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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2016 Audi Q5 is associated with 83 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 5 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 17 reports (20% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 5 certified vehicle configurations spanning 3l 6-cyl, 2L 4-Cyl hybrid, and 2l 4-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 19 to 26 MPG combined. The 2016 Audi Q5 belongs to the 1st generation (Typ 8R) Q5 platform spanning model years 2015–2017.

Platform Architecture: 1st Generation (Typ 8R) • Production Span: 2015–2017 • Platform Code: MLB • Lifecycle Note: Facelift (2013–2017)
Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 83 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 5 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine (17 / 20%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 9 crash / 1 fire / 4 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 4 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 19–26 MPG across 5 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2016 Audi Q5?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Q5 Diesel 3L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 23 MPG 30 MPG 26 MPG — $3,050 / yr
Q5 Hybrid Hybrid 2L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 24 MPG 30 MPG 26 MPG — $2,900 / yr
Q5 2L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 20 MPG 27 MPG 22 MPG — $3,450 / yr
Q5 3L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 18 MPG 26 MPG 21 MPG — $3,600 / yr
SQ5 3L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 17 MPG 24 MPG 19 MPG — $4,000 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2016 Audi Q5?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV AWD 15.1%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2016 Audi Q5 models.
View complete 2016 Audi Q5 crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2016 Audi Q5?

Summary of 83 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
83
Crash Reports
9
Fire Reports
1
Complaints w/ Injury
4
Total Injuries
7

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 17 complaints
Steering 10 complaints
Engine & Cooling 6 complaints
Electrical System 3 complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 3 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2016 Audi Q5 problems & component breakdown (31 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2016 Audi Q5?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #18V229000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can either become blocked with debris from the cooling system causing it to overheat or can short-circuit from moisture within the pump.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4. Note: This recall is in additional to the coolant pump software update applied as a remedy under recall 17V002.
NHTSA Campaign #17V622000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad and Q5 vehicles. Contact corrosion within the electrical connector for the auxiliary heater may cause the heater wires to overheat or melt.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary heater and, as necessary, update the software, free of charge. The Recall began November 27, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 80C5 and 80C6.
NHTSA Campaign #17V298000 Active Recall
Affected Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Audi Q5 and 2013-2017 Audi Q7 vehicles. These gasoline-powered vehicles have a fuel pump flange that may crack, allowing fuel to leak.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump flange if cracks are present. Flanges that do not have cracks will have a protective film applied. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 3, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20Z8. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 16V-660.
View all 2016 Audi Q5 recalls & campaign history (5 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2016 Audi Q5

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2016 Audi Q5

How many safety recalls does the 2016 Audi Q5 have?

The 2016 Audi Q5 is associated with 5 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2016 Audi Q5?

NHTSA records list 83 consumer defect complaints for the 2016 Audi Q5. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine, appearing in 17 filings (20% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2016 Audi Q5?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2016 Audi Q5 earned an Overall Safety Rating of 4 out of 5 stars across 1 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2016 Audi Q5 get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2016 Audi Q5 range from 19 to 26 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.