2021 Audi Q5 Problems & Complaints

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the windows independently rolled up and down, and the engine seized. While attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the failure had occurred three times within five days. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was purchased. The failure was diagnosed with a failed gateway control module. The contact was informed that the gateway control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact was informed that the plastic protective bag that covered the gateway control module was filled with water. In addition, the dealer informed the contact that the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V947000 (Electrical System, Structure); recall repair was performed prior to the contact purchasing the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 37,200.

The safety situation happened when my wife's car got stuck while driving at about 25-30 MPH in the middle of the road.Next day At the nearest Audi service center they found that water has gotten into the rear of the trunk and damaged the electronic module which caused the car to stall.The first repair was estimate at 4600 $ .After the repair the car was inoperable.The next repair was estimated at another 4 700 $.After the second repair the car was inoperable again and the service department told me that the car needed to replace the entire transmission .Which they estimated at another 20 000 $. So the total damage is around 30 000$ .I contacted Audi USA about the whole situation when I received a negative message regarding the solution . I would like to point out that up until the moment mentioned we had no problems with the car .After my personal investigation of the problem ,I found that there was a safety recall # 21V-947 for same problem .It was not issued for my car which meets all the criteria.It looks like it was hidden by the manufacturer. Audi distances itself from the whole problem and refuses to cover the costs of the damage.Thank good this happened on the city road where the speed is low .If this happened on the highway at 60 MPH it would have had tragic consequences .Where it would never have been figured out what caused the accident. From a safety perspective ,I m reporting this dangerous and unfair treatment of customers by AUDI USA regarding the hidden recall and denial of resposability that occurred and I request an investigation .

Control module located under rear seat became slightly wet from spilled liquid, and failed. Engine and electrical failure as a result of control module failure. Audi refuses to cover damages as warranty period is over. Vehicle design is defective.

Following a rear collision repair at an authorized dealer collision center, multiple ADAS safety systems were not properly calibrated despite insurance payment and shop representations that repairs were complete. WHAT FAILED: Lane Change Assist, Peripheral Camera System, Side Assist, 360-Degree Camera, Front Camera, and Adaptive Cruise Control were either not calibrated or calibrated in timeframes physically incompatible with manufacturer specifications. SAFETY RISK: Driver relies on blind spot monitoring and lane change alerts that may be non-functional or inaccurate. Without proper calibration, these systems may fail to detect adjacent vehicles, provide false alerts, or create blind spots in camera coverage, increasing collision risk during lane changes and merging. DEALER CONFIRMATION: Yes. Shop manager provided diagnostic logs as proof of calibration. Analysis shows 360-degree camera calibration executed in 18 seconds versus 40-60 minute industry standard, and zero calibration events logged for Lane Change Assist and Peripheral Camera systems explicitly claimed as completed. INSURANCE INSPECTION: Insurance company explicitly DENIED Lane Change Assist and Peripheral Camera calibrations on estimate. Shop admitted in writing these items were declined and blamed insurance for non-payment. No OEM calibration logs produced despite multiple written requests. WARNING SYMPTOMS: Systems may appear normal on diagnostic scan with no active fault codes, but this does not prove calibration was performed to OEM tolerances. Physical calibration requires target board positioning, laser alignment, and environmental verification that cannot be completed in documented timeframes. PATTERN CONCERN: This may represent a systemic issue where insurers deny ADAS calibrations, shops skip calibrations due to non-payment, vehicles are released as complete, and consumers unknowingly operate vehicles with compromised safety systems. Vehicle and documentation available for inspection.

Vehicle: 2021 Audi Q5 I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety defect involving unintended emergency braking. On September 10, 2025 and again on January 8, 2026, my vehicle suddenly applied emergency braking while I was driving and there were no vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles in front of me. The dashboard displayed “Auto Pre Sense” during both incidents. These unexpected braking events created a high risk of a rear-end collision and placed me and other drivers in immediate danger. This is not a driver error, but a malfunction of the safety system. Because this has occurred more than once, I am concerned that the Audi Pre Sense system in my vehicle may operate unpredictably and cause a serious accident. I respectfully request that this issue be investigated as a potential safety defect.

While driving my 2021 Audi Q5, the vehicle experienced a sudden transmission disengagement without warning. The vehicle behaved as if it had shifted into neutral while in motion. When this occurred, pressing the accelerator produced no response — the engine would not rev and the vehicle would not accelerate. This created a serious safety risk as it occurred during normal driving conditions and could have resulted in a collision. After stopping the vehicle and shifting into Park and then back into Drive, the transmission temporarily re-engaged. The issue reoccurred multiple times. Prior to one of the failures, the vehicle hesitated and bucked when starting from a stop. A warning message later appeared stating: “Transmission malfunction. You may continue to drive but will be unable to reverse.” The vehicle was taken to an authorized Audi dealership. Audi of America approved replacement of the transmission control module (mechatronic unit); however, this repair did not resolve the problem. After repeated failed adaptations and diagnostics, the dealer confirmed that the entire transmission requires replacement, citing internal gear set failure. The dealer documented that: Basic transmission settings and adaptations were attempted at least five times The failure consistently occurs at the same gear position A similar Audi Q5 case required full transmission replacement Audi Technical Assistance Center instructed the dealer to replace the transmission Despite this, Audi of America has refused further assistance due to the vehicle being slightly outside the standard warranty period, even though the mileage is extremely low and the failure is safety-related. This appears to be a defect involving the Audi S-tronic transmission, as similar complaints have been reported by other owners. The sudden loss of propulsion while driving presents a clear safety hazard. Safety Impact Sudden loss of acceleration while driving No throttle response during failure Occurred wit

