AUDI Q5 · model year

2014 AUDI Q5

125 NHTSA complaints, 9 crash reports, and 5 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

4 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2014AUDIQ5 carries 125 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 9 crashes, 1 fire, 12 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 4/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2014 Q5 is engine with 35 filings, followed by steering (17) and unknown or other (11). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 5 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 9 investigation files overlapping the 2014 Q5. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

125
Complaints
9
Crashes
1
Fires
12
Injuries
0
Deaths
2014 AUDI Q5 — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2014 AUDI Q5. Overall composite: 4.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 4.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 4.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

125 filings

Crashes Reported

9 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 4/5 — Strong NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE35
STEERING17
UNKNOWN OR OTHER11
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM9
STRUCTURE:BODY7
POWER TRAIN5
SERVICE BRAKES4
SUSPENSION4
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)3
EXTERIOR LIGHTING3
AIR BAGS3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
SEATS2
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES1

Recalls (5)

18V22900011/04/2018

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can

17V62200005/10/2017

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad and Q5 vehicles. Contact corrosion within the electrical connector for the auxiliary heater may cause the heater wires to overheat or melt.

17V29800003/05/2017

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Audi Q5 and 2013-2017 Audi Q7 vehicles. These gasoline-powered vehicles have a fuel pump flange that may crack, allowing fuel to leak.

17V00200003/01/2017

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 vehicles, 2013-2016 Audi Allroad and Audi A4 vehicles and 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can be blocked wi

17V00100003/01/2017

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Audi Q5 vehicles. The sunroof drainage system may allow water to soak into the foam surrounding the side head air bag inflator canister resulting in the corrosion of the canister. If this happens, the corrosion can weake

Recent Complaints

20251216STRUCTURE:BODY

Vehicle rear subframe comes with plastic covers that trap road salt and cause severe corrosion. Issue only presents itself when plastic covers are removed, revealing rust/corrosion and lost material, and a risk of the subframe to split resulting in lost of vehicle control on the road. This was found as a preventative action due to reports from other car owners and is confirmed by Audi Dealers as a common issue. Labor and parts estimate around $6000 (including $2000 in parts)

20250922CrashAIR BAGS

On Tuesday, September 2nd, I was in a car accident on the freeway. A car jump out in front of me and did not go quickly enough, I hit my breaks, but still hit them going around 55-60 MPH. When the impact occurred, my car turned itself off and I saw smoke coming out of the dash / center area of the car. I was able to start my car and get it off of the freeway safely. My airbag did not deploy, and it appeared the charge went off. The airbag light is now illuminated on the dash. There are no open recalls on my car, and I am truly concerned there is an issue with the airbags and do not want anyone else to get hurt if their airbags do not go off. I spoke with the local dealership on Friday, and they recommended that I reach out directly to Audi. I contacted Audi, answered all of their questions, sent photos and the police report. This is the response I received from them today, 9/22: "Our engineer has completed the review of all the documentation you provided. Here is his asses

20250908UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The rear subframe of my Audi Q5 has extensive rot and holes per an inspection done and deemed unsafe to drive. However I’ve only had the car about 3 years. To fix this will cost me around $5800.00.

20250830SUSPENSION

2014 Audi rear subframe is rusted through. 92,000 Mi. My independent mechanic found the problem when performing suspension work. It has not been inspected by the dealer yet but will be soon. With the history of the subframe failures on these models and years, there is a danger to the public driving these vehicles on the road. Audi needs to fix these problems

20250807SUSPENSION

The front subframe has experienced catastrophic failure due to severe and premature rust-through corrosion. Multiple holes have perforated the component, compromising the vehicle's structural integrity. The part is available for inspection upon request. The safety of my family and others was put at significant risk, as the subframe is the primary component that mounts the engine, suspension, and steering rack to the vehicle. A failure of the subframe while driving could cause a complete loss of steering control and the collapse of the front suspension, leading to a serious or fatal crash. The problem was independently reproduced and confirmed by both an independent service center and an authorized Audi dealership. Both establishments have deemed the vehicle unsafe to drive due to this specific issue. The manufacturer (Audi of America) has been made aware of the issue through their dealership network. They have acknowledged the defect by offering a "goodwill" repair to replace the su

20250807STEERING

The front subframe has experienced catastrophic failure due to severe and premature rust-through corrosion. Multiple holes have perforated the component, compromising the vehicle's structural integrity. The part is available for inspection upon request. The safety of my family and others was put at significant risk, as the subframe is the primary component that mounts the engine, suspension, and steering rack to the vehicle. A failure of the subframe while driving could cause a complete loss of steering control and the collapse of the front suspension, leading to a serious or fatal crash. The problem was independently reproduced and confirmed by both an independent service center and an authorized Audi dealership. Both establishments have deemed the vehicle unsafe to drive due to this specific issue. The manufacturer (Audi of America) has been made aware of the issue through their dealership network. They have acknowledged the defect by offering a "goodwill" repair to replace the su

20250807UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The front subframe has experienced catastrophic failure due to severe and premature rust-through corrosion. Multiple holes have perforated the component, compromising the vehicle's structural integrity. The part is available for inspection upon request. The safety of my family and others was put at significant risk, as the subframe is the primary component that mounts the engine, suspension, and steering rack to the vehicle. A failure of the subframe while driving could cause a complete loss of steering control and the collapse of the front suspension, leading to a serious or fatal crash. The problem was independently reproduced and confirmed by both an independent service center and an authorized Audi dealership. Both establishments have deemed the vehicle unsafe to drive due to this specific issue. The manufacturer (Audi of America) has been made aware of the issue through their dealership network. They have acknowledged the defect by offering a "goodwill" repair to replace the su

20250804ENGINE

Under Recall 19N4, the electric coolant pump was replaced in July 2019 at 73,496 miles. That replacement pump failed prematurely in March 2025 at 109,628 miles — lasting only 36,132 miles. This was a safety-related recall part intended to fix a known defect with the original pump. Audi refused to provide goodwill reimbursement for this premature failure. I am reporting this to request further investigation and possible expanded remedy.

