22 complaints reported

2016 Audi Q5 Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
22
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jan 2026

I am reporting a defect related to carbon buildup in the Secondary Air Injection (SAI) system on my 2016 Audi Q5 3.0L Supercharged (engine code CTUC). My vehicle has been diagnosed by an Audi dealer with DTC P0491 – Secondary Air Injection System Insufficient Flow, and restricted secondary air flow has been confirmed through Audi-authorized diagnostics. This failure mode is described in TSB 2014569 and TSB 2014665/4. I discovered this when the check engine light illuminated and I sought a diagnostic from the dealer which cost me $249. Audi has acknowledged this condition as a defect in other vehicles by issuing Warranty Extension U19 (10 years / 120,000 miles), which covers carbon buildup in the secondary air injection ports. However, Audi denied U19 coverage for my vehicle solely because my VIN is not included in the warranty extension population. This condition results in increased emissions which impact the environment and which will cause the vehicle to not pass the emissions inspection required for registration. Audi has not provided any technical explanation distinguishing my vehicle from those covered under U19, despite identical fault codes, failure mechanism, and required repair procedure. The repair involves removal and cleaning of carbon buildup in the cylinder head secondary air ports and is quoted at approximately $2,500.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2025
Dec 2025

Audi had Valves and pistons fail on the highway at 75mph on Nov 28,2024 at 117000 miles Had the vehicle since 2021 and 17000 miles. Complained to the dealerships at the last 3 oil changes about excessive oil consumption. They told us not to worry about it, full aware that they had lost a lawsuit over this very issue. We were never informed about this lawsuit, and now Audi refuses to fix THEIR problem. We are very lucky when the engine blew up that there was no one behind us, otherwise it would have been a major highway accident. Now Audi wants $18,000 to replace the engine.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2024
Aug 2024

The vehicle engine no longer works. The coolant line broke without warning, and the whole engine needs to be replaced. The vehicle no longer works

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2023
Jun 2024

My Q5 requires an additional quart of oil approximately every 500-1000 miles since purchased in early August . Services included two oil changes, replacement of pan gasket and fill tube O-ring. No drips on the ground, just a minimum level reading every 30 days. That definitely should not be happening without some plausible explanation other than "That's what German cars do. I have a BMW and the same issue." It was not disclosed that I would have to purchase a monthly supply oil motor oil in addition to the cost of the vehicle.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2023
Sep 2023

continually having to add a quart of oil to the vehicle and rear tail pipes have turned soot black from oil burning out the tailpipe. I purchased the vehicle and i was having to have the oil changed a lot. then i noticed that the oil light was on every 500-1000 miles and i was constantly having the oil changed. i researched and the oil should not be changed that often. i took to dealership twice to no avail. i took it back with the same issue. they kept the vehicle almost three months and told me that motor would have to be torn down and if warranty didnt pay i would have to pay over 15,000.00 for a new engine. i dont have that kind of money for an engine and engines should last over 100,000 miles. the warranty company advised that if engine was torn down and itis an Audi problem they would not pay (they advised that Audi have this burning oil problem and they won't cover damages) and Audi will not take responsibility for the problem that is inherent in the engine and will not repair the vehicle.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: May 2021
Aug 2023

Engine shuts off while driving at highway speeds. No engine warning light comes on, just complete lack of power. Need to pull off, put car in park and restart. Happens more often in colder weather, but is very sporadic. Audi said it was fuel issue. It is not. Jundreds of gas fill-ups with all different brands. This has been happening for years, and began within months of purchasing the car. It is getting more and more frequent. There is no fault code associated with it when I've brought it in for diagnostics. Very disconcerting when driving 75mph in left lane,and you experience a complete loss of power. Last incident was August 12, 2023

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2023
Aug 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was an abnormal burning odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact checked the oil and coolant levels and became aware that the coolant level was very low. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after filling the coolant reservoir the odor went away. The contact stated that the odor returned, and the coolant level was very low. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V002000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2023
Jul 2023

Excessive oil consumption

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2023
May 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Audi Q5. The contact stated that on several occasions while the vehicle was started, there was a loud whistling sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the breather valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,900.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: May 2023
Feb 2023

This vehicle guzzles oil. On average, I have to add a quart of oil every 200 - 300 miles. No leaks are evident but always see white smoke from tail pipes.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2022
Dec 2022

The contact owns a 2016 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the oil pressure warning light flashed on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic on several occasions and unknown repairs were performed; however, after each repair, the failure persisted. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact attempted to reach the manufacturer but had no success. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V229000 (Engine and Engine Cooler). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2022
Mar 2022