Date of Incident: 11/09/2025 • Location: I-30 near Cumby, TX (towed to Audi Fort Worth). Daughter was stranded on busy highway in middle of nowhere. Texas State Police came to her aid and helped w tow truck which cost 650. Engine catastrophically failed at 50k miles due to metal shavings throughout oil — Audi Fort Worth made the statement and I have picture of metal shavings. Which is the exact defect in **NHTSA Recall 22V753 / Audi TSB 13i5** (connecting rod bearing damage from factory machining debris). **Symptoms match TSB 13i5 Pages 1, 10–11 (“NOT OK” filter examples)**: - March 2025 oil change at 50,032 miles: **no metal** or at August oil change. Neither Audi corporate or Fort Worth care. Claimed we bought used car and didn’t have oil changed at Audi dealer. This statement violates federal law: - **49 U.S.C. § 30120**: Safety recall remedy free of charge to all owners regardless of purchase history or service location. - **TSB 13i5 Page 1**: Covers **ALL 2021–2023 Q5s** (42,689 units) — **no VIN exclusions**. - **NHTSA 22V753**: Risk of engine failure, loss of motive power, potential fire** — undriveable vehicle

The Gateway control module failed in September 2025 on my 2021 Audi Q5. Vehicle error messages included the following failures: Cruise control, Parking brake, transmission, brakes, and steering, windows rolled down, seats moved, dash and MMI black followed by a sudden loss of power, narrowly avoiding an accident (kids in car). Would not restart. Diagnosis by Audi dealer was that the Gateway control module got wet and needed to be replaced. This is Recall 90S9 from 2021 that was “repaired” in March 2022 by covering the module with a plastic bag. This proved an insufficient repair backed up by a class action lawsuit filed in January 2022 titled Gioffe, et al. v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., et al. (Case No. 1:22-cv-00193). I reached out to Audi USA to request a Goodwill repair which was my only available recourse given that the recall had been completed and closed. After 5 days the Regional Manager denied my request even after I emphasized the safety risk associated with this catastrophic failure as well as the recall in 2021 and class action suit filed in 2022. I paid $1485.33 to re-repair the recall. Driving home from repair my vehicle alerted me to the following messages: Vehicle starting system: malfunction! Please contact Service, and Audi pre-sense: currently limited. See owner’s manual. An OBD scan alerted 7 more codes: 1. Steering Assistance ID 44 (Terminal 30 Open circuit), 2. Central Electrics ID 09 (Garage door opener transmitter no communication), 3. Gateway ID 19 Control module for emergency call module and communication unit no communication, 4. Ethernet Notrufmodul keine Kommunikation, 5. Ethernet databus branch 1 No communication, 6. Multimedia ID SF Function restriction due to communication interruption, 7. Driver Assistance ID A5 Dynamic calibration Function limitation due to limit value exceedance.I reached out to the dealership that performed the service and was told that those are “ghost codes” and nothing to do with the work performed.

On September 18, 2025, while driving at ~65–70 mph on the Saw Mill Parkway in Mount Kisco, NY, a Michelin Latitude Tour HP tire (235/55R19) suffered a sudden circumferential tread/belt separation. The tread detached completely from the casing while the sidewall remained intact. A small screw was present in the center tread, but there was no TPMS warning or gradual pressure loss prior to the failure. This behavior is inconsistent with ordinary puncture damage and indicates a potential workmanship/materials defect. The separated tread, tire carcass, and wheel are preserved and available for inspection. The tires were installed by the dealer (Audi New Rochelle) on June 12, 2024, as part of Certified Pre-Owned reconditioning before sale. This catastrophic failure posed an immediate risk of serious crash. Tire Size: 235/55R19

My car always did a weird shuddering thing when taking turns a certain way. I just thought it was part of how the new vehicle worked. I thought it was strange when I took my car in to repair a front tire, and was told / showed that the back two tire treads were worn down. The new car only had 20,249 miles. But I read somewhere that some new car dealers use lower tread tires to save money, so I did not pursue anything. Then, when someone pointed out that the 'weird shuddering' was not normal, I took it into Audi to have them look at it. Audi did a repair, and said I had to drive it 600 miles to know if it would be resolved. After the 600 miles, the problem continued. I took back, and they said they know what it is but they have to go through certain steps first. They told me this time that the good news was that they would replace with a new center differential, but the bad news was they were not sure how long it would take to get one in. I waited patiently, and then received a call saying it was fixed, (but they did not replace the part). What I did not know at the time was that a message was left 10 minutes earlier saying the part came in and they would be replacing it. After further questioning, the Audi guy said the new 'fix' heats up the fluid better and allows it to work its way through better. He said he was informed moments after he left the VM (where he said they were going to replace it), that the technician told him, and he took it for a drive, and it was 'fixed.' He then told me what he drives, saying his does it too. He said the technical bulletin says i must drive 250 miles (again) and later when I picked it up he said 500 miles. I pointed out my concerns regarding the safety of driving a malfunctioning differential (loss of traction, poor handling, and the potential for complete failure while driving), as well as uneven tire wear. He emphasized that it's fixed and completely safe, even though they did not replace like I was told they would.

