2018 Audi SQ5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SQ5 years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 24 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Audi SQ5. That is the most of any SQ5 model year in the database (14 years). The most reported problem area is electrical system (8 complaints, 33%), typically at around 36,980 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 2 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 24owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Audi SQ5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 8 | 33% | 36,980 | — | — |
| Engine | 6 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 4 | 17% | 1,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 17% | 500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 8% | 12,700 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 8% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 8% | 10 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 4% | 73,949 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 4% | 500 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 4% | 7,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Audi SQ5 recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Structure:body; electrical system:body control module/bcm
Problem: 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.
Risk: A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Structure:body
Problem: 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.
Risk: The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: 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.
Wheels:hub
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach.
Risk: The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will secure the wheel arch trim with an additional screw and nut, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66K6.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake master cylinder casting may be too short.
Risk: A short casting can cause a sudden loss of brakes, increasing the risk of crash. The electronic parking brake and its emergency brake function are not affected and will still function.
Fix: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the brake master cylinder, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 3, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 47O9.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliperDo not drive
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, Passat, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen and GTI and Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reducing the brake performance.
Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the brake system has been checked. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 47N8, 47N9, and 47N6.
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 purchased my 2018 Audi SQ5 on September 12, 2025, from Audi Denver (McDonald Automotive Group). On XXX, at 114,145 miles, the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic engine failure while driving on the highway near [XXX], caused by defective rocker arm needle bearings in the 3.0T EA839 V6 engine…
While driving a 2018 Audi SQ5 with the EA839 3.0T engine, a coolant warning light activated and engine temperatures began rising to 210-215°F. The vehicle was pulled over immediately. Upon inspection the coolant reservoir was found to be nearly empty with dried coolant residue on the exterior…
Heavy rain leaked into the cabin of my SUV,and damaged the module, no controls worked through the key fob, no start . I keep my SUV under cover 90% of the time. A recent wind storm damaged my car port that I usually keep it under, so lately itâs been outside more often, especially if wind is in…
Car's electrical system fried overnight during a rainstorm. All systems unresponsive to keys or key faub. Car was towed to used dealership and they told me due to drainage system blockage a pool of water collected in rear battery compartment and submerged the battery.
During a rainstorm, water drained from roof drains that are apparently supposed to be cleaned & maintenance done by dealership on a regular basis but were clogged due to them not being any maintenance done. Water shorted out the entire control module for the entire vehicle computer after leaking…
Other Audi SQ5 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 SQ5 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 SQ5 | 8 | 1 |
| 2024 SQ5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2023 SQ5 | 3 | 0 |
| 2022 SQ5 | 5 | 2 |
| 2021 SQ5 | 13 | 5 |
| 2020 SQ5 | 8 | 4 |
| 2019 SQ5 | 20 | 5 |
| 2018 | 24 | 5 |
| 2017 SQ5 | 5 | 0 |
| 2016 SQ5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2015 SQ5 | 9 | 1 |
| 2014 SQ5 | 12 | 1 |
| 2013 SQ5 | 1 | 0 |
See all Audi SQ5 problems by year, every Audi model, or the Audi VIN decoder.
Similar Audi models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Audi SQ5?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine, forward collision avoidance problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 8 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Audi SQ5?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Audi SQ5 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other SQ5 model years, the 2018 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.