Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

3 reports

65,000 miles · Apr 24, 2017

Electrical SystemService BrakesSteering

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- I WAS DRIVING HOME AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON SAYING HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE. - THEN AS I WAS ALMOST HOME, I WAS DRIVING DOWN A VERY STEEP DRIVEWAY, AND THE BREAKS STARTED SKIPPING (FOOT SLAMMED ON BREAKS AND CAR FINALLY STOPPED AFTER ABOUT 20 FEET). - THE ENGINE WARNING THEN READ "HYBRID SYSTEM, POWER STEERING, AND TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FAILURE" FLASHING IN RED (ALONG WITH OTHER SYSTEMS FAILURES) AND THE CAR WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE. - SCARED FOR MY LIFE, I PUT CAR IN PARK AND HAD IT TOWED TO AUDI OF BELLEVUE - THEY SAID "A COOLANT VALVE IN THE BACK OF THE ENGINE SLOWLY LEAKED COOLANT OVER TIME, LEAKING OVER THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL HARNESS AND WICKED UP INTO THE CONTROL MODULE." - THE SERVICE TECH SAID "THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE" THAT THEY HAVE SINCE REDESIGNED - THUS INDICATING THEM KNOWING THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE - AUDI ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS FOR THE A8 MODELS FOR "COOLANT LEAKING THROUGH COOLANT WIRE CONNECTION, CAUSING COOLANT MIGRATION INTO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. IF THIS HAPPENS IT CAN CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT OR POSSIBLY EVEN A STALL WITHOUT WARNING, STALLING CAN LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH." - AUDI RECALL CODE: 80B9 - SINCE MY CAR IS A Q5 IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS PARTICULAR RECALL, BUT IT IS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AND CAUSED MY BREAKS TO MALFUNCTION AND CAR TO STALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER OFFERED A 25%. UPDATED 06/05/2017*JS

NHTSA ODI #10980297

80,000 miles · Nov 11, 2016

Electrical SystemEngine

COOLANT LEAK RESULTING IN ECM MODULE FAILURE, WIRE HARNESS DAMAGE AND ENGINE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS DRIVING ON US HWY 1

NHTSA ODI #10925505

49,750 miles · Sep 22, 2016

Unknown Or Other

REAR WINDOW SHATTERED SPONTANEOUSLY WHEN DOOR CLOSED, NO SLAMMED. CAR PARKED IN GARAGE ON 80-DEGREE DAY. REAR WINDOW EXPLODED OUTWARD.

NHTSA ODI #10908634

Official recalls

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.