2018 AUDI Q5 Electrical System Problems

Unpublished costly catastropic electrical failure Audi of America reviewed the case and declined assistance solely because the vehicle was already totaled and unavailable for dealer inspection. Audi did not dispute the presence of water intrusion, the technical findings, or the cause of failure. This failure occurred without warning under ordinary environmental conditions and resulted in sudden loss of vehicle function. I am submitting this complaint to document a potential defect related to the protection and placement of electronic systems vulnerable to water exposure. I am submitting this complaint to report a potential safety-related defect involving water intrusion and catastrophic electrical failure in a 2018 Audi S5. After a heavy rain event with no roadway flooding or submersion, my vehicle experienced complete electrical failure and would not start. Inspection revealed water intrusion into the trunk area where critical electronic components—including the battery and electronic control modules—are located. The damage was extensive and rendered the vehicle inoperable, resulting in a total loss determination. Attached documentation includes photographs, video evidence, and a technical inspection summary prepared by an independent automotive service facility and reviewed in consultation with Audi-trained technicians. The findings indicate water intrusion consistent with design vulnerability rather than misuse or lack of maintenance.

My car randomly rebooting while driving. The whole MMI goes down

BCM

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving 35-40 MPH and accelerating, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled to the side of the road, and the vehicle was able to restart. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the body control module(BCM) was floating in water. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V947000 (Electrical System, Structure), and the additional repairs were at the contact's expense. The contact stated that the recall remedy was inadequate for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

Mileage: 58,000

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving 35-40 MPH and accelerating, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled to the side of the road, and the vehicle was able to restart. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the body control module(BCM) was floating in water. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V947000 (Electrical System, Structure), and the additional repairs were at the contact's expense. The contact stated that the recall remedy was inadequate for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

Mileage: 58,000

A coil that is attached underneath the sunroof is attached to the BCM. There is not a drain plug at the end so there was 5 inches of water there and the BCM was made to sit in that spot. The electrical wires and BCM were burned out because of this. The BCM controls the entire system not limited to the start button and everything that runs the car. I have only had the vehicle less than 1 year and it costs 4000 dollars to fix. My car has been at the dealership since June 9th.

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while pulling into a business at an undisclosed speed, there was an unknown warning light illuminated, and the message "Left and Right Rear Signal and Center Rear Brake Light Malfunction" was displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that the key warning light and engine malfunction warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was determined that there was water intrusion into the rear cargo area of the vehicle, due to a clogged drain. The contact was informed that the drain tube needed to be cleaned, the module needed to be replaced, and the vehicle needed to be rewired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

Mileage: 83,000

My vehicle spontaneously began displaying emergency signals including engine malfunction, turn signal malfunction, parking brake malfunction, brake light malfunction. I would also turn the car completely off and brake lights would remain on asymetrically. Also, the related alert bells would go off intermittently. I have kept my car in good repair and on a regular maintanence schedule. I took the car first to my mechanic who evaluated and said I should take to the Audi dealership. After two days of diagnosis, they came back that the sunroof drains were clogged with debris which definitively caused water to enter and soak the "comfort module" After irrigating them, they did not find any damage and said they do not need replacement. However, the water soaked and heavily corroded the comfort module and say the entire module needs to be replaced along with a rebuild of the harness. They are quoting me $12,300. My safety was at risk in the malfunction of the engine system, and especially signalling capabilities and possible brake impact. The problem has been confirmed by two mechanics - mine and Audi I searched online and have discovered a number of other 2018 Audi Q5 owner accounts of the same and similar defect and result. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Turns out numerous complaints about water finding its way onto the computer comfort module. It is well known. Audi techs admitted it is due a bad design by Audi. There are no indications or warnings something is going wrong. Module gets fried and vehicle shuts off. Can't even shift or take out of Park. Insurances do not want to cover due it being water related. Audi does not want to repair due to no recall. They want approx $10,000.00 per occurrence when this happens. Definitely not fair to consumers to have to pay this or total their vehicles. My car only has 50k miles.

WATER SEEPED INTO COMFORT CONTROL MODULE VIA BLOCKED SUNROOF DRAIN HOSES AND DAMAGED ELECTRICAL. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE REGADING THE GATEWAY CONTROL MODULE WHICH ALLOWS SHOPS TO ADD A PROTECTIVE COVER. THIS SAME RECALL NEEDS TO BE ON THE COMFORT CONTROL MODULE SINCE THE WAY THEY DESIGNED THE SUNROOF DRAINS ALLOWS FOR WATER TO SEEP INTO THE CC MODULE. THIS IS A RIDICULOUS DESIGN THAT REQUIRES A 11K DOLLAR REPAIR FOR CUSTOMERS.

Water intrusion from sunroof floods electronics modules and shorting out, making the car unoperable

2018 Audi Q5 comfort System Control Module is faulty due to corrosion from water and or humidity. No incidents have occurred with my vehicle that has less than 70k miles. I purchased the vehicle as a certified pre-owned with 7700 miles on the car. The dealership claims that outside forces have cause the module to corrode and that I am responsible for the 10k payment to replace and/or repair.