There was a lawsuit, see link below, because the water pump on 2021 Audi Q5’s fail prematurely. My water pump failed at 66,241 miles and I believe that my 2021 Audi Q5 should’ve been covered under this water pump failure recall. However, my VIN was not included. Link: [XXX] I would like the recall on the water pump to be extended to my vehicle as it’s unreasonable that my water pump failed at 66K. Picture of repair in attachments. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH on the interstate, there was an abnormal booming sound coming from the sunroof, and the contact noticed that the sunroof had shattered. The contact drove to the residence and reported the failure to the Insurance Company. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.

While driving on the highway (70mph) at night, my instrument panel went completely dark. I was not able to see the speed I was driving and my warning sounds/lights were not working. The dealer could not get me an appointment for 4 weeks so I took it to a mechanic who specializes in European cars. The diagnostics indicated a loss of power to the instrument cluster/panel. I was told there was an active recall for this issue, but my VIN was not included. As this is a safety issue that sounds very familiar to the current recall for other Audi models, I contacted Audi and after inspection they diagnosed it as a failing instrument cluster. Since it's not in the current recall, I'm having to replace it. I've had computer issues in the past which the current Audi dealership has checked and told me there was nothing wrong, but after speaking to the Audi service tech many of the recalled issues were solved by a software update. The loss of the instrument panel is a major safety issue and Audi refuses to resolve the issue.

The small buttons that are part of climate control on the dashboard pop out and fall off. The pieces aren’t supposed to do that. They are actually designed to work as buttons that stay in place but whatever mechanism that is designed to keep them is place comes off. I have tried just putting the buttons back in but they will eventually pop off again. My car is relatively new and should not have buttons popping off. No car of any age should have buttons just falling off. These are small buttons that pop off at any moment if there is a defect and I think could be a potential choking hazard for children and pets. If one falls off and I don’t notice and is just rolling around on the ground, it could be an issue with pets especially. My buttons fell off in the middle of the night and I had to search the vehicle for it. This is also the control system for the fan in the car. In extreme climate, if this falls off, there are no means for controlling the climate of the vehicle. Yes, the problem has been reviewed and confirmed by an Audi Dealership. The only solution seems to be to order a brand new dashboard and climate control system but it’s the same system and can’t guarantee that the buttons won’t pop off on the new ones. There are no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to failure. The buttons will randomly pop off sometimes with no one in the vehicle or in the middle of just driving somewhere. They will just pop out. Several people are having this issue but Audi refuses to address the problem and instead forces everyone to by a brand new climate control system with the same faulty button system.

Virtual dashboard where speedometer and safety warning are displayed has stopped working. Display has completely shut down. I cannot see any critical information to drive vehicle. I contacted the dealership to address a serious safety concern that mirrors an issue already under active recall for other models by the manufacturer. Despite this, the dealership has refused to perform any inspection or repairs, stating that my specific model is not currently included in the recall—even though the symptoms and risks are identical. This refusal raises significant concerns, as it leaves a known safety issue unaddressed solely due to recall limitations that may not yet reflect the full scope of the problem. In order to receive any resolution, the dealership is asking to cover diagnostic and service costs for the safety issue.

When turning at low speed the vehicle bucks and jitters affecting steering and control of the vehicle. Audi issued a technical service bulletin to address this issue so it's clearly a widespread problem.

Driver reading light flickers on and off while driving creating a night driving distraction hazard

The instrument panel cluster assembly (screen behind steering wheel) needed to be replaced because it would intermittently stop working and I had no idea of how fast I was going, what gear I was in, how much fuel I had or whether the lane assist and other safety features were working. Without knowing speed, I may have followed cars too closely to safely stop or I could have run out of gas and left stranded somewhere. I thought it might have been software updates occurring but after a few days, I went to the dealer for service. Audi Naples was able to detect fault, replicate problem and replaced the assembly on 4/10/2025 for $3,391.96. The dealer kept the part and told me to keep my receipt in case there is a recall. My car currently has 31,489 miles and had a total inspection and was last serviced on 1/22/2025 with 31,487 miles. I find it outrageous that a part like that would fail in such a short period of time. I was lucky I wasn't on a long trip away from home when it occurred.

Gateway control module shutdown. After a rain storm vehicle had electrical issues such as rear light turning off, and engine start malfunction alarm on dashboard. To vehicle automatically stoping with no vehicle nearby, seat belt tightening and to engine seized while driving to the dealer for the “engine start malfunction alarm”. The Audi dealer is quoting us $17,000 to repair for damages. Multiple people on this post have also had this issue with one going on 4 months waiting for parts to repair this issue.

