Audi Q5 / SQ5 Buyers guide (2008-2016) Reliability SQ5 Q5 and common faults (TFSI | TDI)

after the successful edition of the Audi Q7 the automaker introduced the smaller Q5 model at the 2008 Beijing Motor Show and Los Angeles Auto Show of that same year the firm was confident that the latest SUV built upon the MLB platform that would also underpin the Audi A4 and A6 and later VW fyon aimed at the Chinese market would be a success interestingly this was also where the Q5 was expected to score its highest sales although the USA and Canada were also high on Audi's list of expect ations as automakers around the world doubled down on their concentration on Asia and North America Europeans were along for the ride and unlike in other markets where the 3.2 L V6 and 2 L tfsi were expected to dominate sales the 2 L diesel was squarely aimed at European buyers this would be furthered when the SQ5 arrived in 2013 with Europeans given a 3 l TDI engine and most other markets getting a 3 l tfsi used by should note that the Q5 became more popular throughout its production especially in the USA and Canada meaning there is more Choice than newer UL look the best sales years were 2014 and 2015 the earliest models you will find will be from late 2008 in Europe and early 2009 in the USA due to the popularity of the Q5 Audi only made mild revisions when the vehicle came to its midlife refresh in 2012 headlights and tail lights were brought in line with other updated Audi models and the navigation system is updated both in software and in Hardware engine changes were Broad and we'll come on to these later in the guide but a variety of updates improve performance and efficiency depending on where you are in the world the Q5 is either available with a six-speed manual a six-speed Tiptronic and both a seven-speed and 8-speed EST tronic manuals are more common in Europe with Germans offered every gearbox across the range us and Canadian models are generally six or 8-speed astronic for those who need an SUV that can tow the Q5 is fitted with Audi's Advanced trailer stability program which AIDS the driver in avoiding shaking and reducing the risk of the pendulum effect however note the heaviest towing capacity of any model is 2,000 kg or 4,400 maximum roof storage weight from a roof box or roof rack is limited to a maximum of 100 kg or 220b as mentioned earlier a sportier version of the Q5 was named the SQ5 and given a power boost above any other model in the range no matter whether you live in the market that received the 3 l diesel or 3 l petrol both are paired to an 8-speed estron transmission and have permanent all wheeel Drive although these models didn't have the broad appeal of the lower powerered and cheaper models both managed to find a reasonable following no RS Q5 model would be released moving on safety in the Q5 was tested by Euro encap American nhtsa and anap enap scored the Q5 as a full five stars with Australian new zealanders given an identical rating in anap scor scores as the endcap test was used minor safety changes could result for this reason occupant safety was the standout score for the test American nhtsa gave the overall four stars as driver safety and rollover scores were noted at 4.5 pulling the average down from a full five-star Suite now on to the recalls and we'll note that the Q5 was part of the VW diesel emissions defeat device for nox emissions we won't add this in recalls as some countries may have had multiple recalls whereas some world markets had none first up is a recall in December 2009 for a pillar trims coming loose and having the potential to cause an airbag to deploy Audi recalled these early models and refitted the trim a July 2012 recall was made due to Glass lighting sunroofs breaking at temperatures below -20° C or -4 F the problem could cause glass shards to enter the cabin so auddi fitted replacement sunroof to any model they believed are at risk in August 2014 a recall was issued for Audi dq5 models fitted with a 3 l turbo diesel engine due to the engine oil entering the brake Servo and causing the servo to fail affecting braking two recalls were made for airbags bursting and or ejecting metal fragments the first was in April 2016 for 2015 model year vehicles as side airbags could suffer a faulty gas generator which could break if the airbag was deployed in an accident the second recall was in May 2017 and affected Vehicles fitted with a sunroof produced from 2010 to 2016 similar to the earlier recoil the gas cylinder was the problem however this time it was due to corrosion that could be caused by moisture accumulating in the foam around the cylinder if drainage of the sunroof became blocked in June 2018 a recall for the additional coant pump fitted to the 2 L tfsi model campaign number 1 19 N3 was issued for 2011 to 2016 Audi 8r Q5 2 L tfsi Vehicles moisture could enter the pump and damage components causing to overheat and fail in the worst case this could cause a fire finally in August 2018 Audi issued a large scale recall with many other manufacturers for Takata airbags the recall was made as it was identified that any car fitted with a Takata airbag was at risk of the impeller corroding and upon inflating the