While driving, the steering wheel suddenly locked up and could not be turned. Several warning lights simultaneously appeared on the dashboard including: "Steering malfunction! Please stop vehicle", "Audi adaptive light malfunction! See owners manual", "Start/stop system malfunction! Function unavailable", and "Audi pre sense currently limited" - No warning lights were present prior to this event. The sudden loss of steering could have caused serious injury to myself and to other drivers or pedestrians nearby. I was thankfully able to stop the vehicle, but I could not pull over because the steering wheel could not be turned. The car was towed to the Audi dealership and I was told the "Electronic power steering rack" would need to be replaced costing nearly $5,000.00.

2018 Audi Q5 (2.0, 40K miles, excellent condition) experienced severe electronic failure, due to sunroof drainage lines depositing water into the rear side wells where sensitive electronics are housed, impacting all tail-lights, wipers, sensors, internal dashboard sensors, etc., rendering the car highly unsafe and undrivable. The issue is a design and manufacturer defect that has allowed rainwater to leak into the rear side compartments destroying sensitive electronics & wiring, from faulty/kinked drain lines in the sunroof (according to the Audi Technician from my local Audi store), rendering the vehicle undrivable. It was obvious, repeatable, and avoidable. Worse this issue was misdiagnosed by the same Audi store, causing extra parts & labor expenses that didn't solve anything. It took my AUDI store OVER a MONTH to diagnose the issue correctly. There were also significant investigative/diagnostic charges from my Audi Dealership. There were also significant repair expenses to replace all water-logged equipment, including the Electronics Control Unit (ECU). This should be a clear recall item.

The Audi Q5 sunroof drain that is intended to keep water out of the vehicle, leaked where water collected and pooled in the car beneath the car liner. The water collected on the "comfort module" and electrical fuse box resulting in immediate electrical failure of several vehicle features/systems including brake lights, turn signals, reverse lights, windshield wipers, etc. to name a few. In addition to repairs in excess of $10k, the vehicle will be totaled by the insurance company. After an exhaustive search, several Audi users of the same make, model and year have faced a similar issue. This issue must be addressed by Audi and should be reviewed immediately.

Roof drains clogged resulting in water filling the interior left rear wheelwell where ligting control modules are stored and are not waterproofed. Design defect allowing water incursion into an electrical connection system that is not waterproofed resulted in sudden and immediate multiple lighting system failure, road hazard.

The comfort control module in the trunk of the car was sitting in water due to an ingress of water coming in the car. The car would not start due to this water ingress and could have shut off completely on the freeway or while driving. This caused my car to completely shut off and malfunction. There were no warning lamps or messages of the problem. I found out about the problem by taking the car to the Audi dealership. They originally thought the problem was the gateway module which has already been recalled due to the same problem of an ingress of water. The Audi dealership has claimed that the ingress of water is from a clogged drain pipe in the sunroof. They said there is nothing you can do to prevent this from happening.

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the turn signals were inoperable. The contact pulled over and noticed that the rear lights including brake lights and turn signals were not operational. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the cause was diagnosed as a sunroof drain line leakage that caused electrical damage due to water build-up, which damaged the control module. The contact stated that the drain lines needed to be unclogged and the control module needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was at the dealer awaiting the repairs. The contact was concerned that the Owner’s Manual did not guide sunroof maintenance to prevent the failure. The contact opened the rear hatch and found water accumulation under the mat. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.

Mileage: 85,000

Starter button does not work. use of emergency start only. Dealership says rain water running off car towards the back, gets into the wiring and causes massive damage. getting a bill of over $11,000 There are recalls on this for other Q5 years but not 2018.

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, upon reaching the destination, the contact became aware that the headlights would not turn off. After which, the vehicle failed to restart, and the vehicle was towed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V947000 (Electrical System, Structure); the VIN was included, but the vehicle had already been repaired under the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

Car was left outside for two weeks while we were gone on a trip. When we returned and attempted to start the car numerous warning lights went off related to turn signals, tail lights, engine ignition, key recognition, etc. We were able to drive the car home but the turn signals and tail lights were malfunctioning and the engine would lose power unexpectedly. Upon researching on AudiWorld Forums I came to learn I should check to see if there was any moisture in certain areas, including the rear fuse box area at the rear of the car. I checked that location and found many inches of water in the fusebox!!! I learned that MANY, MANY people with q5s have had the same problem which is RAINWATER ENTERING THE VEHICLES ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DUE TO NON-OPERABLE SUNROOF DRAIN PORTS. Yes, I searched and found an unrelated recall 90s9 but the dealer said this was not the issue, the issue is non-operable sunroof drains and the repair cost is $8,000. Having no idea of the danger I was placing my family in by driving this vehicle while its electrical system was swamped with water, I feel a class action lawsuit should be brought against the company for damages for material, labor, as well as the risk of injury or death I placed my wife and I in by driving this vehicle under such unsafe conditions. I noted there was a suit settled for this issue with other models, but not the 2018 q5. [XXX] V Audi/Volkswagon [XXX] . The idea that someone should have to face death for leaving their car in the rain does not even pass the laugh test. Someone in Audi's risk management department needs to address this and make owners whole again. Please advise. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Sunroof drain lines leaked and filled the rear compartment with water which is also where the body control module is. The water damaged the body control module which affected vehicle lighting and abs system. Upon further investigation, this is a very common issue with Audi.