The engine has failed and I am not sure why my Q5 was not included in the recall for coolant issues leading to engine failure. My issue started last winter when the car would suddenly kick in a loud fan. It would flash a warning that the start/stop malfunctioned as it only happened when stopped and/or parked. It was extremely alarming to hear so I would turn the car off and let it sit. When I started it up, there were no warnings and would drive normally. This continued to happen randomly. Then came the coolant low warning, engine temp, along with an RPM warning that kicked on the loud fan. I added coolant as it was the reservoir was low but never empty and temp gauge was in normal range . All messages would go away, car would drive normally. The coolant message happened a couple more times and always the same but eventually did not return. The Max RPM and temp continued in conjunction with the start stop messages. It was always the same. It would be stopped or Parked with the start/stop engaged. The fan would kick on and increase in severity and the temp gauge always was within normal. I eventually stopped using the start/stop function and it seemed to resolve the issue. The warnings never stayed on so I was not overly concerned since it drove fine and didn't sound rough when the messages and warning weren't active. Then it expelled the oil under the hood and gave zero warning lights. I only figured it out when the oil low warning came on. I thought it was weird because I had just checked the level since I see lots of complaints that Audi burns oil. When I opened the hood, I saw the oil. I know this happened suddenly and was not a leak because I was checking may parking spots. I took it the oil change place and it was cleaned up and replaced. I then took it to have the source of the leak identified but a pressure test revealed nothing. Again, no warning persisted and it drove fine. The next time the oil was expelled, it seized and failed.

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH and coming to a stop or making a turn, the vehicle shuddered. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle shuddered at slower speeds. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the 4-WD clutch and rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

Reverse car went full throttle, brakes did not work, car stopped in reverse when it hit a tree. Seat belt did not tighten,

Warning lights came on and car completely stopped. Towed to dealer where we were told that Gateway control module part no 80C907468F has failed due to water damage. Dealer informed us that this is not covered by warranty for this reason. We do not believe we spilt any water there as it is located under the back passenger seat. We asked dealer to proceed with repair when we were informed that the part is on back order. We assumed this would be a matter of days or perhaps few weeks. It has been 3 and half month and no ETA yet. I found on Audi World user group that this is a common problem with this model and others have suffered similarly. I believe the OEM is responsible for making parts available within a reasonable time. In dealing with Audi America and the dealer they offered no remedy for this problem. And I am with out a car now going into 4 months. Surely they must be responsible to consumers for providing the services to maintaining the purchased vehicle operating!

The Audi "Pre Sense" automatic braking system engaged without warning and without reason bringing the vehicle to a sudden and complete stop in the middle of an intersection and slamming my body backwards and causing my head to go forward nearly hitting the steering wheel. A school bus was directly behind me and was able to stop in time before it ran into the back of my vehicle, but it could have caused serious injury or death to multiple people. It caused a considerable amount of pain in my neck the day after and soreness in my ribs. The vehicle gave no prior warning. It did display a message simultaneously when it applied the brakes and locked the seatbelts that the "pre sense" had been engaged. It has happened three times prior to this incident. The vehicle dealer has told me that they see record of the system engaging but it does not appear to be faulty by the manufacturers standards despite numerous complaints and frequent occurrences.

Engine coolant was empty. No indicators about it.

When driving in extreme cold (ambient temperatures of -35 or colder) and I reach a speed of 50mph or higher, my engine fails. The dealership refuses to resolve this issue although they’ve had my vehicle twice now, both for months at a time- and the dealership is 400 miles away from me. They also refuse to authorize the Audi-certified shop in my hometown to perform any type of diagnostics or maintenance work on this vehicle, which would significantly decrease my stress and the inconvenience of shipping my vehicle back and forth. This first occurred within just a few months of purchase of this vehicle, and I am the first owner. I am listing the first time this happened, although it is an ongoing issue.

My sunroof exploded while I was driving. No apparent cause and it was not a hot day.. 79 degrees. Glass landed all over me, my passengers seat and the back seat. I was startled and confused and was fortunate that no cars were near me.I was 2 miles from home and did not call police but paid almost $1400 for repair and Audi took no responsibility.

Leased new 2021 Audi Q5 from Audi of Coral Springs , FL on Aug 17, 2021. We had the vehicle serviced on 12-24-2022 and where notifed that during the inspection that all 4 tires needed to be replaced and where shocked because our Audi only had about 13,000 miles on the odometer. We asked how to get coverage under our NEW car warranty and where once again shocked when the service rep informed us that Audi doedsnt warrant the tires and we woud have to file a claim with the tire manufacturer Kumho Tires. We called Kuhmo direct at 800-445-8646 who instructed us one of their licensed dealers. We took the Audi to Discount Tires 2629 Weston Rd Weston ,FL with Kumho tires Ref #36136. Discount Tires did their inspection and called us back the next day......notifying us Kuhmo Tires WOULD NOT honor warranty because we where a third party. I cleed Kuhmo direct and asked them to expalin how Iwas considered a third party.....Kuhmo stated they are the first party, Audi is the second party and I was considedred the third party. So I asked if Audi wasn't liable and Kuhmo was n't liable......................who warants the tires on a brand NEW car??? I asked them why their own warranty card on Kuhmo Tires (size 235/55 R19 101H) carries a 60,000 warranty and our Audi had app 13,000 miles how they could deny coverage. I think their process is wrong and needs to be examined, this process really hurts consumers when neither Audi or Kuhmo will accept liability. Looking for assistance in purchasing 4 NEW tires from Audi and or Kuhmo Tires

