2011 Audi Q5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Q5 years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 143 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Audi Q5. That ranks 3rd out of 19 Q5 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (67 complaints, 47%), typically at around 55,000 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 143owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 Audi Q5 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 67 | 47% | 55,000 | “takata air bags” (21%) | — |
| Engine | 42 | 29% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 25 | 17% | 98,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 12 | 8% | 55,975 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 8 | 6% | 109,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 8 | 6% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 7 | 5% | 42,657 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 3% | 94,250 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 2% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 2% | 91,625 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 2% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 2% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 2% | 71,950 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 95,656 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 1% | 3,300 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 60,400 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 350 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 Audi Q5 recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
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 module
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.
Air bags:side/window; visibility:sun/moon roof assembly
Problem: 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. If this happens, the corrosion can weaken the canister and the inflator could fracture without air bag deployment, propelling fragments into the passenger compartment, striking and causing serious injury to vehicle occupants.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69P1.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
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:driver side:inflator module
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.
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.
1) The rear structural subframe (crossmember) has completely rotted, perforated, and failed due to severe corrosion. The factory-installed plastic underbody rock shields trapped road salt and water, causing the frame to rust from the inside out. The corrosion has spread, completely fusing and…
During an inspection of my 2011 Audi Q5 at Audi Burlington, severe corrosion was discovered on the rear subframe, which supports rear suspension components. The corrosion was substantially worse than normal surface rust and may compromise the structural integrity of the subframe and suspension…
Rear subframe rust causing car to fail state inspection. This vehicle has been maintained well and always parked in garage. The rear subframe rusted most, then front subframe. This is a common compliant among Audi forum users.
Rear driver side door will not unlock when keypad, nor inside unlock button is pressed. Once inside, door will not unlock in sequence with other doors when vehicle is shut off and it is time to exit the vehicle.
Audi q5 shows no recalls on my vehicle. My car stops randomly while driving even while being on highways and interstates. As well as the passenger side leaking due to sunroof drainage coming to the inside (which may affect the air bags). This Car has not had any repairs on recalls that I know of…
Other Audi Q5 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Q5 | 3 | 0 |
| 2025 Q5 | 42 | 1 |
| 2024 Q5 | 20 | 4 |
| 2023 Q5 | 44 | 5 |
| 2022 Q5 | 22 | 4 |
| 2021 Q5 | 74 | 8 |
| 2020 Q5 | 25 | 6 |
| 2019 Q5 | 52 | 5 |
| 2018 Q5 | 207 | 6 |
| 2017 Q5 | 42 | 5 |
| 2016 Q5 | 77 | 5 |
| 2015 Q5 | 99 | 6 |
| 2014 Q5 | 105 | 5 |
| 2013 Q5 | 89 | 5 |
| 2012 Q5 | 168 | 6 |
| 2011 | 143 | 5 |
| 2010 Q5 | 100 | 4 |
| 2009 Q5 | 31 | 6 |
| 2008 Q5 | 0 | 1 |
See all Audi Q5 problems by year, every Audi model, or the Audi VIN decoder.
Similar Audi models
Embed this 2011 Audi Q5 badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Audi Q5?
Owners most often report air bags, engine, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 67 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Audi Q5?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2011 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 2011 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.