On May 3, 2024, while driving to work, the vehicle acutely started to make a loud clicking noise in the engine compartment. I parked the vehicle and looked for a warning light indicator on the dashboard to determine the problem, but no indicator light emerged. I then called Audi Omaha and spoke with the Service Manager who kindly arranged to have my vehicle picked up and a loaner dropped off. I did ask at that time whether it was safe to have somebody drive my vehicle to Audi given the severity of the noise and I was told that since there was not a warning light on the dashboard, it would be ok. I later discovered that my vehicle stalled on the way to Audi Omaha and required a tow. On May 6, 2024, I received a report of the problem and the estimate for repairs. It was explained that the head of a spark plug had broken off into the engine causing the piston to make contact with the valve in cylinder 3 resulting in engine damage which was beyond repair. Additionally, a second spark plug had been misfiring for several days. The estimate to replace the engine: $9,282.03. To my surprise, the multi-point vehicle inspection report I received on the same day reported that everything (aside from rear brake pad wear) passed inspection – including the engine and spark plugs! On May 7, 2024, I called Audi Omaha to express my concern that an entire engine would need replaced on a 6-year old luxury vehicle with only 60,000 miles and spark plugs that were replaced at 40,000 miles prior to my purchase of the vehicle. Even more concerning is that no warning light indictor ever displayed on the dashboard (despite being informed that the vehicles computer system had detected changes in the engine compartment 2-days prior to this event). Because of these glaring safety concerns, this issue was escalated to the Audi central region division who declined to provide assistance despite the faulty spark plug and the malfunction of the warning indicator light.

I got a Safety System Malfunction! Fault. I took it to aan Audi dealer and they said it was an issue with a harness under the passenger seat. Tech notes here references a service bulletin. Air Bag Occupant Sensor - Replace | faults present b1225f1 - tsb 2051242/7 -- per tsb apply wiring ties to secure and prevent faults from returning -- not covered under extended warranty policy. Not sure why this isn’t covered under extended warranty or a recall. It basically disables the passenger airbag. I have seen other Audi vehicles with recalls for similar issues with harness under the passenger seat. I think they have a design issue but are wanting to charge me (and probably others) $220 to diagnose and $695 plus tax to put two wire ties on the harness to supposedly fix (or bandaid) a bad harness.

-Car shut down (engine off, battery still functioning) while driving. Car went into neutral. -Lost power steering and other functions after about 20 seconds of the engine shutting down. -Immediate life-threatening danger while driving to us and surrounding drivers and pedestrians -no inspection or police report yet. -the car has not been driven since the incident and so the problem has not been reproduced yet. Upon inspection of the trunk area (2018 Audi Q5), we found about 4 inches of water. This has been attributed to clogged sunroof drains causing water to flow into the trunk and short out electrical components.

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated the vehicle was parked during a rainstorm and the contact attempted to start the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test and stated that water entered the vehicle through a fractured seal causing the electrical wiring to get wet. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V947000 (Electrical System, Structure) as a possible solution to the failure however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

Mileage: 190,000

I have a 2018 Audi Q5. The electrical system basically went into complete failure, and upon taking it to the dealership, was told the sunroof draining system "clogged" and the flooding caused by this caused the damage. After significant research online, I have noted this seems to be a very well-known issue.

For months the car has smelled musty. Last week the electrical lights went on and warnings to not drive the car. Water was discovered in the wheel wells and the computer system appears to have been damaged by a leaky sunroof. On the car fax report it was noted that at 14, 608 miles the vehicle had it's sunroof "replaced/ repaired" with a seal removed and repaired according to an invoice record furnished to us by the dealer . The vehicle ran out of it's warranty in July of this year. We've heard that others have been having a similar, if not the same issue and the dealership has quoted up to $20K to repair. Clearly there has been a defect from day one at 14,000 miles. The car is never parked under trees.

The car was sitting in the driveway in the rain. I went out to get something out of it and the car was dead, but the back wiper was going, the rear lights were on and the driver side windows went down. I had it towed to the dealer and they told me water had gotten into the area in the back left wheel well where the comfort module is located. The dealer tried to say there was something wrong with the rear hatch but there isn’t. I’ve read account after account online of this exact issue happening to other owners and it caused by a defective sunroof drain. It drains right into the rear hatch with the module. They quoted $9000 for the repairs.

Rear Sunroof drain leak into major electronic components. 2018 Q5 with 61k miles after heavy rain started receiving all kind all errors including lights and ignition. Upon inspection Audi service has stated that HVAC control module has shorten (the area with the module in the left rear portion of the trunk filled with water), quoting repair of the module and insisting to replace sunroof drain hoses for total of $5k. Insurance has agreed to cover module replacement due to the flood of approx. $2,5k, however drain hoses and deducible with another $2,5k would not be covered and is on me. Mechanic in the Audi service several times noted that that this is common issue with Q5 and Q7s., I am so frustrated and do not understand how come the Audi car the owner shall be responsible for any cost of such if it is unclear: 1. How and why the water gets there through the closed sunroof in such amount to flood electrical equipment. Are all Audi sunroof seals so bad that they fail in 6 years? 2. I had serviced the car in the Audi for up to 60k, and no one ever cleaned the drains there or advised me of such (all is needed a small note for me)? Why did I pay extra to service car in the official dealerships? 3. How Audi could sell a vehicle with such design flaw, placing weak drainage hose through the electrical equipment compartment, considering they just had a class action lawsuit over sunroof leaking but on different models and model years.

