Audi Q5: common faults & what to check

Which Audi Q5 are you looking at?

6 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Fuel not stated

6 variants documented

2009–20178R2009–20178R2.0 TFSIFuel not statedDocumented issues14 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

2009–20178R2009–20178R2.0 TDIFuel not statedDocumented issues14 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

2009–20178R2009–20178R3.0 TDI (SQ5)Fuel not statedDocumented issues5 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

2017–nowFY2017–nowFY2.0 TFSIFuel not statedDocumented issues8 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Steinfeld-feld via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

2017–nowFY2017–nowFY2.0 TDIFuel not statedDocumented issues8 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Steinfeld-feld via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

2017–nowFY2017–nowFY3.0 V6 (SQ5)Fuel not statedDocumented issues4 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Steinfeld-feld via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Audi Q5

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Audi Q5 before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  Check the oil level and ask, in writing if possible, how much oil it uses per 1,000 km.

  See why

  2.0 TFSI (EA888) excessive oil consumption / piston-ring wear

  The 8R Q5 2.0 TFSI (EA888, especially 2009-2012 build) is a poster child for the VAG oil-consumption problem - undersized oil-control rings and clogged return drillings let oil burn in the cylinders, with a litre per 1,000 km common on affected cars. Run low, it scores the bores. Later builds got revised pistons; overseas goodwill programs are long expired. This is the number-one check on a petrol 8R.

  What you would notice

  • 'Add 1 litre of oil' message
  • Blue-grey smoke on hard acceleration
  • Low oil shortly after a service
  • Fouled spark plugs

  Typically $4,000–$9,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Check thickness and surface condition — pitting or measurement below 2.5 mm requires replacement.

  See why

  2.0 TFSI Cam Follower and HPFP Failure (8R Q5)

  The Q5 8R fitted with the 2.0 TFSI (EA113 and transitional EA888 variants) carries the same documented cam follower and HPFP failure mode as the A4. The heavier Q5 body means the engine is frequently worked harder under load, which can accelerate follower wear relative to the A4. The follower disintegrates into the oil circuit, contaminating the system and destroying the high-pressure fuel pump. Extensively documented in Audi service bulletins and NZ/AU Audi specialist reports.

  What you would notice

  • P0087 or P1093 high fuel pressure fault codes
  • Hard or extended cranking especially when hot
  • Power loss under hard acceleration
  • Ticking from the HPFP area at the top of the engine if follower is disintegrating

  Typically $400–$8,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Test drive in slow stop-start traffic, making multiple full-stop and pull-away cycles.

  See why

  S-Tronic DL501 Mechatronic Unit Failure

  The DL501 7-speed dual-clutch S-tronic gearbox fitted to petrol and diesel Q5 variants uses a combined electro-hydraulic mechatronic unit for all solenoid and hydraulic clutch control. Internal hydraulic seal deterioration in the mechatronic valve body allows cross-circuit leakage, causing solenoid response errors and erratic clutch apply pressure. The result is shuddering at low speed, harsh or hung gear changes, and eventual failsafe engagement. The Q5's heavier kerb weight and greater low-speed torque demand in city traffic and off-road creep accelerate clutch pack wear. Full mechatronic unit replacement is typically required; remanufactured units are available.

  What you would notice

  • Vibration or shudder when pulling away from rest
  • Harsh, clunky downshifts in slow traffic
  • Transmission fault light or reduced power mode
  • Refusal to engage drive from rest after gear selector moved

  Typically $3,500–$9,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Cold-start the engine and listen immediately for chain noise from the front of the engine.

  See why

  3.0 TDI V6 Timing Chain Tensioner Failure

  The 3.0 TDI V6 in the Q5 8R uses dual timing chains with hydraulic tensioners that lose oil pressure retention with age, allowing chain slack, skip, and catastrophic engine damage. Audi extended the warranty on this engine in selected markets following widespread owner complaints. Failures cluster around 120,000–180,000 km. The repair is labour-intensive due to the transverse-mounted V6 layout, and costs can approach or exceed vehicle value in NZ. Very common in Q5 diesel examples imported from Europe and Japan.

  What you would notice

  • Rattling or clattering from the front of the engine on cold start
  • Camshaft position sensor fault codes
  • Rough engine running or misfires when cold
  • Check engine light with timing-related codes

  Typically $3,500–$7,500 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Perform a cold-start with the bonnet open and listen closely at the front of the engine for 10–15 seconds.

  See why

  EA888 Timing Chain Tensioner Failure

  The CAEB and CDNB 2.0 TFSI engines in the Q5 8R share the EA888 Gen 1/2 architecture with its front-mounted hydraulic timing chain tensioner. Cold oil pressure is insufficient to maintain tensioner extension on start-up, allowing the chain to contact worn or cracked plastic guide rails. The additional thermal stress of the Q5's higher kerb weight and AWD system operation can accelerate guide wear. Chain rattle on cold starts is the first symptom; without correction the chain can skip a tooth causing misfires, or in extreme cases break and cause catastrophic engine damage.

  What you would notice

  • Metallic rattling from front-right of engine on cold start, clearing within 10 seconds
  • Stored camshaft correlation codes P0016, P0017 on scan
  • Rough running on cold start until oil pressure builds
  • Metal particles visible in oil

  Typically $2,800–$6,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Demand a stone-cold first start and listen at the front of the engine for a chain rattle.

  See why

  2.0 TFSI (EA888) timing chain tensioner failure

  The 8R Q5 2.0 TFSI shares the EA888 chain-tensioner weakness: the early tensioner can retract when the engine is off, letting the chain go slack so it rattles on cold start and, worst case, jumps a tooth and bends valves. A P0016/P0018 correlation code is common. The fix is an updated tensioner and chain kit before it fails.

  What you would notice

  • Diesel-like rattle for 1-3 seconds on cold start
  • Rattle on shut-down
  • P0016/P0018 camshaft correlation codes
  • Rough idle

  Typically $1,800–$3,500 to put right.

Audi Q5 service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Audi Q5. These are the model’s intervals — the car’s own service book is the only thing that can tell you what has actually been done to it.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Audi Q5’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Timing Chain Replacement Cost
• DSG and Dual-Clutch Gearbox Repair Cost
• DPF Repair and Replacement Cost
• EGR Valve and Cooler Repair Cost

Other Audi models