Model year record

2019 Audi SQ5 recalls & problems

The 2019 Audi SQ5 has 5 safety recalls and 20 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is engine (5 complaints).

Recalls5safety recalls

Complaints20filed by owners

Crashes · fires1 · 0reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

StructureDec 8, 2021

Body

Recall 21V947000288,991 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.

Components: Structure › Body; Electrical system › Body control module/bcm

StructureOct 16, 2019

Body

Recall 19V737000174,278 vehicles

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.

Air bagsJun 19, 2019

Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module

Recall 19V47300028 vehicles

Problem: 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.
Risk: A damaged frontal air bag may not provide adequate protection, increasing the risk of an injury.
Fix: 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.

Components: Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module; Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel

WheelsJun 5, 2019

Hub

Recall 19V416000126,161 vehicles

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, hydraulicApr 8, 2019

Foundation components › Master cylinder

Recall 19V27700012,645 vehicles

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.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

2019 Audi SQ5 SUV AWD

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	★★★★★
Rollover risk	16.3%

Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Optional

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

SQ5

21mpg combined

City / highway	19 / 24 mpg
Fuel	Premium Gasoline

3 L · 6 cyl · Automatic (S8) · All-Wheel Drive · about $3,900/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Typical mileage*
Engine	5	0	—
Service brakes	4	0	—
Electrical system	3	0	—
Exterior lighting	3	0	—
StructureBody	2	0	—
Air bags	2	1	—
Visibility/wiper	2	0	—
Forward collision avoidanceAdaptive cruise control; Automatic emergency braking	2	0	—
Steering	1	0	—
Fuel/propulsion system	1	0	—
Power train	1	0	—
Suspension	1	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Engine
Engine rocker arm failed, per audi tech metal shavings in oil.
Aug 1, 2026
Engine
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.
Apr 22, 2026
Service brakes
Brake booster issue
May 27, 2026
Engine
Thereâs 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
Dec 15, 2025
Engine
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.
Nov 1, 2025
Electrical system
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 ârear lighting warningâ 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 vehicleâs 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…
Dec 8, 2025
Structure
The contact owns a 2019 Audi SQ5. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the front passengerâs side wheel flare detached. The driverâs 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.
May 10, 2025 · 60,000 miles
Visibility/wiper
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.
Aug 30, 2024

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.