Suddenly car entry stopped working. Warning messages on display about start/stop, engine starting malfunction, every single light. I found the driver rear side full of water where the fuse panel and control modules are located. There was water soaked into the insulation at the bottom of the space as well as the insulation over the wheel well. Water drops were viewed on the controllers in that space.

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that while replacing the battery, he observed condensation near the wiring. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was hoisted up and there was condensation draining from the driver’s side of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.

Mileage: 48,000

Start/ Stop system malfunction shown on dash board. Took vehicle to Lynbrook Audi New York on 9/20/23. Water penetration causing multiple damage to electrical systems. Audi states water possibly entering through faulty skylight drain hose ? Quote service charge of 12,028.00 not including tax , declined service for a second opinion. Invoice # 207805. Paid 271.57 for diagnostic inspection. Vehicle was service at this location on 3/9/22 RO # 188998 Tag w107 Complete Complimentary Inspection on 3/9/22. Vehicle Certified ( pre-owned ) at this location on 12/20/2020 ( paid over 1,000.00)

Comfort Control Module (J393) is malfunctioning due to water getting into the wiring components and surrounding areas. The rear lighting stops working all together; No taillights, no brake lights, no turn signals, no license plate lights, and no lights when backing up. The problem has been reproduced by an authorized dealer. The component was removed by the dealer and noted of water inside the module and corrosion on the pins/ internals because of the water. The warning lamps occurred at the same time the lights stopped working. There was never any "prior to" warning. The warnings disappear randomly, no set time until they cleared. I am assuming once the module dries out over time is when the warnings start to clear but that is just speculation. UNKNOWN cause of the incident, but water is getting into the inside of the car somehow.

Control modules located next to the gateway module that was recently recalled are getting wet and shorting out. Tail lights, brake lights, turning signals, license plate lights, and reverse lights all stop working. Once the area is dry, the lighting works only sometimes. I am not ever sure if the lights work or not while I'm driving and am concerned about getting rear-ended because of the lights being out and me not knowing.

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving his vehicle, a start/stop malfunction warning message appeared on the display screen. Once the contact made it to his destination, the vehicle failed to turn off after repeatedly pushing the start/stop button. The next day, the failure persisted and the vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic was performed. The diagnostic showed that water had traveled from the sun roof drains into the rear left panel and into the vehicle's wiring module. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

Mileage: 72,000

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving his vehicle, a start/stop malfunction warning message appeared on the display screen. Once the contact made it to his destination, the vehicle failed to turn off after repeatedly pushing the start/stop button. The next day, the failure persisted and the vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic was performed. The diagnostic showed that water had traveled from the sun roof drains into the rear left panel and into the vehicle's wiring module. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

Mileage: 72,000

My 2018 Q5 has experienced water intrusion due to the defective design of the sunroof/drainage system, causing water to leak into the trunk and rear left cavity where the ECM and battery are located. After several hours of rain, approx. 2 inches was collected in the location of the battery and was extremely dangerous.

Warning lights on the dash began to light up about a minute after starting and driving the car. Pulled over, stopped the car and tried to restart but couldn't restart. Apparently water leaked in from the closed sunroof over night and flooded the spare tire well where a control module is located and shorted. Car was serviced by Audi as recommended during the entire time. Had to have the car towed to an Audi dealer and was charged $1,600 to correct after 10 days.

Audi engine start system malfunction continues to go off on the dash and the majority of the exterior lighting has gone into a malfunction as well. The left rear fuse panel in the luggage compartment has moisture in it and on the wires.

On 8/8/2023 my vehicle was outside in the driveway of our home in Truro, MA. A large storm moved through the area with torrential rain and lightning. Once the rain let up I looked out the window to find all 4 windows down 4-6 inches, the rear hatch was opened with the rear wiper and high middle brake light on. When I ran outside to close the windows etc. I could not start the car the MMI did not come on and I could only get 3 of the windows up. I had to manually close the rear hatch. I put a tarp over the drivers side window that wouldn't close and had AAA come out. They assessed that it was not a battery issue bit an electrical module issue. I filed a claim with my Insurance and after waiting for the adjuster to look at the car I had AAA tow it to an Audi Dealership. They ran a diagnostic test on it and found water had caused the Comfort Module and associated wiring to fail. The estimate to fix the issues was is nearly $12,000. Because of the cost my insurance company is sending another adjuster out to inspect the issues at the dealership. There were no prior issues or symptoms before this issue took place.

The comfort control module catastrophically failed. There is video evidence of the condition the module is in. The whole car shut down. Nothing electronic worked. Doors unlocked, trunk opened, gas cap unlocked, couldn't start car or change gears, roll up/down windows, or lock the doors. The dealership has confirmed the sunroof drains leaked water into the rear left wheel well filling it up with water into the trunk where the spare wheel well is with picture evidence of the amount of water. It rained the night prior. There were no prior warning signs or any issues. Everything was working fine until it was not. The comfort control module needs to be completely rewired and the sunroof drains need to be completely replaces. If this happened while I was driving I would have lost complete control of the vehicle as all power to the car was off.

