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#BS-2011-AUDQ5-7C102011 Audi Q5
Based on reports from 192 owners and 5 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 192 complaints, 6 crashes, 4 fires, and 5 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.4x the class average.
Top reported problems
excessive oil consumption
5 complaints • Severity 5.2/10
premature brake wear
2 complaints • Severity 5/10
crankshaft position chain skipped
2 complaints • Severity 10/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
67 owners reported airbags issues — failures commonly reported around 81K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (29 reports) • Median: 81K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Airbags (67 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2011 Audi Q5: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Airbags Issues
Airbags complaints account for 35% of all reports filed for the 2011 Audi Q5, with 67 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 81,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 81K-mile mark.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 22% of all reports filed for the 2011 Audi Q5, with 43 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Fuel System Issues
Fuel System complaints account for 17% of all reports filed for the 2011 Audi Q5, with 32 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Drivetrain Issues
Drivetrain complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2011 Audi Q5, with 12 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2011 Audi Q5. Recent trend: increasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (5 recalls)
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
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.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
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. If this happens, the corrosion can weaken the canister and the inflator could fracture without air bag deployment, propelling fragments into the passenger compartment, striking and causing serious injury to vehicle occupants.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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 frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
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 the fuel pump flange, until replacement remedy parts became available.
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Audi Q5 is the 2014 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.
2011 Audi Q5 vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD)
This vehicle
192
Class avg
80
2.4x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical sport utility vehicle - 4wd vehicles.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 192 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 5 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Audi Q5 Model Years
View all Audi Q5 years →2011 Audi Q5: Frequently Asked Questions
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 192 owner reports. Know before you buy.