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the malfunction warning light illuminated, followed by the vehicle shaking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The dealer stated that metal fragment was found in the engine, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated that the contact needed to contact the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was 138,000. The contact stated that the failure mileage was 44,000. Also the vehicle had 2 oil changes, supposed to have 3. The dealership informed the contact that the engine was blown. The dealer would not honor the warranty because the vehicle needed an oil change.

Please note that this exact same issue has been previously reported by another driver ... While the car was fully stopped at a red light, in drive, and with the brake pedal depressed, the Audi pre sense system falsely triggered. There were no vehicles or pedestrians in close proximity and there was no apparent reason for the trigger. The seat belts were forcefully retracted and the pre sense light came on on the dash. If the car had been moving, this could have caused a serious accident. There have been multiple reports on this on Audi's discussion boards. https://www.audiworld.com/forums/s4-b9-platform-discussion-214/freaked-out-pre-sense-seat-belt-tightening-no-reason-all-3020878/ https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q5-sq5-mkii-discussion-218/pre-sense-seat-belt-jolt-3046494/

Several electrical system malfunction lights came on the dash. Audi says it is the starter generator. Car almost stopped in the road.

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, she noticed that after driving several miles, the fuel gauge displayed that the vehicle was full. The contact then stated that the fuel gauge remained on full although her fuel tank was close to empty. No warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there was a pending recall and to contact the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; however, the contact stated that there was a four-hour hold. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

While the car is fully stopped at a red light, in Drive, and brakes fully depressed, the Audi Pre Sense falsely triggered. The seat belts were forcefully retracted and the pre sense light came on on the dash. Since the car was stopped, there was no imminent safety issues. However, had the car be moving, this could cause serious injury such as a crash. Also, for someone with health condition, this could trigger a panic attack, heart attack, etc. There has been multiple reports on this on Audi's discussion boards. https://www.audiworld.com/forums/s4-b9-platform-discussion-214/freaked-out-pre-sense-seat-belt-tightening-no-reason-all-3020878/ https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q5-sq5-mkii-discussion-218/pre-sense-seat-belt-jolt-3046494/

I have an issue with my vehicle where when the car is in reverse gear, the video from the camera sometimes is shaky, and sometimes instead of showing a rear camera, it shows a front camera, and sometimes the rear cross-traffic warning doesn't work even when in reverse gear when this video malfunction happens. It happened a few times and took me to the dealership for service. When they try to reproduce, it didn't, however, after a few days it started happening. I have few videos of this instance

All warning lights flashing…brakes and steering not working. Engine would not shut off,all screens /dash went black.mange’s to get in bike lane(still partially in road),emergency flashers worked fortunately.towed to dealer to be inspected and fixed …waiting for results. Was previously scheduled for recall fix .disablement happened about a week before scheduled recall fix, due apparently to water spillage in backseat

The electronic system failed while we were driving 40 mphs. The vehicle completely stopped. A recall notice was generated but never sent even though Audi has email, phone, etc. for information. If this would have happened the prior day while driving 75 mphs this could have killed my entire family. I was without a car for 2 months and Audi did nothing to rectify the situation. My car was towed to another city, with supply chain issues it took 6 weeks to fix. I have lost significant money as a result of this. Audi has been unaccountable for all of that. I had no idea the long history of electrical problems with Audi. Consumers need to know this!

I have experienced two false activation of emergency brakes on my 2021 Q5 in the past 3 months. Both have been very scary incidents for my family - Feb 2022" Driving on a highway with no vehicle in front at 60mph, going through a shade under a bridge where emergency brakes false kicked in - 4/30/22 around 2pm: Driving on a street with no vehicle in front at 30mph where emergency brakes falsely kicked in

Steering wheel will forcefully and suddenly jerk to the left at random times on at least 6 occasions.

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated and the windows started to go up and down. The contact lost power steering functionality however, the brakes was functional and she was able to safely stop the vehicle. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle but the vehicle would not restart. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer who diagnosed and determined that water had entered the vehicle and short circuited the gateway control module. The failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V947000 (Electrical System, Structure). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

After conducting a $10k forensic review on the car, they found out that the computer was infected with malware and that that vehicle will always put out fm transmitters to get into your cellular devise to hack it Unfortunately, this is the case for this bricked...Need a replacement with transferring the lease over to a similar priced vehicle.

