2012 Audi Q5: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2012 Audi Q5: 6 recalls, 168 owner complaints and up to 22 mpg combined.
Recalls
6 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #12V299000 · 2012 · 13,172 vehicles
What's wrong: Some vehicles May be equipped with a front sunroof glass panel that is susceptible to breakage in extremely cold weather/temperature conditions.
Why it matters: Should the sunroofâs glass break while the vehicle is in use, the falling glass could cut and injure the driver or passengers. It could also distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front sunroof glass panel, free of charge. The safety recall began on August 7, 2012.
Airbags Vehicle recall #16V078000 · 2016 · 659,493 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 golf, 2007-2010 passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 passat sedan and eos, 2009-2014 cc, 2009-2012 Audi q5, 2010-2012 s5 cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi a5 cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure May cause the inflator to rupture.
Why it matters: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are…
Fuel system Vehicle recall #16V660000 · 2016 · 143,214 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Audi q5, and 2007-2012 Audi q7 vehicles equipped with gasoline engines. The fuel pump flange on the affected vehicles May crack, allowing fuel to leak.
Why it matters: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the flange, replacing any flanges that are cracked. If the flange is not cracked, dealers will clean the pump flange and install a butyl rubber band to protect the pump. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2016.
Airbags, Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #17V001000 · 2017 · 234,057 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Audi q5 vehicles. The sunroof drainage system May allow water to soak into the foam surrounding the side head air bag inflator canister resulting in the corrosion of the canister. If this happens, the corrosion can weaken the canister and the inflator could fracture without air bag deployment, propelling fragments into the passenger…
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator and either coat it or replace it, as necessary, after removing the surrounding foam, free of charge. The recall is expected to began March 2017.
Airbags Vehicle recall #18V082000 · 2018 · 162,782 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2013 Audi a3, 2007-2009 a4 cabriolet and s4 cabriolet, 2008 rs4 cabriolet, 2009-2012 q5, and 2010-2012 Audi a5 cabriolet and s5 cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure May cause the inflator to explode.
Why it matters: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2018.
Fuel system Vehicle recall #18V818000 · 2018 · 5,987 vehicles
What's wrong: Volkswagen group of america, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2007-2012 Audi q7 and 2009-2012 Audi q5 vehicles, previously repaired under NHTSA recall 16v-660. These vehicles were previously repaired with an interim repair of installing butyl tape to the fuel pump flange, until replacement remedy parts became available.
Why it matters: The butyl tape May not prevent fuel from leaking. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump flange and install butyl tape, free of charge. The recall began December 28, 2018.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 0 mention a fire, 2 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Airbags (85): the most common themes are deploys unexpectedly / inflator (5).
- Engine (47): the most common themes are excess oil use (16), leaks (12), warning light on (9).
- Fuel & propulsion (20): the most common themes are leaks (7).
- Other / unknown (10): the most common themes are leaks (5), stalls / loses power (2), warning light on (2).
The 2012 Audi Q5 has 168 owner complaints, ranking #2 of 19 Q5 model years for complaints (2.4× the average Q5 year). Complaints peaked in 2016 (38 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 5 years old, at a median of 71,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2011 (143 complaints, 5 recalls), 2013 (89 complaints, 5 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 L 4-cyl turbo | Automatic (S8) | All-Wheel Drive | 20 | 27 | 22 | Premium |
| 3.2 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S6) | All-Wheel Drive | 18 | 23 | 20 | Premium |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2012 Audi Q5.
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FAQ
Does the 2012 Audi Q5 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 vehicle recalls for the 2012 Audi Q5. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2012 Audi Q5 problems?
Owners have filed 168 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (85), engine (47), fuel & propulsion (20).
What gas mileage does the 2012 Audi Q5 get?
EPA ratings run up to 22 mpg combined (2.0 L, Automatic (S8)), across 2 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2012 Audi Q5 repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.