I bought this vehicle with 57,000 miles on it the water pump was replaced under recall at 60,000 miles now the water pump is bad at 97,000 miles so that’s three water pumps 97,000 miles

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2022
Feb 2022

The car started needing 1 quart of oil every 1,000. now it needs a quart of oil in less than 200 miles. I have found a lot of reports about Audi's burning oil. There was a recall for 2009-2013. There are a fair amount of people complaining about this issue with Audi's. I reported it to audi but haven't heard back.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2021
Feb 2022

Purchased a 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus in June of 2022, I only had it for about a month and the light came on asking me to put a quart of oil in it. After adding oil the light went off, Well it has done it two more times since the first time. While having the car serviced in August I asked the service associate why does it do that, I was told that that's just what they do. That made no sense me, So I did a little investigation and found out there was a class action lawsuit filed because of this issue. I didn't own the car at that time, Audi should continue to service these vehicles that might have slipped through the cracks and wasn't repaired during this lawsuit. There are many people just like me who are purchasing these cars, without knowing about this issue and has the vehicle been repaired or not. It is unsafe to drive these cars like this because it can lose power on the highway and thus cause the driver to be injured or even killed. Audi keep telling people that they just do this, when they know that there was a law suit about this issue, but have so many vehicles out there that hasn't been repaired.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2022
Jun 2021

The contact owns a 2016 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, an abnormal rattling sound was coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that the coolant pump and serpentine belt needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V229000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and that the repair would be an out of pocket expense. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the Vin was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2021
Apr 2021

WHILE ON AN EXTENDED TRIP AT FREEWAY SPEED IN THE VEHICLE, THE "ADD OIL" INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHED ON THE DASH .ON MAY 11 2018, I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO RUSNAK AUDI IN PASADENA, CA. THEY TOLD ME THAT A NEW "SENSOR" WAS REQUIRED , AS THE OIL WAS AT NORMAL LEVEL, AND REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE. IN JAN OF 2021 I TOOK A SHORT TRIP AT FREEWAY SPEED WITH THE VEHICLE THE "ADD OIL" LAMP FLASHED ON AGAIN. I AGAIN BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO RUSNAK AUDI IN PASADENA, CA. ON APRIL 22, 2021. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME, AFTER A DAY AND A HALF, THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION SINCE THE ACTUAL OIL LEVEL IN THE ENGINE WAS AT A NORMAL LEVEL. I TRIED TO MAKE A POINT TO THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT IF I IGNORE THE WARNING LIGHT, HOW CAN I BE SURE I WON'T BURN OUT THE ENGINE DUE TO AN ACTUAL LOW OIL LEVEL. THE VEHICLE HAS NO MANUAL ( PHYSICAL) DIPSTICK. AS IT STANDS NOW, I AM DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH A " ADD OIL WARNING LAMP LIT ON THE DASH AND NO WAY TO PHYSICALLY CHECK THE OIL. THIS SEEMS INAPPROPRIATE TO ME AS IF I BURN OUT THE ENGINE, I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. RUSNAK AUDI SEEMS UNCONCERNED! PLEASE ADVISE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2018
Jun 2020

BOUGHT IT 7 WEEKS AGO, 44,000 MILES. SEVERE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM I'M FINDING OUT EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT ALREADY WITH AUDI TURBOS AND WAS PREVIOUSLY A CLASS ACTION. I'M PUTTING OIL IN EVERY OTHER DAY AND FEEL THE PISTONS MISSING WHEN I DRIVE IN THE MORNING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2020
May 2020

COOLANT PUMP LOOSING COOLANT. NO OVERHEAT LIGHT ON WHEN IT'S ALMOST OUT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
Sep 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 AUDI Q5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V229000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER (AUDI SOUTHAMPTON, 51 MONTAUK HIGHWAY, WATER MILL, NY 11976) CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2018
Sep 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 AUDI Q5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V229000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AUDI OF SHREWSBURY (780 BOSTON TURNPIKE, SHREWSBURY, MA 01545, (508) 581-5800) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2018
Jun 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 AUDI Q5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V229000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AUDI NORTHLAKE (10831 NORTHLAKE AUTO PLAZA BLVD, CHARLOTTE, NC) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WOULD NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY UNTIL NOVEMBER OF 2018. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2018
Jun 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 AUDI Q5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V229000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (AUDI MILWAUKEE, 10606 W ARTHUR AVE, MILWAUKEE, WI 53227, (414) 543-3000) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 AUDI Q5, Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Incident: May 2018

Trend Over Time

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Quick Summary

The 2016 Audi Q5 has 22 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.