In early July, 2023 various warning and fault lights began to show on the dashboard: engine start system, brake lights, start/stop system, and others - indicating malfunctions with systems important to safety. Also, the car alarm system sounded without cause and key pods would not lock/unlock the doors electronically. These warning lights proliferated over several days. We took our car into our local Audi dealership. They diagnosed the problem as follows: "Performed GFF and found code for 3393 comfort system control module replacement. Control module faulty due to control unit being submerged in water and fried the control unit. Water leak due to rear drains clogged causing the water to overflow. Performed/fixed the water leak, cleaned out the pools of water that have accumulated, replaced the control unit 3393 comfort system control module, performed control unit replacement test plan and program keys." The Audi Q5 is well known to have design/parts problems in the sunroof drainage system. As has occurred in thousands of other Q5s, those issues caused the rear cargo area to flood, frying an important electronic component and activating warning/fault lights for a range of other systems. Malfunctions in several of those systems could have caused critical safety issues. We are fortunate because we decided to take our Audi directly to the dealership service center. Repairs cost several thousand dollars.

Regarding my 2018 Audi Q5 34000 miles. Driving on a busy highway a few ounces of water spilled in the backseat. Car lights up like a xmas tree and car came to a screeching stop. Two lanes of high speed traffic on both sides. Fiance just had both hips replaced, Ends up popping one of them out of socket during ordeal. Recall was issued for installation of 'protective cover' over gateway control module. Car received recall work. Part still failed. Audi won't cover the part. I'm out of warranty. Total bill $1800. Dealer has had car 3 weeks. I've been out of pocket for rental car

The sunroof draining is designed in such a way that if the holes get clogged, the water can back up and flood the comfort control module in the rear of the car rendering it useless. That module controls critical parts of the driving of the car like turn signals, the on/off starter motor, which if they fail while on the road make it incredibly dangerous to drive. Audi has already recalled the car to "enclose" the gateway control module but refuses to take responsibility for damage to the comfort control module caused by badly designed sunroof drainage. This incident caused a $9,000 repair that they refused to pay for.

THIS VEHICLE HAS ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THIS VEHICLE WATERPUMP FAILED TWICE WHICH I HAD TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE GIVES WARNING SIGN’DRIVE SYSTEM MALFUCTION’ CODES DIRECTING TO TURBO CHARGER BUT IT IS ACTUALLY THE WASTEGATE THATS THE ISSUE-WHICH I HAD REPLACED AFTER THROWING A NEW TURBO. THIS VEHICLE HAS ISSUES WITH THERMOSTAT WHICH I HAD REPLACED TWICE. I HAVE PAYED ALL REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET AND UNTIL TODAY THERE IS NO RECALL.SOMEONE PLEASE TAKE A LOOK INTO THIS MATTER ANY INFORMATION NEEDED FROM ME OR MY MECHANIC I CAN BE CONTACTED VIA EMAIL -: [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The car is totalled. My car tripped 9+ malfunction warnings, after starting and driving. These included rear brake lights, directionals, start/stop system, and more. It appears that the sunroof leaks, and the roof drains were clogged (even though they were specifically checked and cleaned by the dealer 2 months earlier). This led to water accumulating in the areas under the back seat (a prior recall which allegedly had been addressed...NHTSA campaign number: 21V947000. Audi’s number for this recall is 90S9.), and in the rear wheel well area, where electronics control modules live. The car eventually had to be towed to the dealer. It was initially estimated to cost $9,500 to repair. But, after several weeks, more water was found and it was declared not worth repairing.

The contact owns a 2018 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle in a severe rainstorm, the vehicle experienced electrical failures, which included the head lights flashing and the horn activating before the vehicle suddenly became inoperable. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who discovered that rainwater had leaked into the rear of the vehicle and the electrical components were submerged in water causing an electrical failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V947000 (Electrical System, Structure). The failure mileage was 53,000.

Mileage: 53,000

My 2018 Audi Q5 has a water intrusion issue with control module damage. The vehicle reduce speed to 15 mph on the highway, when parked the lights would not shut off. The vehicle would then not turn on. Thirty minutes later the vehicle started. I received a front passenger seatbelt malfunction and several controls went out. The passenger seatbelt would not recognize there was a passenger buckled in the seat. The lights stayed on. The windshield wipers started on their own. The car wouldn’t recognize the key fob. Later the turn signal malfunctioned, along with the front lights staying on but the rear light and license plate light would not come on. At the dealership they found water in the comfort module housing, left rear quarter panel/wheelbase and said it was probably caused by the pressure vent seal allowing water to enter damaging the comfort module and 56 wires. They stated the vehicle was unsafe and inoperable. They also were not able to roll the windows back up or lock and secure my vehicle. The issues with the vehicle speed occurred 5 weeks ago. The dealership changed the thermostat but the speed reduction happened again afterwards once but when it was turned off and turned back on the speed went back to normal. Then today the vehicle just went crazy with things turning on and other controls not working, like the taillights. Multiple times I have told the dealership of the seatbelt malfunction. They said it was probably the seat detecting something on the seat, like a bag but couldn’t account for the malfunction when the seat was occupied. The vehicle is now at the dealership with plastic taped around the opened windows and unsecured since the locking controls will not work. They suggested I file a claim with my insurance for the repair. This screams defect to me!

