Model year report

2014 Audi Q5: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2014 Audi Q5

On the 2014 Audi Q5, the failure owners report most often is other engine problem, with 17 reports on file. The earliest to appear is other steering problem, reported by a median of 45,000 miles. Overall it scores 71 out of 100, high risk for a 2014.

High risk for a 2014 — 135th riskiest of the 270 2014 vehicles we can rate. 135 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

What owners report breaking

Owners have reported 41 named failure modes on the 2014 Audi Q5, and the three most-reported carry 25% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.

Other engine problem leads with 17 reports and about 0.5 per 1,000 vehicles.

Other steering problem follows with 10 reports, usually reported between 38k to 70,000 miles.

Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure follows with 7 reports.

By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (34), steering (18) and adas (10).

The mileage the reports cluster at

67 of the reports on the 2014 Audi Q5 came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 50,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 49% by 50,000 miles, 91% by 100,000 miles and 99% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 1 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 16% of the dated reports.

36% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.

Median

Other engine problem

73k
Other steering problem

45k
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure
no odometer readings given
—
Other electrical problem

41k
Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure

69k
Excessive oil consumption
no odometer readings given
—
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure

44k
Other driver assistance problem

5k
Oil leak

40k
Other powertrain problem

29k
Other body or interior problem

3k
Water pump failure

78k

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 41. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 50k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 1 report came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Dashed the median reported mileage

Severity, and what it costs

Across the named modes, 8 mention a crash, 1 a fire and 6 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.67, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other engine problem at $300–$4,000, other steering problem at $350–$2,400, control arm, ball joint or bushing failure at $400–$2,200 and other electrical problem at $250–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

32% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
Other engine problem	engine	17	7	—	73k	—	0.5	$300–$4,000	High
Other steering problem	steering	10	8	38k	45k	68k	0.3	$350–$2,400	High
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure	suspension	7	0	—	—	—	0.2	$400–$2,200	High
Other electrical problem	electrical	7	2	—	41k	—	0.2	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure	engine	6	4	—	69k	—	0.2	$1,200–$4,500	Critical
Excessive oil consumption	engine	6	0	—	—	—	0.2	$900–$6,500	High
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure	steering	5	2	—	44k	—	0.2	$700–$2,600	High
Other driver assistance problem	adas	5	1	—	5k	—	0.2	$250–$1,800	High
Oil leak	engine	4	4	—	40k	—	0.1	$250–$2,200	Moderate
Other powertrain problem	transmission	4	3	—	29k	—	0.1	$400–$4,500	High
Other body or interior problem	body	4	1	—	3k	—	0.1	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Water pump failure	cooling	3	1	—	78k	—	0.1	$500–$2,200	High
Fuel pump failure	fuel	3	3	—	70k	—	0.1	$600–$2,600	High
Loss of braking	brakes	3	3	—	59k	—	0.1	$400–$3,000	Critical
Tire blowout or tread separation	wheels	3	1	—	13k	—	0.1	$200–$1,500	Critical
Sunroof failure or glass breakage	body	3	2	—	38k	—	0.1	$700–$4,500	High
Other fuel system problem	fuel	3	1	—	128k	—	0.1	$300–$2,200	High
Other brake problem	brakes	3	2	—	27k	—	0.1	$300–$1,800	High
Radiator or coolant leak	cooling	2	0	—	—	—	0.1	$350–$1,900	High
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	2	0	—	—	—	0.1	$200–$900	High
Cruise control failure	adas	2	1	—	18k	—	0.1	$200–$1,400	High
Loss of power steering	steering	2	2	—	50k	—	0.1	$600–$2,800	Critical
Air conditioning failure	hvac	2	0	—	—	—	0.1	$400–$2,800	Moderate
DPF, EGR or DEF system failure	emissions	2	2	—	61k	—	0.1	$800–$5,000	High
Headlight failure or clouding	lighting	2	2	—	11k	—	0.1	$150–$1,800	Moderate
Tail light, brake light or signal failure	lighting	2	2	—	56k	—	0.1	$100–$900	Moderate
Wiper or washer failure	glass	2	2	—	2k	—	0.1	$120–$800	Moderate
Other speed control problem	adas	2	1	—	130k	—	0.1	$250–$2,000	Critical
Other visibility problem	glass	2	2	—	7k	—	0.1	$150–$1,400	Moderate
No-start or intermittent start failure	engine	1	1	—	50k	—	0.0	$200–$1,800	Moderate
Fuel leak or fuel odor	fuel	1	1	—	59k	—	0.0	$300–$2,500	Critical
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure	fuel	1	1	—	800	—	0.0	$250–$1,800	Moderate
Instrument cluster or gauge failure	infotainment	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$350–$1,400	Moderate
Premature brake pad or rotor wear	brakes	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$300–$1,400	Moderate
Airbag inflator rupture	airbag	1	1	—	64k	—	0.0	$0–$0	Critical
Lane keep or steering assist fault	adas	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$200–$1,600	High
Steering column or shaft failure	steering	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$600–$2,500	Critical
Rust or structural corrosion	body	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$500–$6,000	High
Liftgate, tailgate or trunk failure	body	1	1	—	59k	—	0.0	$250–$1,500	Moderate
Other suspension problem	suspension	1	1	—	72k	—	0.0	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Other lighting problem	lighting	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$120–$1,200	Moderate
Unclassified problem	other	5	2	—	75k	—	0.2	—	Moderate

Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2014 Audi Q5 draws about 4.0 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 82nd percentile of complaint rates among 2014 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.

The working figure is 33,436 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2014 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

Recalls on the 2014 model year

NHTSA has issued 5 recall campaigns covering the 2014 Audi Q5, affecting an estimated 115,527 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.

The campaigns cover engine and engine cooling:cooling system, electrical system:wiring, fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump and visibility:sun/moon roof assembly. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.

Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.

18V229000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

342,867 vehicles 2018-04-11

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sedan and Audi Q5 vehicles, 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles and 2013-2016 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can either become blocked with debris from the cooling system causing it to overheat or can short-circuit from moisture within the pump.
Consequence: A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4. Note: This recall is in additional to the coolant pump software update applied as a remedy under recall 17V002.

17V622000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

216,913 vehicles 2017-10-05

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Audi A5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad and Q5 vehicles. Contact corrosion within the electrical connector for the auxiliary heater may cause the heater wires to overheat or melt.
Consequence: The melted wires can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary heater and, as necessary, update the software, free of charge. The Recall began November 27, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 80C5 and 80C6.

17V298000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

240,487 vehicles 2017-05-03

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Audi Q5 and 2013-2017 Audi Q7 vehicles. These gasoline-powered vehicles have a fuel pump flange that may crack, allowing fuel to leak.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump flange if cracks are present. Flanges that do not have cracks will have a protective film applied. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 3, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20Z8. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 16V-660.

17V001000

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

234,057 vehicles 2017-01-03

Defect: 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 compartment, striking and causing serious injury to vehicle occupants.
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69P1.

17V002000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

342,867 vehicles 2017-01-03

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Audi A5, A5 Cabriolet and Q5 vehicles, 2013-2016 Audi Allroad and Audi A4 vehicles and 2012-2015 Audi A6 vehicles. These vehicles, equipped with 2.0l Turbo FSI engines, have an electric coolant pump that can be blocked with debris from the cooling system, resulting in the pump overheating.
Consequence: If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the software so that the power supply to the coolant pump is deactivated if the pump becomes blocked with debris, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 19M1.

Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.

How it ranks in the 2014 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 2014 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

Left fewer and less serious reports
Right more, or worse
Marker this vehicle

Where 2014 sits in the model line

High risk for a 2014 — 135th riskiest of the 270 2014 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.

Across the 17 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2024 comes out best at 60 and 2018 worst at 77, with 2014 itself at 71.

If the model year is negotiable, 2024 and 2009 score lower than 2014 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.

Within the 2013–2017 generation specifically, 2014 is the strongest year at 71 and 2016 the weakest at 74.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 2013-2017 generation, 2014 Audi Q5 scores best at 71 and 2016 Audi Q5 worst at 74.

What to look at before buying one

The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other steering problem from about 38k.

On a 2014 Audi Q5 with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other steering problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.

None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.

The limits of complaint data

135 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 135 reports, 67 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 50% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 2014 Audi Q5?

The most-reported failures are other engine problem (17 reports, median 75,000 miles), other steering problem (10 reports, median 45,000 miles) and control arm, ball joint or bushing failure (7 reports). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

At what mileage do 2014 Audi Q5 problems start?

Other steering problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 45,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 40,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 50,000 miles.

Is the 2014 Audi Q5 reliable?

It scores 71 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 135th riskiest of the 270 2014 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2014 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Audi Q5 is best?

Within the 2013–2017 generation, 2014 scores best at 71 out of 100 and 2016 worst at 74. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt 30 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed