Problems · by component

2011 Audi Q5 air bags problems

67 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2011 Audi Q5 cite air bags, 47% of all 143 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
67
47% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“WELL FIRST IT WAS THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL, BUT THE ONE I'M COMPLAINING ABOUT IS THE RECALL FOR THE FUEL PUMP AND ALSO THE FUEL PUMP WIRING WHICH WAS ALSO REMOVED FROM OUR VEHICLE, AND WE'RE LIKE TWO ABOUT HOW IT WAS PART OF THE RECALL FOR THE FUEL PUMP . ANYWAY I'VE ALREADY PUT A COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS AND HOW IT HAS MALFUNCTIONED OTHER IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF OUR VEHICLE INCLUDING THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE WHICH WAS ALSO REPLACED COILS SPARK PLUGS SENSORS ETC. WHAT I'M COMPLAINING ABOUT NOW IS I'VE CONTACTED AUDI USA AND THEY HAVE STRING US ALONG FOR ALMOST A YEAR GOING BACK-AND-FORTH TO DIFFERENT AUDI DEALERSHIPS AND GETTING DIFFERENT RESPONSES OR DIFFERENT DIAGNOSIS OF WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. RECENTLY WE HAD OUR AUDI Q5 2011 FULLY DIAGNOSED AND NOW WE COME TO A WHOLE NEW DILEMMA AND MALFUNCTION OF OUR VEHICLE. WE KNEW THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE GOING BAD BECAUSE OF THE WIRING WHICH WAS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED FOR THE FUEL PUMP WHICH CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR ALSO TO GO BAD AND THE SENSORS AND NOT TO FORGET ABOUT THE SPARK PLUGS AND COILS. WE THOUGHT WE FINALLY WERE GOING TO GET OUR CAR FIXED AT NO CHARGE TO US EVEN THOUGH WE I KNEW THAT OUR WARRANTEE WAS OUTDATED, BUT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 9, 2019Electrical system, Air bags, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11218745
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI Q5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V082000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AUDI OF HONOLULU (888 KAPIOLANI BLVD, HONOLULU, HI 96813, (808) 585-6600) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 5, 2019Air bagsODI 11218121
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI Q5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V082000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT AUDI ROCHESTER (LOCATED AT 3955 W HENRIETTA RD, ROCHESTER, NY 14623, (585) 334-1600) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 31, 2019Air bagsODI 11217173
“TAKATA RECALL. NO RELEASE DATE FOR AIRBAG REPLACEMENT. BEEN ON A "LIST" FOR MONTHS. AUDI NORTH AMERICA PUSHES IT BACK ON LOCAL DEALERS AND NO LOANER VEHICLE PROGRAM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 18, 2019Air bagsODI 11180879
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 AUDI AUDI Q5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V082000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED NUMEROUS UNKNOWN AUDI DEALERS AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 11, 2019Air bagsODI 11176327
“I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR PARTS AVAILABILITY FOR OVER A YEAR AND DO NOT APPEAR TO BE MAKING PROGRESS ON THE WAITLIST AT MY DEALERSHIP (PENSKE AUDI). THE DEALERSHIP BLAMES THE MANUFACTURER AND THE MANUFACTURER BLAMES THE DEALERSHIP. IN THE MEANTIME I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THE PART WILL BECOME AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE WORK.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 4, 2019Air bagsODI 11165269

Showing 6 of 67 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

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.

Air bagsReported Jan 30, 2018NHTSA 18V082000

Air bags: inflator module

Remedy pending

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.

Air bagsReported Feb 10, 2016NHTSA 16V078000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 6, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2011 Q5 problem areas