The backup camera in the car randomly stops working while driving in reverse. These cameras are mandated by federal law and malfunctions can lead to collision with unforeseen living beings while backing up. The MMI screen also goes completely white/blue while driving forward. Additionally, the adas package comes with a birds eye view camera that is completely skewed created a deceptive understanding of objects in the surroundings. This can lead to collisions making the adas packing (and perhaps the collision warning) totally unreliable. The vehicle is available for inspection as needed. Took the brand new vehicle to the dealer, they refused to fix it as their engineer could not reproduce the issue. Later after a lot of argument, they mentioned they cannot fix it because of resource shortage. Argued they cannot sell brand new vehicles that are faulty, we were told their other cars may have the same issue so they cannot guarantee a loaner will fix this problem. We have spent hours on phone and in person with the dealer service center in vain. There were no warnings of the problem. The screen went blank during the drive. This happened for the first time around November 2021. This happens fairly arbitrarily.

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V947000 (Electrical System, Structure). The dealer was contacted and informed her that an appointment for service would not be available for two months. The manufacturer had been notified of the issue. The contact was informed that the protective cover used to repair the failure was a plastic cover which the contact did not believe was adequate for the repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

I was driving down a slight hill in 1/2 inch of snow at 5MPH and when I tired to gently brake as I descended the hill, the brake pedal had no resistance and went flat to the floor. I had no brakes. I then tried to steer towards the side of the road and the steering wheel completely locked up and I was not able to steer. I slid 150 feet down the hill and into a ditch. No brakes and no steering. There must have been a failure of some kind. Terrifying.

The failed component is the gateway module that sits underneath the rear seats below the cup holders. In my case approximately 5 oz of water seeped out of my briefcase via a leaky water bottle and it shut down the gateway module and rendered the car inoperable.. losing all power and engine on the highway at approximately 60 mph. Fortunately I was successful in navigating the car to the side of the road by coasting and other than the fear was not harmed. Car was towes to Audi service where they confirmed that the gateway module failed.. they did not notice any water on the module and replaced it next day ..I was surprised that they had 5 in stock.. just googling Audi Q5 gateway module I noticed many similar incidents like mine I am worried that a family unknowingly with children in the back could have a similar incident and create serious risk. This needs to be communicated immediately to all Audi owners that are impacted and a recall needs to be initiated once a solution is developed and tested.

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH and exiting off a ramp, the sunroof exploded without impact causing the shattered glass to enter the vehicle and fall on the driver. The contact stated that no object had struck the vehicle to cause the failure. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle before driving to the residence. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who inspected the vehicle but could not diagnose the cause of the failure. The local dealer was contacted regarding replacing the sunroof. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000.

While driving on the road, multiple warning and error messages suddenly appeared on dashboard. Entire car shut down in very short time left no time for driver to safely pull over. The car cannot move in the middle of the road and put the driver, passengers and surrounding vehicles at risk. The car was towed to a dealer and they confirmed the gate way module under rear seat is wet and shorted.

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while she was driving 65-70 MPH, the warning message "Transmission Engine Failure" appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle inadvertently stalled while attempting to veer to the side of the road. The contact stated she was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts however, the vehicle was towed to her residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to their location for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the ECM chip had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact also stated while she was reversing, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the clutch had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 9,000.

My 2021 Audi Q5 has a manufacturing recall (Safety Recall 42L1 - Rear Axle Trailing Arm Lock Nut) on it and my dealer cancelled my appointment and informed me that they will not perform the recall repair unless I schedule (something that I have to pay for) at the same time - they will not perform the recall repair otherwise. This was the Audi Minneapolis dealership located at 9393 Wayzata Blvd, Golden Valley, MN 55426. I was told that this needed to be reported to you guys.

While driving the vehicle many warning lights suddenly turned on and the vehicle came to an abrupt stop in the middle of an intersection. Then the windows rolled down automatically. Vehicle would not start, posing a serious safety issue as it was in the middle of an intersection. Audi dealer indicated the gateway module malfunctioned. They said it had gotten wet, which I have no idea how it would’ve gotten wet. The gateway module is located under the backseat center console. The dealership indicated they had 5 cars brought in in 2 weeks with same issue. I have since read on Audi forums that this has happened to many others and left some stranded in the center-lane of highways.

when using cruise control, the vehicle suddenly brakes. If set a 70mph it will jam on the brakes and reset to 45 mph. This has caused near rear collisions. This is a recurring problem,.Audi service tried 3 times to identify the problem. Google has other owners with the same problem.

