2021 Audi Q5

VIN number: [XXX]. Audi Q5 Prestige 2021 Mileage 48,540 I have contacted Audi Corporate regarding a catastrophic Transmission Failure while driving. The dealership investigation discovered that bolts had loosened and the fluid was not getting to the transmission and it stopped dead while I was driving. I was on surface streets going to pick up my baby granddaughter from daycare. I heard what sounded like a "slip" in the gears, a yellow notification appeared stating that the car is safe to drive. A few minutes later it happened again and the same warning appeared. I continued to the daycare and in the driveway the car stopped dead with a Red warning that it is a transmission malfunction. I luckily was not in a busy intersection or the freeway as that would have been catastrophic for my life and the life of my young granddaughter. I have contacted Audi via telephone at [XXX]. They took my statement and gave me a case number: XXX. I have worked with my Audi dealership and they are giving a "goodwill" discount that requires me to pay $800 for the defective bolt replacement. I purchased the vehicle as a certified pre-owned from the Audi dealership on [XXX]. I purchased an extended warranty they refused to cover the repair as it was a manufacturing issue. I have taken the vehicle in for all maintenance. This transmission failure is nothing that I did and not the result of neglect. This failure of the bolts is a manufacturing error. The bolts are supposed to stay bolted. I want Audi to pay in full for the repair, to include replacement of the entire transmission, in addition to replacing the defective volts. I also want a letter stating that this is a permanent fix and will not happen again. I trusted the Audi name and reputation to build a safe vehicle. The abrupt stop of the transmission could have been the death of me and my young granddaughter had it happened on the freeway or a busy intersection. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

On 8/3/26, my 2021 Audi Q5 began throwing numerous different malfunction/error alerts and the engine turned off while driving after a bottle of water had partially spilled onto our backseat behind the drivers side. The vehicle was towed to a nearby mechanic who determined that liquid damaged the gateway control module located under the backseat of the vehicle, as the gateway control module is placed in a "protective cover" (an unsealed plastic bag) and that bag visibly had liquid inside of it. We had immediately contacted Audi upon learning of this issue and decided not to move forward with any repairs, but to instead pay out of pocket to have it towed 70 miles to Audi/where we originally purchased the vehicle. This "protective cover" the control module was placed inside was completed as a recall service repair on our vehicle in April of 2022 due to a NHTSA recall announced in December 2021 regarding safety issues in these control modules failing from liquid spills on the backseat. We contacted Audi, explained that liquid had spilled in our backseat and entered the "protective cover" and damaged the control module. They agreed to inspect our vehicle to determine if the "protective cover" had been insufficiently installed. We paid out of pocket to have it towed to the dealership where it took them 6 days to determine the gateway control module is damaged (we had already explained this to them). Although liquid was found in the "protective cover" of this gateway control module, the dealership claims it was installed sufficiently. Upon looking into this matter further, there are numerous complaints of this exact issue (water entering and damaging the gateway control module from a liquid spill on the backseat, even with the "protective cover") on the NHTSA website, as well as a previous class action lawsuit settled out of court in regards to this EXACT issue. THE PRIOR RECALL REPAIR DOES NOT FIX THE SAFETY HAZARD AS STATED IN THE OFFICIAL NHTSA RECALL REPORT.

I was driving at highway speeds when a "Transmission Malfunction" warning appeared, and the vehicle lost the ability to accelerate. Once I was able to pull over and put the vehicle in Park, it completely lost the ability to engage Drive or Reverse, leaving me stranded. Important to note pulling over was difficult as I was on a highway driving ar 70mph speed and trying to locate safe space to stop avoid collusion. My car towed to the nearest dealership for repairs. Audi dealership confirmed the cause was broken internal transmission filter housing bolts. I was told this was premature occurrence as the vehicle only has 35,760 miles of driving and no prior work done on the transmission or visible notice of damage that could cause this issue.

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the vehicle decelerated before the vehicle stalled. During the failure, the check engine, oil, and coolant warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer determined that the engine bearings had failed, causing catastrophic damage to the engine. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V753000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 43,000.

