There are 13 stored owner reports matching the engine leading-label group for the 2018 Audi Q5 in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 13 of 13 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)I was driving home from the farmers market with my two young kids. I was turning left at a busy intersection when the engine died and an engine warning flashed on the dash (I don't recall the exact message; it sounded catastrophic). There were no "check engine" or any other warning messages prior to the incident. I was able to restart the car immediately and give it a lot of gas to get out of the intersection - thank goodness - but didn't feel it was safe to drive the full 1 mile home, as there are several inopportune locations for an engine to die along the route, so I parked it in a residential neighborhood and walked home with my kids. My instinct there seems correct as it would not start again thereafter. I got it towed on the Monday and the mechanic called me to tell me that a piston had broken off in the engine and there is complete engine failure. I've attached a photo he took. This is a car we've had for 5 months with only 47,000 miles on it, regular service according to Carfax, and full/clean oil. No error messages or warnings prior. It was really scary to be in a busy intersection with a dead engine and young kids in the car.
Vehicle: 2018 Audi Q5 Prestige Mileage: Approximately 34,000 miles On December 14, 2024, while driving at normal road speeds, my vehicle suddenly lost power and displayed multiple warning messages, including drivetrain and system malfunction alerts. The vehicle became unstable and unsafe to operate while I was in traffic, forcing me to carefully maneuver off the roadway. This occurred without any prior warning or abnormal engine behavior, it was just so sudden. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Audi dealership the following day. After inspection, the dealership diagnosed a catastrophic internal engine failure, identifying a cracked/chipped valve in cylinder 3. The dealership technicians and service staff stated that this type of failure is extremely rare on a vehicle with such low mileage and normal maintenance history. They also indicated that they had not encountered this type of valve failure on a similarly maintained Audi vehicle at this mileage. There was no evidence of carbon buildup or abuse, and no external contributing factors were identified. The failure resulted in sudden engine malfunction and loss of drivability while the vehicle was in motion, creating a significant safety risk. The dealership recommended replacing the engine cylinder head, with an estimated repair cost approximately $9,100. The dealership could not confirm whether debris from the damaged valve remained in the engine or whether the repair would fully mitigate future safety risks. I am submitting this complaint due to concerns that this failure represents a potential manufacturing or materials defect that can lead to sudden engine malfunction or loss of power while driving, posing a safety hazard to vehicle occupants and other road users.
Fuel pump has been recalled on other models but not mine. I have a 2018 audi q5. It had a warranty extension but the previous owner never claimed but if it would have been a recall then I wouldnt be having this problem . Now I have to replace the water pump and pay almost $2k for something that wasn't a recall.
The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle started to vibrate abnormally with the message "Engine Fault Detected" displayed. The driver was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle stalled and was unable to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the connecting rod bearings, resulting in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 49,000.
The engine stopped working at 72,000 Miles. After the fact, I have read several complaints of the engine blowing well under 100,000 miles. Audi does NOT give warranties on engines after 50,000 miles...how convenient! In addition, Insurance will not cover this. I have read several complaints about engines blowing just after 50,000 miles. To have the 2018 Audi Q5 engine repaired with the new engine is $11,000 plus the labor $3,000-$4,000. Unfortunately, I still owe $19,000 to the bank! Bankruptcy is looming and I have had near-perfect credit my entire life.
Motor mount leaking hydraulic fluid
Thermostat failed causing the engine to overheat causing veh to unable to reach required rpm’s.
The check engine light came on so I stopped at the nearest auto repair shop and the codes came back that the thermostat was sticking partially closed and the water pump was leaking.
The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle had dealt with a loss of automotive power. A warning message "Shut off Engine, Check Cooling" had appeared in the instrument panel. In addition, the contact stated that the engine temperate gauge had risen. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a cracked coolant line. The vehicle was repaired twice however, the failure had occurred. The vehicle was taken to another local independent mechanic for a second opinion where the vehicle was diagnosed and repaired however the failure occurred twice again. The local dealer was contacted however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power. The message "Shut off Engine, Check Cooling" was displayed on the instrument panel. In addition, the contact stated that the engine temperate gauge was elevated. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a cracked coolant line. The vehicle was repaired twice however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to another local independent mechanic for a second opinion and the vehicle was diagnosed and repaired; however, the failure reoccurred twice. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,000.
Took the vehicle to the local dealer for a car damage repair but notified at multi-point checks that the thermostat housing is leaking coolant. It ran 43K miles only and this is a known issue so should be recalled.
THE MIL LIGHT IS ON, PREVIOUS OWNER RETURNED THE CAR IN 8 MONTHS, WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THEY TOLD ME THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED WITH ANOTHER NEW ENGINE AND IT'S ALL SET, YET AFTER ONE MONTHS OF BUYING THE 10K MILES CAR THE MIL LIGHT CAME ON???
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Aug 31, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.