The 2021Audi Q5 has a gateway module under the middle back seat. Any fluid that contacts this module will cause it to fail shutting the car down completely. In addition, immediately above the module are 2 drink car holders. It only takes a small amount of spilled drink to cause this to happen. This happened to me on Sept. 7 causing my car to come to a complete stop immediately after passing thru and intersection. Eventually this will get someone killed on seriously injured. Audi has been aware of this issue but they don't inform potential buyers. This has happened numerous times before and I have attached other incidents posted on the internet. Please take action to make Audi take responsibility and corrective action. Electrical System problem #1 On August 19th, we drove our Audi through heavy rain early in the day on interstate 90 to go to mass general hospital. It was then parked in their covered parking garage. When we went to return home, we were on the entrance ramp to I 90 east and suddenly the car displayed messages of brake failure, electrical failure, steering failure, and then it died. It could not even be put in park. I was able to coast to the narrow shoulder. It was towed to brookline Audi. We are told by the service technician that the gateway module in the vehicle got wet and it is our responsibility as we drove through water. Although we certainly drove in pouring rain, we never drove through any flooded areas. The apparent fact that water somehow got into this new car and shorted out this all important device is terrifying. Electrical System problem #2 Driver was with 2 passengers (3 young females) driving in a new 2021 Audi Q5 (less than 5 months old and less than 6000 miles) at about 70 mph on garden state parkway in NJ. A brake malfunction warning light appeared on the dashboard and within 5 seconds the car completely shut down in the middle lane of the parkway (in a black car at 10pm). This was the first notification or warning--nothin

Vehicle control module failed while driving. All car functions failed. Had a difficult time pulling off the road safely. Car towed to dealer. Found the module wet. However area around module was dry. They don’t know where the water is coming from. Audi is aware of the issue and is replacing the part free of charge. If we were on a highway when the module failed it could have been disastrous.

On August 19th, we drove our Audi through heavy rain early in the day on Interstate 90 to go to Mass General Hospital. It was then parked in their covered parking garage. When we went to return home, we were on the entrance ramp to I 90 East and suddenly the car displayed messages of brake failure, electrical failure, steering failure, and then it died. It could not even be put in park. I was able to coast to the narrow shoulder. It was towed to Brookline Audi. We are told by the Service Technician that the Gateway Module in the vehicle got wet and it is our responsibility as we drove through water. Although we certainly drove in pouring rain, we never drove through any flooded areas. The apparent fact that water somehow got into this new car and shorted out this all important device is terrifying.

While driving a brand new Audi Q5 it suddenly went into "Panic mode" with the windows going up & done,Steering malfunctioning, warning the driver to pull over. The car shuts down unexpectedly without reason. The whole car freezes ! While at the dealership, the tech told us there was another car being repaired with the same issue .Turns out if the back battery gets wet(hidden under the back cup holder)the car shuts down. A cup of coffee spilled in the back seat but there are many reports online (part #J533) with any incidence of wetness. Audi is aware of this problem and although they ordered a new part, the problem is NOT repaired permanently .It can happen again and again .Audi needs to have a major recall on all Q3, Q5 and Q7. We were on a residential street when this happened but a multi vehicle crash would have taken place if on a highway.We are asking for a refund since the car was 2 weeks old at the time with less than 5,000 miles. We need the public to know they are driving a car with a a major design flaw and could cause serious accidents.

while driving, my 2021 Audi q5 with 1400 miles, it began to malfunction; every light & warning (transmission, brakes, AWD , etc.) began flashing as failing on the dashboard. The windows begin going up & down. Steering began to be hard. Finally, I was able to steer the q5 out of traffic. Traffic was going about 40-50 mph. 2. the q5 was towed to Audi for diagnostic 3. Audi called & said that the gateway got wet and the cost for the part is $1200. It will take 2 weeks to get the part in. Audi has no openings until October. 4. They stated that the water drains are working and that they found a water bottle cap in the backSeat of the car; therefore, the gateway will not be covered under warranty. Huh? 5. I am unsure why the warranty will not cover any Safety issues on a 4 month old car. 6. Audi is assuming there was a water spill, because there was a water bottle cap in the car. 7. What are you talking about, Audi? Why are you assuming things? What is the real cause of this traumatic experience? 8. Secondly, no one told me not to have a water bottle cap in the q5 backseat area; the q5 without warning, began to shut down. 9. The engine light stayed on. 10. Audi is not acting in good faith, why are there assumptions made? 11. Audi must recall the q5 and announce a public safety warning of the danger that is lurking in the back seat called a gateway. 12. Audi must clearly state “Danger! Danger! No water bottle caps allowed in backseat”. 13. Also, not to mention, there were no Audi loaner cars available; this gives off the appearance that Audi is making a lot of repairs and they are aware of this $1200 “water bottle cap” problem called a gateway. 14. I am aware my experience is possibly rare, BUT it must not happen ever. This was a dangerous scary experience that must not happen again to me or any family! 15. Pls demand Audi to recall these q5s to relocate the gateway, before someone dies!!! 16. I will trade in q5 to avoid death...

2021 Audi Q5 parked (not running) in parking lot , outside temperature 95F, gasoline dripping from under right rear passenger area (approx 1/4-1/2 liter). Audi Service Center inspected and said the fuel pump needs replacing. Fuel system warning light had been yellow and gas cap gasket had been replaced .