If I have a sensor that will malfunction due to water then there should be a water indicator alert. My sunroof vent was blocked and water went into my trunk where the core module is. I had just come to a red light to turn on to a major highway and my car began to smell like fuel. I rolled down the windows and realized the smell was not as strong as inside. The light turned green and as I stepped on the gas the car went into limp mode as I was in the middle of my turn. The power steering then went out in the turn and the wheel yanked to the left and put me half way into the lane next to me. Thankfully no one was there. I had to yank it back to the right to get off of the highway on to the side of the road. I do not think that the power steering should be associated with that module or at least a water indicator sensor should be added. What happens if someone is on the interstate is driving 75 mph and their power steering goes out. It's in the shop and there is no damage other than now I am scared to drive it

I was driving down a regular road by my house, full sunshine, perfect road, nothing unusual. In fact, it was such a nice day, the sunroof was open and windows were down. My dog was in the back seat after just being picked up from grooming happily enjoying the day with his head out the window. I was on a road with the speed limit of 30. I was going 30 mph. Nothing unusual. Literally, out of nowhere, like my car was possessed, is the best way I put it, my car abruptly braked in an attempt to stop on a dime. My car screeched to a stop while simultaneously my windows rolled up, my sunroof closed and my seat belt tightened, locking me in place. My dog was thrown forward. It was terrifying! Luckily, no one was behind me or they would have certainly rear-ended me. Nothing was in the road. Absolutely nothing. It happened so quickly in a split second. I put my hazards on and finished the next 2 miles home. I called Audi for a service appointment. I took my car in, again going down back roads with my hazards on. Audi charged me $400 to run a diagnostic report and shows there is a fault code J428. This fault code I researched is for the front/right ACC radar sensor that powers Adaptative Cruise control and Pre-Sense braking system. The fault code erroneously detected an obstacle and did abrupt braking. Audi told me that they would charge me $4,000 to fix it. I contested that as a safety issue it should be fixed as there is also Audi TSB2063502 referencing problems. This is a major safety issue as if I was going 70 MPH, I could cause a massive accident where I could be killed, anyone in my car, as well as others behind me in a massive car pile up. I feel ethically, this must be a safety recall to replace this fault in all vehicles. I am also requesting payment to fix from Audi. As an attorney (#[XXX]), Audi is under notice that they have a major safety defect on their hands and should take steps to protect drivers safety. Thank you. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious brake-related safety issue involving my Audi vehicle after recent brake service performed by an authorized Audi Meadowland dealership in [XXX] . In December 2025, I brought my vehicle to an authorized Audi dealership for replacement of the brake pads. The repair was completed by the dealership, and I trusted that the vehicle was safe to drive afterward. However, only approximately six months later, and after driving only around 1,000 miles since the repair, the vehicle experienced a dangerous brake-related failure involving the brake pad assembly becoming loose/detached while the vehicle was in operation. This incident occurred while my entire family was inside the vehicle, creating a serious safety hazard and placing all occupants at risk. A brake system component should not fail after such a short period of time and limited mileage following dealership service. In addition to the safety concern itself, I am also extremely dissatisfied with the dealership’s handling of the matter. The dealership did not proactively contact me regarding the repair status, and multiple attempts to contact them by phone went unanswered. I believe this issue may involve improper installation, defective parts, insufficient inspection procedures, or other serious safety-related service failures. I respectfully request that NHTSA review and investigate this matter to determine whether similar incidents may affect other vehicles serviced under similar conditions. Thank you in advance for your review on this matter. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the windows independently rolled up and down, and the engine seized. While attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the failure had occurred three times within five days. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was purchased. The failure was diagnosed with a failed gateway control module. The contact was informed that the gateway control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact was informed that the plastic protective bag that covered the gateway control module was filled with water. In addition, the dealer informed the contact that the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V947000 (Electrical System, Structure); recall repair was performed prior to the contact purchasing the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 37,200.

The safety situation happened when my wife's car got stuck while driving at about 25-30 MPH in the middle of the road.Next day At the nearest Audi service center they found that water has gotten into the rear of the trunk and damaged the electronic module which caused the car to stall.The first repair was estimate at 4600 $ .After the repair the car was inoperable.The next repair was estimated at another 4 700 $.After the second repair the car was inoperable again and the service department told me that the car needed to replace the entire transmission .Which they estimated at another 20 000 $. So the total damage is around 30 000$ .I contacted Audi USA about the whole situation when I received a negative message regarding the solution . I would like to point out that up until the moment mentioned we had no problems with the car .After my personal investigation of the problem ,I found that there was a safety recall # 21V-947 for same problem .It was not issued for my car which meets all the criteria.It looks like it was hidden by the manufacturer. Audi distances itself from the whole problem and refuses to cover the costs of the damage.Thank good this happened on the city road where the speed is low .If this happened on the highway at 60 MPH it would have had tragic consequences .Where it would never have been figured out what caused the accident. From a safety perspective ,I m reporting this dangerous and unfair treatment of customers by AUDI USA regarding the hidden recall and denial of resposability that occurred and I request an investigation .