Short answer
Among Audi Q5 model years through 2024, 2008 has the fewest NHTSA recall campaigns on record (1) and 2021 and 2022 have the most (8). Recall counts are not a reliability score; they show how often a safety defect had to be corrected.
Quick read
Audi Q5: Key Facts
- Model years with data
- 19 (2008–2026)
- Distinct recall campaigns
- 35
- Fewest recalls
- 2008 (1)
- Most recalls
- 2021 and 2022 (8)
- Most recalled system
- Air bags (22)
- 5-star overall rating
- 2018, 2019, 2020 and 3 more years
Audi Q5 Recalls and Ratings by Model Year
| Model year | Recall campaigns | Overall crash rating | Most recalled systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Recent: still collecting recalls | 0 | Not rated | None on record |
| 2025 Recent: still collecting recalls | 1 | 5 stars | Seat belts |
| 2024 | 4 | 5 stars | Electrical system, Air bags, Engine |
| 2023 | 6 | Not rated | Electrical system, Air bags, Engine |
| 2022 | 8 | Not rated | Electrical system, Engine and engine cooling, Back over prevention |
| 2021 | 8 | 5 stars | Electrical system, Back over prevention, Engine and engine cooling |
| 2020 | 6 | 5 stars | Structure, Electrical system, Seats |
| 2019 | 5 | 5 stars | Structure, Air bags, Service brakes, hydraulic |
| 2018 | 6 | 5 stars | Service brakes, hydraulic, Structure, Seat belts |
| 2017 | 5 | 4 stars | Engine and engine cooling, Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2016 | 5 | 4 stars | Engine and engine cooling, Air bags, Electrical system |
| 2015 | 6 | 4 stars | Air bags, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system |
| 2014 | 5 | 4 stars | Engine and engine cooling, Air bags, Electrical system |
| 2013 | 5 | Not rated | Engine and engine cooling, Air bags, Electrical system |
| 2012 | 6 | Not rated | Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline, Visibility |
| 2011 | 5 | Not rated | Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2010 | 4 | Not rated | Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2009 | 6 | Not rated | Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2008 | 1 | Not rated | Air bags |
No model years match your search.
The scale of the difference
Recall Campaigns by Model Year
Distinct NHTSA recall campaigns per model year. Years after 2024 are recent and still collecting recalls.
- 20260 recalls
- 20251 recall
- 20244 recalls
- 20236 recalls
- 20228 recalls
- 20218 recalls
- 20206 recalls
- 20195 recalls
- 20186 recalls
- 20175 recalls
- 20165 recalls
- 20156 recalls
- 20145 recalls
- 20135 recalls
- 20126 recalls
- 20115 recalls
- 20104 recalls
- 20096 recalls
- 20081 recall
Audi Q5: Analysis
How to read recall counts
A recall campaign is a safety defect that the manufacturer or NHTSA required to be fixed. Counts depend on how long a model year has been on the road, so recent years look better than they will in time; this page therefore ranks only model years through 2024. A high count can also mean a manufacturer reacts quickly to small defects, so it says little about breakdowns or running costs.
What the recalls were about
Across all model years, the systems named most often in Audi Q5 recalls are air bags (22), electrical system (15), engine and engine cooling (14), fuel system, gasoline (13) and structure (8). The number in brackets counts model-year entries, so one campaign that covers several years is counted in each.
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA has an overall star rating for 10 of these 19 model years, and 2018, 2019, 2020 and 3 more years earned 5 stars. Ratings before 2011 come from an earlier version of the program and are not directly comparable with later years. A range such as 4–5 means versions of the same model year were rated differently.
FAQ: Audi Q5 Best and Worst Years
What are the best years for the Audi Q5?
By NHTSA recall campaigns, 2008 are the cleanest model years through 2024, with 1 each.
Which Audi Q5 model years have the most recalls?
2021 and 2022 have the most, with 8 recall campaigns each.
Does a recall mean the car is unreliable?
No. A recall is a safety correction filed with NHTSA, usually repaired free of charge. It does not measure breakdowns or running costs, so use these counts together with a vehicle history report and an inspection.
Sources & methodology
Recalls and crash ratings come from the NHTSA datasets and APIs, retrieved on 2026-10-03. A record counts for this model when its make matches and its model name starts with the same words as "Q5", so variants such as body styles are included. Only model years from 2000 are used, and each recall campaign is counted once per model year. The data does not say whether an individual car was repaired, so check a specific car by VIN.
NHTSA, US Department of Transportation; this page is not endorsed by NHTSA. Maintained by Artsiom Dusau. Editorial policy