airbag could rupture sending metal fragments into the cabin Audi along with many other manufacturers recalled any vehicle fitted with a Takata airbag moving on to the common faults but first REM Remer that if you're enjoying our content and want to help support the work we do consider buying the new book from the miles driven filled with motor Trader stories and Antics from across the automotive industry see the link in the comments and the description to buy a copy today first up on the common fault list is buyers looking at a 3.2 FSI model carbon buildup on the back of the intake valves is a known concern and can cause poor running and high exhaust emissions manually clinging the valves or Media Blasting is the most common rectification if the the 12volt outlet stops functioning it can be a software program isolated to the convenience control module reprogramming the module can rectify the problem if you find a used Q5 fitted with a seven-speed estron gearbox make sure it is smooth and operates throughout the gears without hesitation on a test drive the mechatronic on these units can fail and will usually present an engine warning light but hard shifts and an Abrupt movement when moving the gearbox into reverse are telltale signs ask an owner if they have ever had an issue and if yours begin to suffer from a problem it is advised to get it sorted immediately with a new mechatronic unit this can be a fairly costly repair but deferring it will only cause more damage and increase the repair Bill if searching for a used 2 L tfsi produced from 2009 to 2011 then check service records for any sign of excessive oil consumption and ask an owner if the car regly needs an oil top up Audi modified the piston and piston rings for the 44th week of production in 2011 so any engine after this shouldn't face this problem in the USA a rectification program began after a lawsuit however this did not resolve the underlying problem Audi USA then begin submitting all claims through their dealer Network for further repair in the UK Audi treated each case separately and the vehicle must have a service record following Audi service recommendations either from an Audi dealer or a workshop proven to carry out servicing protocols to an equal standard or any claim would almost certainly be denied although many were repaired under warranty check service records if buying during these dates if you hear any creaking from the suspension this is likely caused by ball joints that have worn down and can be felt through the steering as the vehicle will have a dull feeling on turning into a corner some owners reported issues with the stop start system not cutting in quickly enough or shutting the engine down a software update appeared to resolve most issues fortunately the other reports of faults we found were much less common and usually minor issues resulting from a mix of owner care and maintenance but as ever we encourage owners to leave feedback in the comments if they feel we have missed something we would note that owners noted cam Bel changes can be quite expensive and are due in 5-year intervals on the 2 L engines if looking around the used Market try to find one that has had a recent C belt change where possible and make sure you are happy with the overall price you pay if the cam belt is approaching replacement onto the engines and although there are many different versions of the Q5 powertrains and badges there are essentially three petrol engines and two diesels in both the pre-facelift and facelift models note that for diesel buyers there is a switch to Common rail engines after the midlife refresh in 2012 first let's cover the Diesels a 2 L turbo diesel badged either TDI or TDI Quattro was sold with either 142 brake horsepower or 169 brake horsepower until 2012 with fuel economy averaging 41.5 MP Gall or 6.81 L per 100 km the 2 air areas to look out for are coolant leaks usually caused by pipe work or connectors becoming bristle and braking and turbochargers the turbo on this engine May emit a minor wine when cold but anything more pronounced that stays the same even when the car is warmed up will likely be a sign of the turbocharger starting to fail this can happen slowly over time or suddenly but it is most common to hear them failing over time especially on higher mileage examples aside from this poor maintenance and neglect are usually the root cause of an issue but emissions equipment failures can also occur as these vehicles age the 2 L TDI changed to a common rail design on facelift models and we'll carry an engine code of C AA CJ CD and CG LC entry models again start at 142 brake horsepower but a 149 brake horsepower version enters the market and a 177 brake horsepower version tops the power chart fuel economy steps up to 47.1 MP gallon or 6 L per 100 km although coing system leaks remain a reported problem and higher than expected oil consumption is noted most complaints were around DPF emissions units clogging EGR call is failing and timing chains needing replacement to balance this out we found push back from owners saying that they have achieved very high mileage including one owner that had covered 265,000 Mi or 425,000 km with regular servicing and replacement of wear items like the brakes but hadn't experienced any other issues the 3 l V6 TDI engine up to 2012 creates 237 brake horsepower with an average of 37.6 MP Gall or 7.51 L per 100 km after 2012 it got 242 brake horsepower in regular Quattro model designation or 254 brake horsepower from 2013 onward in clean diesel application the RNE in reporting that name is not lost on us as this would later to be one of the engines found to have an elevated nox levels and Emissions defeat device the most powerful 3 l TDI is the 309 brake horsepower twin turbo version fitted to the SQ5 fuel economy varies slightly across these engines but generally Falls in line with the earlier 3 l in real world use the three main areas to look out for on a potential purchase are timing chain Rattle and timing chain stretch which should be noticeable at idle fuel injector failure which will likely make the engine idle rough or have flat spots in the power curve on acceleration and effective manifolds which may be harder to notice without physically inspecting the engine depending on how poor the condition they are found in is as of all stress it's rare to suffer any more than one fult at a time so checking through service history to see if these have been resolved previously is a good idea and if you find an example with a strong history old maintenance take it as a positive buying sign a final note is look out for engine remaps or ECU Tunes especially on the SQ5 if you're happy to have one with remapped engine management for higher power then check to make sure it has been done at a reputable specialist and note that some may have had emissions equipment removed which will need to be addressed prior to any yearly emissions testing that your country or state requires next up are the petrols and we'll start with the 3.2 L VR6 engine bash 3.2 FSI Quattro as it is only offered until 2012 fuel economy is officially rated at 30.4 m per gallon or 9.29 L per 100 km as mentioned earlier carbon buildup on the back of the valves is a common occurrence so speak to an owner to see if they have ever had this sorted by the time this engine reached the Audi Q5 it had been in the VW group for years and was well understood overall they are considered reliable but they don't tolerate poor maintenance the 2 L 4- cylinder turbocharged engine named tfsi is offered across World Markets but not all variations are offered to each country so if you spot us mentioning one that you can't find on the used Market it may not be available in your country initially power is rated at 178 brake horsepower or 208 brake horsepower then in 2011 a more powerful 222 brake horsepower Model A longside a hybrid rated at 242 brake horsepower combined entered some Market all Hybrid models are Quattro only please add a note when searching for a used example that we are quoting 2011 as the entry of the higher power model and the hybrid some markets may find it is 2012 before these are offered fuel economy of 34.9 MP gallon or 8.09 L per 100 km should be expected although Hybrid models boost these figures owners had mixed reviews on how much of an improvement to efficiency the hybrid unit made depending on how much Cy driving was being done and the ambient temperature overall although the 2 L tfsi does has some areas to watch out for it is considered an overall reliable engine the main area to check on a used purchase are for any leaks around the water pump housing and any signs of faulty injectors turbochargers should be listened to on a test drive similar to the diesel any loud Whistling noise or sudden drop off in power can be a sign of a Turbocharger failing other areas of note are carbon deposits on the valves and links to the cooling pipe work but make sure to ask an owner about any oil use if looking at earlier models and ask for proof of repairs if an owner claims to have had a high oil consumption problem rectified last up is the 3 l v6 supercharged engine that replaced the 3.2 VR6 engine producing 268 brake horsepower in regular Q5 models and 349 brake horsepower in the SQ5 fuel economy ranges roughly 15% between the more powerful SQ5 and regular Q5 but expect fuel economy in the mid-20s OR roughly 11.3 L per 100 km overall we found owners stating they were pleased with the reliability of the 3 l tfsi supercharger pulley will need refreshing and may want to beone as preventative maintenance but well-kept and regular serviced examples are fairly Dependable water pumps needing replacement earlier than expected and thermostat failures were top of the list of things to check following up with our picks and on a lower budget the dependability of the 3.2 L VR6 engine snatched Victory but expect higher fuel costs especially compared to the 2 L TDI that is very common and understood in Europe and is ubiquitous across most VW group vehicles for our high budget pick it has to be the SQ5 and either diesel or petrol depending on where you live preferably produced from 2014 onwards if you're thinking between the Audi Q5 and the Volvo XC60 why not check out this buyers guide next

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Id: gAejkt7Yb2E

Length: 15min 48sec (948 seconds)

Published: Sun Dec 17 2023