I leased a 2021 Audi Q5 (VIN: WA1BAAFY7M2[XXX]) in November 2020. 2021 Audi Q5 has gateway module underneath the middle row seat. The gateway module is like the brain of the car and if it stops working the car stops - basically the car is brain dead. In my case, I was driving the car with my family i.e. wife, 7 and 3 year old kids when the car abruptly shut off. Luckily, I was on a road with 45 MPH speed limit and no traffic, so nothing happened to us. If this happened on a highway or other situation anything could have happened to me and my family. After safely parking the car and getting it towed to Audi Westmont, the car was inspected, and I was informed about the gateway module issue. To my shock, the mechanic said that it’s a design flaw that Audi is aware of but doesn't have a solution yet. Furthermore, he said that just at Laurel Audi in Westmont 4 cars were repaired for this problem. When I googled, several Audi owners have faced this problem. As I mentioned earlier, despite knowing the issue Audi didn't inform the owners and yet to inform the owners despite this being a serious enough problem that could put owners/families in a life threatening situation. Here's the link to the video taken during the diagnosis of the problem: https://asr.autonation.com/tV0Ij5Ym5c. I have also attached picture of the hodgepodge fix i.e. wrapping gateway module in plastic. The reason I say it is hodgepodge is that wrapping in plastic won't prevent water from condensing on gateway module and the problem repeating. Preceding the days my car had this problem, there were heavy rains and humidity was very high, as noted in the video there is no source of water leak or water entering the gateway module externally, given that finding and the fact that there was heavy rains, high humidity in the preceding days - condensation can likely be the potential cause of the problem. There are thousands of 2021 Audi Q5's and every single one has this risk. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Driver was with 2 passengers (3 young females) driving in a new 2021 Audi Q5 (less than 5 months old and less than 6000 miles) at about 70 mph on Garden State Parkway in NJ. A brake malfunction warning light appeared on the dashboard and within 5 seconds the car completely shut down in the middle lane of the parkway (in a black car at 10pm). This was the first notification or warning--nothing in the prior minutes or days. The driver was unable to restart the vehicle after several attempts and was unable to drift to the shoulder of the parkway. The SOS button in the vehicle didn't work and hazards didn't appear to be working either. Several cars driving at or above the 65 mph speed limit were braking and swerving at the last second to avoid collision and several cursed at the vehicle (as they were unable to see the vehicle in the darkness). Passenger in front seat called 911 to request assistance to provide a roadblock as it seemed imminent that the vehicle was going to be hit. 911 operator said safest place was to remain in the vehicle given the vehicle location and the speed of other drivers. The radio briefly turned back on and then turned off. Nothing else was working. When the tow arrived, the driver notified the individuals that the front hazards were working but the back hazards were not. The vehicle was towed to the local Audi Service Center. Eleven days after Audi accessed the vehicle, a report was received which said that the vehicle had an "elec[trical] malf[unction]" and that they "found car would not turn on and no communication to any control units. [They] performed hard reset to gate way control unit[,] found fuse blown for control unit[,]  replaced fuse [and] still same concern found[.] [G]ateway control unit internally faulty causing car not to start[.] [R]eplaced and recoded control unit [and] cleared faults and test drove car[.]" The report also notes that 3 weeks after the car was leased, the vehicle owner indicated that the car was stalling out. 

Water was spilled in the backseat of the car (less than 12 ounces of water). This caused a complete electrical failure impacting the engine and power steering. The failure happened at a slow speed in a parking lot but would have been much more dangerous on highway. The car would not turn on or off and would not shift into any gear after coming to a stop. Was told that the water caused a failure in the data bus control module.

The panoramic Sunroof exploded while driving spontaneously. Luckily no one was injured due to the shattered glass due to the cloth screen being drawn fully. The problem was reported to Audi and to the local dealer. The vehicle has not been inspected by insurance or police. There were no warning indicators prior to the incident.

TL* THE CONTACT WHO IS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC CALLED ON BEHALF OF A CUSTOMER WHO OWNS A 2021 AUDI Q5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE OWNER WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE RAN OVER A STRIP OF ALUMINUM THAT WAS LYING IN THE ROADWAY CAUSING THE FUEL TANK TO BE RIPPED OPEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS MADE FROM PLASTIC AND NOT METAL CAUSING THE FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUDI RENO TAHOE (9190 S. VIRGINIA ST, RENO, NV 89511) WHERE THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

A PIECE OF METAL IN THE ROADWAY PIERCED MY GAS TANK CAUSING THE GASOLINE TO LEAK OUT. THIS CREADTED A CONDITION WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE OR AN EXPLOSION.

Q5 HAS A VERY SERIOUS DEFECT, THAT IS, THERE IS A GATEWAY MODULE LOCATED UNDER THE REAR SEAT CUSHION/CUP HOLDER. ALL OF THE COMMUNICATIONS TO ALL THE CONTROLLERS GO THROUGH THIS LITTLE BOX. IF WATER SPILLS, IT COLLECTS AROUND THE GATEWAY AND CORRODES IT, WHICH WILL SHUT DOWN THE CAR. THIS SHUTDOWN OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY FAMILY. LOST ALL POWER, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL, EVERYTHING. BARELY COASTED OUT OF THE ROADWAY. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW TO LOCATE THIS SENSITIVE MODULE UNDERNEATH REAR CUP HOLDERS AND WILL LEAD TO DANGEROUS SITUATIONS FOR PEOPLE IN THE CAR.