Volkswagen Group of America, Inc
A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
Light NHTSA footprint — 18 owner complaints and 5 active recall campaigns. Either a clean record or thin data; we'll show what's there.
The 2019 Audi SQ5 has 18 NHTSA owner complaints and 5 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is brakes at 3 complaints (~$450 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 SQ5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2017 SQ5 | 5 | 0 |
| 2018 SQ5 | 24 | 5 |
| 2019 SQ5 (this page) | 18 | 5 |
| 2020 SQ5 | 7 | 4 |
| 2021 SQ5 | 11 | 5 |
| 2022 SQ5 | 0 | 2 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Optional
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2019 Audi SQ5 SUV AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
Run the VIN from the listing — 5 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.6/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →Piston skirt recall and warranty. Bulletin number AWA-25-08. Needs investigated. Based off average Audi owner statistics along with NHTSA statistics, when this bulletin was released in August of 2025, over 60% of vehicles with this 3.0T engine code EA839 would be disqualified…
The rear brake lights on my 2019 Audi SQ5 stopped functioning due to a failure of the Comfort System Central Control Module (J393). This defect is documented by Audi in Technical Service Bulletin 2055123/5 and earlier versions. The malfunction causes the “rear lighting warning”…
On a suburban street that I regularly drive on with no car nearer than 100 yards in front of me and fortunately no car behind me the Audi presense system actuated slamming on the brakes and flashing a red triangle in the driver information screen. If a car had been followed…
Panoramic roof glass exploded outwards while driving on the highway. No sign of rock damage or debris hitting. The glass is deformed outwards. The glass was sent towards the interior of the car. The sunroof shade was closed and many pieces of glass were caught by this otherwise…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The detached trim may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
A damaged frontal air bag may not provide adequate protection, increasing the risk of an injury.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 18 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2019 Audi SQ5 is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2019 Audi SQ5 is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 7.6/10 — above the segment average; 5 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the brakes first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 3 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $450 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.6 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 18 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is brakes. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is brakes, with 3 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $450 at an independent shop.
The brakes is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $450 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 18 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $450, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.