Have been receiving an intermittent warning: Safety malfunction for the passenger airbag. The light comes on intermittently. Comes on most often when no one is sitting in the front passenger seat. If I place a small bag (handbag, purse etc.) on the seat sometimes the light goes off sometimes it does not. If someone is sitting in the seat the malfunction light is not present. The dealer confirmed the malfunction stating: They found the safety malfunction light is being triggered by a faulty passenger front seat pod and needs to be replaced for $2,233. Doing a quick Audi forum search have found numerous individuals with similar complaints and many have even reached out to Audi. This appears to be a significant safety issue as it calls into question the reliability of airbag operation in the case of an accident.

On 02/14/2022. Car just died while waiting for cars to pass to turn at light. Dashboard started flasing "engine start system: malfunction! - Please contact service" then "Parking Break Malfunction!" then, "Steering: Malfunction! - You an can continue driving" Panicked because was holding up traffic. After a couple minutes trying Car then just started drove home and put on battery charger overnight. Hoping that's all it was. Next morning 02/15/2022 started right up early morning no issues to be concerned with was on highway doing approx 69 mph, drove approximately 42 miles then then while only driving 35 mph 4 lane highway. Again, No warnings, but while DRIVING Engine and steering, just shut down. Almost causing me to be reared and then hit on passanger side. I don't even want to think what could have happened had this happened on interstate or if my children were in the vehicle. It was a very dangerous and scary situation even happening while only doing 35 mph. This should be considered a MAJOR recall. Vehicle was towed on 02/16/22 to Clearwater Audi. We did not receive vehicle back until after over 9 weeks, 04/22/22. Yesterday, 06/07/2022 Sensors glitching again and being called back into dealership. I want this life threatening recall documented. There is absolutely no reason why a well cared for vehicle with less than 18,000 miles should be having these issues. We We keep losing out on time from work and driving back and forth to dealership. We need to be able to rely on the safety and integrity of this vehicle not only for the driver/passangers but for the safety of others on the road. Thank you for your time to hear our concerns

It says driver system malfunction. Day before that it says Auto Start and Stop malfunction failure. When you are the traffic light and slow down and take a turn then the car gives kinds of couple of pushes as if the It gearbox is not able to adjust the speed automatically . You need to accelerate to keep the balance of the Car. Every passenger of the car feel the same. After 2 days I started getting Driver system malfunction warning. The car is not safe to drive on highways or local road as gearbox has some issues. There is a class action lawsuit for the similar problem which Audi did not address yet. https://margarianlaw.com/audi-class-action-lawsuit/

The 2nd generation Audi Q5 (roughly 2017-2021+) has a major susceptibility to immediate, catastrophic failure as evidenced from my own experience and dozens of episodes reported online. This failure typically causes a $2000-$3000 repair bill that Audi will not cover and will claim is the fault of the owner. My wife was driving the vehicle with our 5-year-old daughter in the car In the middle of the rear seat. The daughter spilled part of a 500 ml water bottle onto the seat next to her. Within 20 seconds of this happening, the car began alerting about steering malfunctions, braking malfunctions, and the windows began seizing up and down repeatedly. The car was completely inoperable. We are lucky this was on a slow city street and not on the interstate or tollway! Once stopped, we no buttons generated any actions from the vehicle. we couldn't power it on, put it into neutral to be towed away, raise the windows, or perform ANY other function at all. The car was a useless brick. We were charged $125 for the towing service and another $2200 from Audi Plano in Texas. After countless conversations, even debates, with David (director Audi Plano) and even Audi USA customer experience team, they REFUSED to admit any fault in a poor design and help cover any of the costs whatsoever, and we are even still in warranty. The part that was damaged is DIRECTLY below the cupholders and has no effective liquid protections - what did they think would happen! Here are other examples from online: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q5-sq5-mkii-discussion-218/water-bottle-leak-%241800-damage-3009540/ https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q5-sq5-mkii-discussion-218/control-module-ruined-moisture-corrosion-3001605/page5/ https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/shopping/3641294-Audi-Q5-taken-out-by-DD-water-spill-in-rear-seat https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=11350209

There is a module under the back seat called the J533 that I am told got wet. This completely shut down the entire car as my wife and child were driving down the highway. We were very disheartened to find out that this is an out of pocket expense for a common thing to happen in the back of an SUV. After searching online, I came across this link, which is an identical account: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q5-sq5-mkii-discussion-218/control-module-ruined-moisture-corrosion-3001605/ I'll highlight one area in this link thread, as it most strongly relates to your questions above: "Audi (VOA) faces considerable legal exposure for any injury caused by a liquid finding its way into a component that poses such a high risk of harm if the module fails. . which evidently it does via corrosion following moisture intrusion of some sort. This is particularly the case given the absence of any mention or warning in the manual about avoiding spillage, and more pertinent to liability, Audi’s failure to anticipate the considerable risk of harm stemming from a readily foreseeable occurrence, ie, spillage. To frame it in more stark terms, no one reasonably expects to face a death ride when they spill their soda."

