AUDI SQ5 · model year

2015 AUDI SQ5

8 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

4 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2015AUDISQ5 carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 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 2015 SQ5 is steering with 2 filings, followed by structure:body (2) and unknown or other (1). 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 1 active recall campaign, 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 2015 SQ5. 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.

8
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
2015 AUDI SQ5 — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2015 AUDI SQ5. 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

8 filings

Crashes Reported

0 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
STEERING2
STRUCTURE:BODY2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
STRUCTURE1
SERVICE BRAKES1
SUSPENSION1

Recalls (1)

15V45200020/07/2015

STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Audi SQ5 vehicles manufactured May 22, 2013, to April 14, 2015. The affected vehicles have an electric power steering assist system that may shut down in cold temperatures due to a steering motor sensor fault.

Recent Complaints

20250518STRUCTURE:BODY

Rear subframe has extensive and significant rust affecting the structural integrity of the critical component…. Have been advised by a qualified certified mechanic that the vehicle should NOT be driven as doing so could result in catastrophic collapse of the vehicle suspension with potential loss of control of the vehicle without warning. This is apparently a known issue with this model vehicle and the manufacturer has not issued any formal warnings or recalls……

20250518SUSPENSION

Rear subframe has extensive and significant rust affecting the structural integrity of the critical component…. Have been advised by a qualified certified mechanic that the vehicle should NOT be driven as doing so could result in catastrophic collapse of the vehicle suspension with potential loss of control of the vehicle without warning. This is apparently a known issue with this model vehicle and the manufacturer has not issued any formal warnings or recalls……

20250326STRUCTURE:BODY

Rear subframe structure has rusted through in the same location on both sides of the car. Moisture is being trapped between a plastic pieces of molding and the subframe and causing it to rust out completely.

20250121SERVICE BRAKES

The contact owns a 2015 Audi SQ5. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, while the brake pedal was depressed, the brakes failed to engage; the contact had to initiate the emergency brake to bring the vehicle to a halt. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to get a diagnosis however, the diagnosis was pending. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,084.

Mileage: 108,084

20240726STRUCTURE

The contact owns a 2015 Audi SQ5. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, there was an abnormal scraping and dragging sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and observed that the plastic cover for the rear frame was loosened and was dragging on the roadway. The contact was able to remove the remaining piece of the plastic cover by hand. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the rear subframe was severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

Mileage: 110,000

20190222STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 AUDI SQ5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE BLIZZARD LIKE WEATHER IN HIS STATE, THE POWER STEERING FROZE AND A "POWER STEERING ERROR" WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE AND COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INTERNATIONAL AUTOS OF MILWAUKEE (2400 S 108TH ST, MILWAUKEE, WI 53227, (866) 455-8708) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

20180228UNKNOWN OR OTHER

ON JANUARY 8, 2018; I TOOK MY VEHICLE (AUDI SQ5, 2015, 21847 MILES, WELL WITHIN WARRANTY) INTO FLOW AUDI SERVICE DEPT. IN WINSTON-SALEM, NC. FOR A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER'S WHEEL HITTING AS IF METAL TO METAL, WITH A LOUD BANG AN A HARD JERK AS IF THE WHEEL IS SEPARATING FROM THE FRONT AXLE AS THE VEHICLE GOES INTO TURNS AND CLEARLY UNSAFE. THE SERVICE DEPT. MANAGER ADMITTED(ON RECORDING) TO A HIGH INFLUX OF OTHERS CUSTOMERS COMING IN WITH SAME ISSUE. I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S THE DIFFERENTIAL, THE STRUTS, THE TRANSMISSION, THE TIRES AND SO ON. THE DEALERSHIP ADMITTED THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. SINCE THEN, I'VE BEEN MET WITH THREATENING HOSTILITY, AGGRESSION AND BULLING FROM UPPER MANAGEMENT TRYING TO MAKE ME TAKE MY VEHICLE WITHOUT IT BEING REPAIRED. I THEN, FILED A CLAIM WITH AUDI USA CORP. THE DEALERSHIP EVEN CALLED IN AN AUDI USA CORP. ENGINEER (FOR A DOG AND PONY SHOW) TO ONLY DRIVE MY CAR AND SAY WHAT HE THINKS COULD BE THE PROBLEM. THE ENGIN

Mileage: 21,847

20170731STEERING

POWER STEERING DISABLED WHILE DRIVING. WARNING ON DASH INDICATED THAT POWER STEERING IS DEFECTIVE. LOSS OF ELECTRONIC STEERING ASSIST WAS IMMEDIATE AND STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE. VEHICLE WAS MOVED TO SHOULDER WITHOUT INCIDENT. DEALER INDICATED SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS INSTALLED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. NO OTHER DETAILS PROVIDED.

Mileage: 19,754

Compare 2015AUDISQ5 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2015 AUDI SQ5 have?
The 2015 AUDI SQ5 has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2015 AUDI SQ5?
The 2015 AUDI SQ5 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 2015 AUDI SQ5?
Yes, the 2015 AUDI SQ5 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 AUDI SQ5?
The most-complained component for the 2015 AUDI SQ5 is STEERING with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:BODY and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2015 AUDI SQ5 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 2015 AUDI SQ5 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.