The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·21V947000·Announced 2021-12-08

Audi SQ5 and Q5 recalled for water ingress into control module

Volkswagen Group of America (Audi) is recalling certain 2018–2022 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. Water or liquid can seep into the gateway control module, causing sudden engine power loss and increasing crash risk.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: This recall addresses a structural vehicle defect—an insufficient body seam allowing water ingress—that causes the gateway control module to shut down and reduce engine power suddenly. The source directly states this increases crash risk, satisfying the criterion for Severe-rated structural vehicle defects.

Plain-English summary

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018–2022 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The recalled vehicles have a gateway control module located in the electrical system body control module. A liquid spill in the rear seat or water ingress from an insufficient body seam underneath the vehicle may allow liquid to penetrate this module.

If liquid enters the gateway control module, the module can shut down completely. This causes a sudden reduction in engine power, significantly increasing the risk of a crash.

Dealers will install a protective cover on the gateway control module and seal the underbody seam as necessary, at no cost to owners. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 21, 2022. For more information, owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834 or call the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
AUDI Q5, SQ5, Q5 SPORTBACK
Brand
AUDI
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Category
Vehicle — Electrical / Control System
Hazard
Affected units
288,991

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (3)

  • Q5
  • SQ5
  • Q5 SPORTBACK

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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