2011 Audi Q5 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
193 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Audi Q5, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 58/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 55,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2011 Audi Q5 sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2009, 2020.
Avoid
Where 2011 sits among all Q5 years
What owners report
“Takata recall. Recall date was 2/9/2016. Audi has no resolution at this time and cannot provide a date that the airbag will be replaced.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Q5
“Timing chain tensioner, tensioner etc for camshafts with engine repair. During oil consumption repair the mechanic noticed this issue and it was repaired during the oil consumption repair. 2011 audi q5 75k miles”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Q5
“My car smells like gas, I took it to the dealership ans they said my fuel pump flange is leaking gas”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Q5
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 92 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 81,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 55,975 and 100,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2007-2012 Audi Q7 and 2009-2012 Audi Q5 vehicles, previously repaired under NHTSA recall 16V-660. These vehicles were previously repaired with an interim repair of installing butyl tape to…
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump flange and install butyl tape, free of charge. The recall began December 28, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at…
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2013 Audi A3, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2008 RS4 Cabriolet, 2009-2012 Q5, and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's…
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2018. Owners may contact…
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.…
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator and either coat it or replace it, as necessary, after removing the surrounding foam, free of charge. The recall is expected to began…
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Audi Q5, and 2007-2012 Audi Q7 vehicles equipped with gasoline engines. The fuel pump flange on the affected vehicles may crack, allowing fuel to leak.
Fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the flange, replacing any flanges that are cracked. If the flange is not cracked, dealers will clean the pump flange and install a butyl rubber band…
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles.…
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a…
Technical service bulletins
1,195 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2011 Audi Q5. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2011 Audi Q5 reliable?
The 2011 Audi Q5 drew 193 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 58/100, scored against the model's worst year (2018).
What are the most common 2011 Audi Q5 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2011 Audi Q5 are airbags (67 complaints), engine (43), and fuel system (32).
At what mileage do 2011 Audi Q5 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2011 Audi Q5 problems around 81,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 55,975 and 100,000 miles.
Does the 2011 Audi Q5 have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2011 Audi Q5. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.