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2020 Audi SQ5 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2020 Audi SQ5 has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 4safety recalls
- 8owner complaints
- 0crash reports
- 0fire reports
- 7%fail the UK MOT
8 complaints, against an average of 9 for the other 12 Audi SQ5 model years.
Every Audi SQ5 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2020 Audi SQ5?
The components named most often in the 8 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2020 Audi SQ5 been recalled?
4 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Tires Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.
Risk: Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.
Electrical System: Body Control Module/Bcm Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, 2018-2022 Q5, and SQ5 vehicles. A liquid spill in the rear seat, or water ingress from an insufficient body seam underneath the vehicle may allow liquid to penetrate the gateway control module, causing it to shutdown.
Risk: A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a protective cover on the gateway control module and seal an underbody seam as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90S9.
Suspension: Rear: Axle: Non-Powered Axle Assembly Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.
Risk: A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.
Seats Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.
Risk: In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.
How often does the 2020 Audi SQ5 fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2020, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2020 Audi SQ5 owners report?
8 of the 8 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
2020 Audi SQ5, 3.0T EA839 engine. On 9/22/2026 an independent repair shop inspected the vehicle and found engine coolant pooling in the engine valley beneath the coolant module (integrated water pump / thermostat housing). The leak is internal and was not visible from outside the vehicle: no coolant on the ground and no warning light before the shop inspected it. The area was wet and coated with residue, indicating the leak had been active for some time. The shop confirmed the leaking coolant has contaminated the PCV valve and vacuum hose system located in the same area. Repair estimate is…
My 2020 Audi SQ5 (3.0L turbo V6, EA839 engine) experienced premature water pump failure at 64,361 miles. Coolant leaked into the vacuum system, damaging the vacuum unit and related components. Failed parts are available for inspection. Safety Risk: Loss of coolant circulation causes rapid overheating and risk of sudden engine failure at highway speeds, creating a collision hazard. Coolant intrusion into the vacuum system can also impair brake booster function, compromising stopping ability. Confirmed by Dealer: Diagnosed and confirmed by Audi Reno Tahoe (Reno, NV) on April 9, 2026. Written…
My sunroof spontaneously imploded while driving my vehicle on the highway. I was going to speed limit in the middle lane, very little traffic, no semi-trucks near and did not drive under an overpass.
I recently purchased this vehicle 8/5/23 and since then the pre sense function has activated it’s jarring emergency breaking three times. Once it happened to me backing out of my driveway without any obstruction, another with my husband backing out of a parking spot, and then most recently today with me as a driver going about 35 mph where it “sensed” a vehicle next to me about to change into my lane but changed their mind. Even if the vehicle next to me changed lanes to go in front of me, there was plenty of space and having the emergency pre sense braking created a more unsafe situation with…
The sos emergency system continues to fail. It alarms that it failed. Warning light on the dashboard continues to be on. The car was brought to the dealer. emergency calling unavailable while driving.
I have had multiple instances of the emergency breaking applying improperly. On at least two occasions the rear backup/parking sensors detected some sort of object when one didn’t exist and abruptly engaged the breaks despite there being no object behind me. On one occasion I had a passenger who witnessed the behavior. On another instance, and the one that concerned me, the front collision indicator detected something non-existent and abruptly slammed on my breaks while I was driving 70mph on a 3 lane highway. There were no objects or car in viewable distance at all. The abruptness, lack of…
The contact owns a 2020 Audi SQ5. The contact stated while reversing in her driveway, the automatic braking system activated and the vehicle stopped abruptly. The contact stated that there was a vehicle at a stop sign 500 ft. away from her vehicle when the failure occurred. The contact shifted the vehicle into park. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while reversing and while driving from a complete stop. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was making an abnormal sound while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to…
WHEN USING THE LANE-DEPARTURE AND 'STEERING CORRECTION' SYSTEM THIS VEHICLE WILL ATTEMPT TO SUDDENLY, SHARPLY, AND DANGEROUSLY CHANGE LANES. THIS MORNING (8/26/20), WHILE TRAVELING ON A FOUR LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL AND LANE DEPARTURE ACTIVE, THE VEHICLE JERKED LEFT INTO A TURN-ONLY LANE, OVERRIDING MY MANUAL STEERING OF THE CAR IN THE STRAIGHT TRAVEL LANE. HAD ANOTHER CAR BEEN IN THE TURNING LANE WE WOULD HAVE NEARLY CERTAINLY COLLIDED, AS MY CAR WAS AT LEAST 30% INTO THE LANE BEFORE I COULD REACT AND BRING IT BACK INTO THE CENTER LANE.
2020 Audi SQ5: questions owners ask
Is the 2020 Audi SQ5 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 8 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Audi SQ5; the most common categories were forward collision avoidance (3, 37.5%), vehicle speed control (2, 25%), back over prevention (1, 12.5%). There are 4 safety recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Audi SQ5?
Across 8 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are forward collision avoidance (37.5% of complaints), vehicle speed control (25% of complaints), back over prevention (12.5% of complaints), engine (12.5% of complaints), service brakes (12.5% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2020 Audi SQ5 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2020 Audi SQ5; the most recent (campaign 22V034000, 2022-01-26) concerns Tires. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own SQ5
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2020 only.