I was driving at highway speeds when a "Transmission Malfunction" warning appeared, and the vehicle lost the ability to accelerate. Once I was able to pull over and put the vehicle in Park, it completely lost the ability to engage Drive or Reverse, leaving me stranded. Important to note pulling over was difficult as I was on a highway driving ar 70mph speed and trying to locate safe space to stop avoid collusion. My car towed to the nearest dealership for repairs. Audi dealership confirmed the cause was broken internal transmission filter housing bolts. I was told this was premature occurrence as the vehicle only has 35,760 miles of driving and no prior work done on the transmission or visible notice of damage that could cause this issue.
2021 Audi Q5 engine problems
18 complaints (24% of all complaints for this car). 1 crash reported.
- owner complaints
- 18
- of this car's complaints
- 24%
- crashes
- 1
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Audi Q5 engine problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2021 Audi Q5 engine
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Audi Q5 Sportback, Q5, 2022-2023 Volkswagen Atlas FL, and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The engine connecting rod bearings may become damaged, which can result in engine failure.
- Risk
- A damaged engine can result in engine failure and a stall, increasing the risk of a crash. If the engine failure causes an oil leak, it can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace an affected engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 6, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1‑800‑893‑5298 and Audi's customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 13i4 (VW) and 13i5 (Audi).
Recall number 22V753000 · Recall details
What 2021 Audi Q5 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q5. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the vehicle decelerated before the vehicle stalled. During the failure, the check engine, oil, and coolant warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer determined that the engine bearings had failed, causing catastrophic damage to the engine. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V753000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 43,000.
If I have a sensor that will malfunction due to water then there should be a water indicator alert. My sunroof vent was blocked and water went into my trunk where the core module is. I had just come to a red light to turn on to a major highway and my car began to smell like fuel. I rolled down the windows and realized the smell was not as strong as inside. The light turned green and as I stepped on the gas the car went into limp mode as I was in the middle of my turn. The power steering then went out in the turn and the wheel yanked to the left and put me half way into the lane next to me. Thankfully no one was there. I had to yank it back to the right to get off of the highway on to the side of the road. I do not think that the power steering should be associated with that module or at least a water indicator sensor should be added. What happens if someone is on the interstate is driving 75 mph and their power steering goes out. It's in the shop and there is no damage other than now I am scared to drive it
Control module located under rear seat became slightly wet from spilled liquid, and failed. Engine and electrical failure as a result of control module failure. Audi refuses to cover damages as warranty period is over. Vehicle design is defective.
Date of Incident: 11/09/2025 • Location: I-30 near Cumby, TX (towed to Audi Fort Worth). Daughter was stranded on busy highway in middle of nowhere. Texas State Police came to her aid and helped w tow truck which cost $650. Engine catastrophically failed at ~50k + miles due to metal shavings throughout oil — Audi Fort Worth made the statement and I have picture of metal shavings. Which is the exact defect in **the federal safety agency Recall 22V753 / Audi TSB 13i5** (connecting rod bearing damage from factory machining debris). **Symptoms match TSB 13i5 Pages 1, 10–11 (“NOT OK” filter examples)**: - March 2025 oil change at 50,032 miles: **no metal** or at August oil change. Neither Audi corporate or Fort Worth care. Claimed we bought used car and didn’t have oil changed at Audi dealer. This statement violates federal law: - **49 U.S.C. § 30120**: Safety recall remedy free of charge to all owners regardless of purchase history or service location. - **TSB 13i5 Page 1**: Covers **ALL 2021–2023 Q5s** (42,689 units) — **no VIN exclusions**. - **the federal safety agency 22V753**: Risk of engine failure, loss of motive power, potential fire** — undriveable vehicle
There was a lawsuit, see link below, because the water pump on 2021 Audi Q5’s fail prematurely. My water pump failed at 66,241 miles and I believe that my 2021 Audi Q5 should’ve been covered under this water pump failure recall. However, my VIN was not included. Link: [XXX] I would like the recall on the water pump to be extended to my vehicle as it’s unreasonable that my water pump failed at 66K. Picture of repair in attachments. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The engine has failed and I am not sure why my Q5 was not included in the recall for coolant issues leading to engine failure. My issue started last winter when the car would suddenly kick in a loud fan. It would flash a warning that the start/stop malfunctioned as it only happened when stopped and/or parked. It was extremely alarming to hear so I would turn the car off and let it sit. When I started it up, there were no warnings and would drive normally. This continued to happen randomly. Then came the coolant low warning, engine temp, along with an RPM warning that kicked on the loud fan. I added coolant as it was the reservoir was low but never empty and temp gauge was in normal range . All messages would go away, car would drive normally. The coolant message happened a couple more times and always the same but eventually did not return. The Max RPM and temp continued in conjunction with the start stop messages. It was always the same. It would be stopped or Parked with the start/stop engaged. The fan would kick on and increase in severity and the temp gauge always was within normal. I eventually stopped using the start/stop function and it seemed to resolve the issue. The warnings never stayed on so I was not overly concerned since it drove fine and didn't sound rough when the messages and warning weren't active. Then it expelled the oil under the hood and gave zero warning lights. I only figured it out when the oil low warning came on. I thought it was weird because I had just checked the level since I see lots of complaints that Audi burns oil. When I opened the hood, I saw the oil. I know this happened suddenly and was not a leak because I was checking may parking spots. I took it the oil change place and it was cleaned up and replaced. I then took it to have the source of the leak identified but a pressure test revealed nothing. Again, no warning persisted and it drove fine. The next time the oil was expelled, it seized and failed.
Reverse car went full throttle, brakes did not work, car stopped in reverse when it hit a tree. Seat belt did not tighten,
Engine coolant was empty. No indicators about it.
When driving in extreme cold (ambient temperatures of -35 or colder) and I reach a speed of 50mph or higher, my engine fails. The dealership refuses to resolve this issue although they’ve had my vehicle twice now, both for months at a time- and the dealership is 400 miles away from me. They also refuse to authorize the Audi-certified shop in my hometown to perform any type of diagnostics or maintenance work on this vehicle, which would significantly decrease my stress and the inconvenience of shipping my vehicle back and forth. This first occurred within just a few months of purchase of this vehicle, and I am the first owner. I am listing the first time this happened, although it is an ongoing issue.
Questions about the 2021 Audi Q5 engine
Does the 2021 Audi Q5 have engine problems?
Owners have filed 18 complaints about the engine of the 2021 Audi Q5, 24% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2021 Audi Q5 engine problems start?
Not enough complaints include the mileage to tell.
Is there a recall for the 2021 Audi Q5 engine?
Yes, 1 recall: 22V753000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
Other 2021 Audi Q5 problems
Electrical 28Transmission 14Driver assistance 12Fuel system 6Brakes 4Body 3Steering 3Visibility 3Wheels 2Acceleration 1Airbags 1Lights 1Tires 1
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