The 2018 Audi SQ5 has 8 recalls, the most serious being a brake master cylinder that can fail completely, cutting hydraulic braking and leaving only the electronic parking brake to slow the vehicle.
A second brake concern involves the caliper pistons, which may have insufficient coating and can reduce overall braking performance. On the electrical side, water reaching the gateway control module, whether from a spill on the rear seat, heavy rain, or driving through deep water, can cause the module to shut down and suddenly cut power to the wheels. The power steering and brakes remain functional if this happens, but the loss of drive power raises the risk of a crash. Prior repair attempts did not fully resolve this issue, and a separate filing addresses water entering through a body seam underneath the vehicle that can reach the same module with the same result. The wheel arch cover trim on certain vehicles can loosen and detach while driving, becoming a road hazard for other vehicles.