I WAS ABOUT TO GET ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY CAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED AND I GOT SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS. THE BRAKING/STOP START SYSTEM, LIGHTS AND A FEW OTHER LIT UP. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND HAD IT TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID WATER (RAIN) GOT IN THROUGH MY SUNROOF AND SHORTED MY SYSTEM (WARRANTY WON'T COVER). THERE ARE SEVERAL CLASS ACTION SUITS RE. THIS ISSUE ALREADY AND AUDI KNOWS ABOUT IT, BUT THERE'S NO RECALL AND CARS HAVE STOPPED SUDDENLY ON THE FREEWAY. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.

Mileage: 30,000

CAR SUDDENLY TIED WHILE DRIVING IN CITY; ENGINE/ALL SYSTEMS SHUT OFF. IT TOOK SEVERAL HOURS FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO ARRIVE, AND THE 1ST 2 TOWING COMPANIES COULD NOT DISENGAGE THE BRAKING SYSTEM TO LOAD ONTO TRUCK! ONCE VEHICLE TOWED TO AUDI DEALER, THEIR DIAGNOSIS WAS "GATEWAY CONTROL MODULE J533, WATER IN CONTROL MODULE, CORROSION IN CONNECTOR, CAUSING FUSE FOR GATEWAY CONTROL UNIT TO BLOW" WE WERE TOLD BY DEALER THAT "LIQUID MUST HAVE SPILLED INTO AREA BEHIND REAR SEATS". WE HAVE NO YOUNG CHILDREN, AND NOBODY WAS RECENTLY SITTING IN REAR SEAT. VEHICLE IS PARKED IN GARAGE AND IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION; 2 YEARS OLD / 24,000 MILES. THIS WAS A $3,200 REPAIR NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS SOUNDS LIKE A DESIGN DEFECT. AFTER SEVERAL COMMUNICATIONS I HAD WITH AUDI USA AND LOCAL DEALER, THOSE (2) PARTIES TOLD ME THIS REPAIR WOULD BE COVERED AS A "GOODWILL ADJUSTMENT" NOT A "WARRANTY ITEM". I FOUND SIMILAR REPORTS ONLINE: HERE IS A DISCUSSION I STARTED ON AN ONLINE FORUM: HTTPS://WWW.AUDIWORLD.COM/FORUMS/Q5-SQ5-MKII-DISCUSSION-218/CONTROL-MODULE-RUINED-MOISTURE-CORROSION-3001605/PAGE3/ ANOTHER ONE I FOUND: HTTPS://WWW.AUDIWORLD.COM/FORUMS/Q5-SQ5-MKII-DISCUSSION-218/COMPLETE-ENGINE-CONTROL-MODULE-FAILURE-2952745/ ATTACHED IS INVOICE. SYSTEM WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO UPLOAD PHOTOS THEY SENT ME DUE TO FILE SIZES. REPAIR TOOK ALMOST A MONTH TO COMPLETE. WE ENDED UP RENTING A CAR FOR A WEEK-LONG ROAD TRIP AS THE DEALER LOANER IS ONLY FOR LOCAL USE.

Mileage: 24,498

NAVIGATION LOCKS UP, DRIVER COCKPIT AND DASH SCREEN SHUTS DOWN WHEN CARPLAY IS ACTIVATED. AT TIME THE CAR DOESN'T RECOGNIZE CARPLAY. ADDITIONALLY THE VOLUME CONTROL WILL ONLY INCREASE AND NOT DECREASE VOLUME. SOMETIMES IT SAYS SPEECH RECOGNITION NOT RECOGNIZED WHEN ADJUSTING VOLUME. HAS NOT RESOLVED FOR THE 10 MONTHS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. *TR

Mileage: 6,000

I'VE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE WHEN BACKING UP AND THE PRESENCE GOING OFF WITHOUT A REASON. WHEN BACKING UP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE SENSORS WILL BEEP AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO GRINDING STOP. WHEN I CHECK THE AREA, THERE ARE NO VEHICLES, PERSON, OR OBJECTS IN THE PATH OF THE VEHICLE. RECENTLY, WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE PRE SENSE WENT OFF WHEN NO VEHICLES WERE AROUND AND SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN AT A RAPID RATE. TWICE WHEN DRIVING, THE PRE SENSE WILL ACTIVATE AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN THERE ARE NO VEHICLES IN FRONT, BEHIND, OR BESIDE ME.

Mileage: 31,900

I WAS DRIVING 65 MILES AN HOUR ON I-95 IN THE LEFT LANE APPROACHING THE EXIT FOR I-695 NORTH ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 4TH AT 5:00PM. IT WAS RAINING. NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF ME OR BEHIND ME WHEN MY CAR DASH LIT UP WITH AN AUDI PRE SENSE RED SIGN ON A BLACK BACKGROUND. THE BRAKES STOPPED THE CAR SUDDENLY ON THEIR OWN AND MY SEAT BELT SLAMMED ME TIGHTLY INTO MY SEAT. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME OR THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A MULTI CAR ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NOTHING VISIBLE ON THE ROAD TO SET THIS SYSTEM OFF. MONDAY MORNING I WENT TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY COULD DISCONNECT THIS SYSTEM SINCE I WAS NOW AFRAID THIS WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND I WOULD NOT BE SO LUCKY WITH THE TRAFFIC SITUATION THE NEXT TIME. THEY LOWERED THE SENSITIVITY BUT THEY COULD NOT DISCONNECT THE SYSTEM. I ALSO CALLED AUDI TO INFORM THEM ABOUT THIS HAZARD. THEY NOTED IT ON THEIR RECORD BUT SAID IT IS PART OF THE CAR AND IT COULD NOT BE DISCONNECTED. WHEN I LOOKED ON LINE THERE WERE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM; HOWEVER NONE OF THE OTHER DRIVERS WERE ON THE OPEN HIGHWAY FULL SPEED AHEAD. CAN THIS PROBLEM BE LOOKED INTO BEFORE SOMEONE'S CAR CAUSES A MAJOR PILEUP WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. THANK YOU! *JS

Mileage: 8,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 AUDI Q5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK WITHOUT WARNING AND THE INDICATORS AND GAUGES COULD NOT BE VIEWED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MCKINNEY AUDI (6650 TEXAS STATE HWY 121, MCKINNEY, TX 75070, (972) 390-2100) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED PATCHING IN THE "S 5 CHIP". THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,392. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

Mileage: 4,392

5)ESTABLISHING A BLUETOOTH CONNECTION IS INTERMITTENT WITH A SAMSUNG GALAXY S9. OFTEN THE MMI WILL INDICATE THAT IT CAN'T CONNECT. IF THE CAR IS IN REVERSE WITH THE PARKING ASSIST DISPLAYING THE REAR VIEW CAMERA, THE BLUETOOTH CONNECTION SCREEN CAN SUDDENLY APPEAR REPLACING THE REAR VIEW IMAGE WHILE THE CAR IS ACTIVELY BACKING UP. THE REAR VIEW CAMERA IMAGE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN REARWARD MOTION. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.

Mileage: 3,000

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHEN DRIVING THE AUDI Q5 THE PRE-SENSE ENGAGES INAPPROPRIATELY (NO TRIGGER) RESULTING IN AN IMMEDIATE AND HARSH BRAKING OF THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP. IN TRAFFIC, THIS POSES A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF A CRASH RESULTING IN DAMAGE AND POTENTIAL BODILY INJURY. THE AUDI PRE-SENSE IS DESIGNED TO STOP A CAR FROM AN IMMINENT CRASH, HOWEVER AN APPARENT FLAW IN THE TECHNOLOGY ENGAGES THE PRE-SENSE WITHOUT TOTALLY UNNECESSARILY (NO CROSS TRAFFIC, AT LEAST 10 FEET FROM A BUSH OR OTHER OBJECT). NOT ONLY DOES THE UNEXPECTED AND UNNECESSARY HARD AUTO-BRAKING ADD WEAR AND TEAR TO THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION, IT POSES A REAL RISK OF AN ACCIDENT AS OTHER DRIVERS DO NOT EXPECT THE SUDDEN AND UNNECESSARY BRAKING. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT A PATTERN IN DRY AND WET WEATHER ON A FLAT SURFACE OR AN INCLINE. ALWAYS OCCURS WHEN IN REVERSE.

Mileage: 3,100

VEHICLE TRAVELING STRAIGHT ON HIGHWAY AT 70MPH WITH PHONE PLUGGED IN TO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM AND CONNECTED TO CARPLAY. CENTER SCREEN SHUT OFF, AND AUDIO CONTROLS UNRESPONSIVE ON BOTH THE DASH AND STEERING WHEEL. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, WHICH WAS DISPLAYING GOOGLE MAPS, THEN BLACKED OUT, WITH ONLY THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACH DISPLAYING. AGAIN, CONTROLS WERE UNRESPONSIVE. THE SYSTEM THEN RESTARTED, SIMILARLY TO INITIALLY TURNING ON THE VEHICLE. THE "INITIALIZING MAP" MESSAGE APPEARED IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER BOTH THE CENTER SCREEN AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WERE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY, AND ALL CONTROLS WERE RESPONSIVE. THIS WAS ESPECIALLY STRESSFUL AS I WAS EXPECTING SOMETHING ELSE TO FAIL BUT COULDN'T PULL OVER.

Mileage: 3,000

2018 AUDI Q5 PRESTIGE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO THE HEADS UP DISPLAY FUNCTION ON VEHICLE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE SUN REACHED A CERTAIN ANGLE, A WHITE SOLID REFLECTION BOX APPEARS ON THE WINDSHIELD. THIS CREATED A VISIBILITY ISSUE FOR THE DRIVER. *JS

HEY, IM CARMEN, IM GERMAN AND I M DIPLOMATIC, I WORK AT THE PERMANENT MISSION OF GERMANY FOR THE UNITED NATIONS TILL MARCH 2019. MY QUESTION IS, I WANT TO BRING A AUDI Q5 , BRAND NEW MODEL , A GERMAN MODEL, FROM GERMANY TO NEW YORK. AND AFTE MY JOB IN 2019, I WANT TO TAKE IT BACK TO GERMANY. IS THERE ANY PROBLEM?? MUST I CHANGE ANY STUFF BECAUSE OF OTHER SAFETY RULES OR SOMETHING? OTHER LIGHTS, MILES PER HOUR, ELECTRICITY?