~140,000 mi
Fuel System, Gasoline1 · ~50,800 mi
Power Train1 · ~2,900 mi
Service Brakes, Air1 · ~140,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Air Bags1652%54,000——
Fuel/propulsion System516%55,500——
Engine26%76,750——
Suspension26%61,000——
Unknown or Other26%———
Electrical System13%47,500——
Engine and Engine Cooling13%140,000——
Fuel System, Gasoline13%50,800——
Power Train13%2,900——
Service Brakes, Air13%140,000——
Steering13%47,500——
Structure13%———
Tether, Lower Anchor (on Car Seat or Vehicle)13%———
Vehicle Speed Control13%140,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2017, with 6 complaints
2009: 1200912014: 2201422015: 2201522016: 5201652017: 6201762018: 4201842019: 2201922020: 3202032021: 1202112022: 2202222023: 2202322026: 120261

n = 31 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2009 Audi Q5 recalls (6)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pumpNov 19, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V818000 · 5,987 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2007-2012 Audi Q7 and 2009-2012 Audi Q5 vehicles, previously repaired under NHTSA recall 16V-660. These vehicles were previously repaired with an interim repair of installing butyl tape to the fuel pump flange, until replacement remedy parts became available.

Risk: The butyl tape may not prevent fuel from leaking. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump flange and install butyl tape, free of charge. The recall began December 28, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20BJ.

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleJan 30, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V082000 · 162,782 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2013 Audi A3, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2008 RS4 Cabriolet, 2009-2012 Q5, and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R6. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.

Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pumpSep 13, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V660000 · 143,214 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Audi Q5, and 2007-2012 Audi Q7 vehicles equipped with gasoline engines. The fuel pump flange on the affected vehicles may crack, allowing fuel to leak.

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the flange, replacing any flanges that are cracked. If the flange is not cracked, dealers will clean the pump flange and install a butyl rubber band to protect the pump. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20W9.

Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactiveMay 27, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V376000 · 8,381 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Audi A4, A5, and Q5 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the air bag control units may corrode and fail.

Risk: If the air bag control unit fails, the air bags may not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The recall began October 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69O1.

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleFeb 10, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V078000 · 659,493 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.

Air bagsDec 18, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V484000 · 6,054 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2009 q5 passenger vehicles manufactured between november 25, 2008 and june 4, 2009. A left and/or right a-pillar trim cover clip may not have been manufactured correctly, allowing the a-pillar trim to become loose when the sideguard head protection airbags deploy during a crash.

Risk: If this happens, a loose trim piece could injure the front seat occupants of the vehicle.

Fix: Volkswagen will inspect the clip in the middle of the left and right a-pillar covers and replace it free of charge. The safety recall began on january 22, 2010. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-253-2834.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

I am reporting a potentially serious safety defect involving the rear subframe/crossmember of my 2009 Audi Q5. I discovered significant corrosion on the vehicle's rear subframe, which is a structural component supporting the rear suspension and rear axle assembly. The corrosion is substantially…

Structure · received Sep 9, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11763236

Cybex Sirona S is marketed as a 360 car seat that rotates and swivels, but when in forward-facing mode for functionality it does not tether. The guidance is to use the load leg to keep the swivel and rotation but then not use the tether. The tether strap is critical for safety and part of CPST…

Tether, Lower Anchor (on Car Seat or Vehicle) · received Sep 17, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11545067

I was in an accident where I hit a herd of elk. My car was totaled. The airbags did not deploy and they definitely should have. It was hit on the front, and both front sides. There is no way the airbags shouldn’t have deployed.

Air Bags · received Feb 17, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11507755

The contact owns a 2009 Audi Q5. The contact stated that the vehicle was smoking. There was antifreeze and oil leaking from the vehicle. While driving, the accelerator pedal and brake pedal became stuck, and the vehicle stalled. There was an abnormal oil burning odor, fuel, and antifreeze. The…

Engine and Engine Cooling · received Nov 17, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11493915

I got in my car at about 6pm on Saturday May 28, 2022. Started it up and proceeded to start opening the sunroof when I noticed it was cracked. I was thinking some kids had hit it with a ball until I traced the spiderwebbing right back to to the center of the panoramic sunroof. You could wind noise…

Unknown or Other · received May 29, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11466569

Other Audi Q5 years

← 2008 Q5 · 2010 Q5 →

YearComplaintsRecalls
2026 Q530
2025 Q5421
2024 Q5204
2023 Q5445
2022 Q5224
2021 Q5748
2020 Q5256
2019 Q5525
2018 Q52076
2017 Q5425
2016 Q5775
2015 Q5996
2014 Q51055
2013 Q5895
2012 Q51686
2011 Q51435
2010 Q51004
2009316
2008 Q501

See all Audi Q5 problems by year, every Audi model, or the Audi VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Audi Q5?

Owners most often report air bags, fuel/propulsion system, engine problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 16 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2009 Audi Q5?

Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2009 Audi Q5 a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Q5 model years, the 2009 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.