2020 Audi SQ5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Sep 22, 2026 · 8 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other SQ5 years
Not enough data 6th of 14 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Audi SQ5. That ranks 6th out of 14 SQ5 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is forward collision avoidance (3 complaints, 38%), typically at around 150 miles. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.

Audi SQ5
Audi SQ5 Sportback GU in Stuttgart-Vaihingen. 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 2020 Audi SQ5 problems

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

Forward Collision Avoidance3 · ~150 mi
Unknown or Other3
Vehicle Speed Control2 · ~12,000 mi
Back Over Prevention1
Engine1
Service Brakes1 · ~150 mi
Steering1 · ~12,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Forward Collision Avoidance338%150——
Unknown or Other338%———
Vehicle Speed Control225%12,000——
Back Over Prevention113%———
Engine113%———
Service Brakes113%150——
Steering113%12,000——

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

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2022, with 2 complaints
2020: 1202012022: 2202222023: 2202322025: 1202512026: 220262

n = 8 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2020 Audi SQ5 recalls (4)

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

Tires; suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assemblyJan 26, 2022 · NHTSA campaign 22V034000 · 31,058 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.

Risk: Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.

Structure:body; electrical system:body control module/bcmDec 8, 2021 · NHTSA campaign 21V947000 · 288,991 vehicles

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.

Suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assemblyApr 26, 2021 · NHTSA campaign 21V295000 · 40,993 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.

Risk: A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.

SeatsAug 26, 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V505000 · 5,376 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.

Risk: In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.

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.

2020 Audi SQ5, 3.0T EA839 engine. On 9/22/2026 an independent repair shop inspected the vehicle and found engine coolant pooling in the engine valley beneath the coolant module (integrated water pump / thermostat housing). The leak is internal and was not visible from outside the vehicle: no…

Engine · received Sep 22, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11766249

My 2020 Audi SQ5 (3.0L turbo V6, EA839 engine) experienced premature water pump failure at 64,361 miles. Coolant leaked into the vacuum system, damaging the vacuum unit and related components. Failed parts are available for inspection. Safety Risk: Loss of coolant circulation causes rapid…

Vehicle Speed Control · received Apr 18, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11732057

My sunroof spontaneously imploded while driving my vehicle on the highway. I was going to speed limit in the middle lane, very little traffic, no semi-trucks near and did not drive under an overpass.

Unknown or Other · received Jan 8, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11634946

I recently purchased this vehicle 8/5/23 and since then the pre sense function has activated it’s jarring emergency breaking three times. Once it happened to me backing out of my driveway without any obstruction, another with my husband backing out of a parking spot, and then most recently today…

Forward Collision Avoidance · received Aug 21, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11539949

The sos emergency system continues to fail. It alarms that it failed. Warning light on the dashboard continues to be on. The car was brought to the dealer. emergency calling unavailable while driving.

Unknown or Other · received Mar 28, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11514158

Other Audi SQ5 years

← 2019 SQ5 · 2021 SQ5 →

See all Audi SQ5 problems by year, every Audi model, or the Audi VIN decoder.

Similar Audi models

Embed this 2020 Audi SQ5 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 2020 Audi SQ5?

Owners most often report forward collision avoidance, unknown or other, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, forward collision avoidance, accounts for 3 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2020 Audi SQ5?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2020 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 2020 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.