20250709STRUCTURE:BODY

2014 Audi Q5 TDI with 115000 miles. Rear subframe inspected individually, by independent shop, and by Audi dealership. Found to have severe rust with perforation underneath where plastic debris covers are mounted. It is currently installed on vehicle at time of complaint. The failure of the subframe can disable the vehicle while driving, disconnect the axle and surrounding components, and cause an accident with one or more vehicles on the road. Audi has a 12 year/unlimited mileage warranty but claims it is not covered under warranty. Repair is quoted around ~$6000 including parts and labor.

20250702ENGINE

Invoice from mechanic states my water pump failed along with other engine components which led to a domino effect of system failures and leaks with potential to cause fire. Similar recalls have been issued for 2014 Audi Q5s

20250702ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Invoice from mechanic states my water pump failed along with other engine components which led to a domino effect of system failures and leaks with potential to cause fire. Similar recalls have been issued for 2014 Audi Q5s

20250519ENGINE

I have noticed 2 times that my engine burn out oil very quick before the next predicted oil change and lead to safety risk of boosting engine while driving long distance if there is no auto one near. After speaking with one of the maintenance guy the last time I went for oil change at Jiffy live, He told me that there was a recall for the same problem with some other Audi models. How could we expect your help to address this safety concern with the manufacturer. This is very dangerous situation that you can’t neglect. Best regards,

20250502UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I took my Audi Q5 TDI to the Garage for servicing and was told of heavy rusting on both sides of the rear subframe. The rusting is bad and can almost break the subframe It seems to be a known issue in Audi Q5 models, however, the dealership and Audi of America have refused to cover it as a manufacturing defect. The car has 88000 miles, and at this point, I think it may not be safe to drive. I am urging NTSB to review this issue and see if the issue can be resolved by the manufacturer at their cost.

20250425ENGINE

The contact owns a 2014 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle briefly lost motive power and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the daughter's residence. The contact stated that weeks before the failure, while the vehicle was being serviced at the dealer, it was determined that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the first failure. The failure mileage was 72,919.

Mileage: 72,919

20250407VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:THROTTLE

The contact owns a 2014 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the EPC (Electronic Power Control) warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was determined that the vehicle was under recall; however, parts were not available. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer when parts became available and the vehicle as repaired; however, the failure reoccurred approximately 6 years after the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

20250407ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

The contact owns a 2014 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the EPC (Electronic Power Control) warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was determined that the vehicle was under recall; however, parts were not available. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer when parts became available and the vehicle as repaired; however, the failure reoccurred approximately 6 years after the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

20250313STRUCTURE:BODY

There is severe rust in the rear subframe. It's so bad that the rust has made holes right through the subframe - compromising its integrity. This is a serious safety issue as the subframe holds the suspension and wheels and could break at any point. This is not normal wear and tear. This is a manufacturer's defect and a major safety issue that needs to be addressed immediately.

20250304STEERING

It has been very cold here in the North East. Under freezing for more than a month. My door lock sensors stopped working about 4-5 weeks ago. Two days ago I was driving and the power steering stopped working. Then after about 2 days it began working again. Just as the temps went above freezing. And the door lock sensors started working again. I had noticed over the last month or so that papers I had behind the front seat when I went to retrieve them were very wet, soaked. I took my car to my mechanic today and he told me that the computer is under the front seat. And water in this area may be causing the failure of the power steering and the door locks. So he said I should report it to you and you could possibly help.

20250304ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

It has been very cold here in the North East. Under freezing for more than a month. My door lock sensors stopped working about 4-5 weeks ago. Two days ago I was driving and the power steering stopped working. Then after about 2 days it began working again. Just as the temps went above freezing. And the door lock sensors started working again. I had noticed over the last month or so that papers I had behind the front seat when I went to retrieve them were very wet, soaked. I took my car to my mechanic today and he told me that the computer is under the front seat. And water in this area may be causing the failure of the power steering and the door locks. So he said I should report it to you and you could possibly help.

20250202SUSPENSION

Took my vehicle in for an alignment, was told by my local Audi dealer the rear subframe has rotted through and will need to be replaced. I asked how could this happen on a vehicle under 10 years? They said they see a lot of Q5's with similar rust issues due to a design flaw where a plastic protective cover cups and holds water directly on the structural part of the vehicle. They quoted me $8,000 to fix and offered no assistance on the price. Many, MANY others in forums and social media pages have the same issue and are forced to pay out of pocket for this issue caused by Audi.

Compare 2014AUDIQ5 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2014 AUDI Q5 have?
The 2014 AUDI Q5 has 125 NHTSA complaints, 9 crashes, 1 fires, 12 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2014 AUDI Q5?
The 2014 AUDI Q5 received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 4/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2014 AUDI Q5?
Yes, the 2014 AUDI Q5 has 5 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2014 AUDI Q5?
The most-complained component for the 2014 AUDI Q5 is ENGINE with 35 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2014 AUDI Q5 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2014 AUDI Q5 has an NHTSA safety rating of 4/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.