Laguna Hills, CA – Oct. 23, 2019 – Volkswagen Group of North America has announced it’s recalling nearly 174,300 Audi SQ5 and Q5 sport utility vehicles due to an improperly installed wheel arch cover that may loosen during the course of driving.
Should it detach, it may result in an accident for the owner or another motorist. All the vehicles have model years between 2018 and 2020.
Operators are encouraged to remove their SUVs from the road and heed this Audi SQ5 and Q5 recall by bringing their vehicles to an authorized VW or Audi dealership. Should it be deemed necessary, the faulty clips securing the rear wheel arch trim will be swapped out for fully operating ones.
The defect
In filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Volkswagen stated that it seeks to recall 174,278 Audi SQ5 and Q5 SUVs from the marketplace over an apparent manufacturing flaw affecting the rear wheel arch cover, which may have not been appropriately affixed to the wheel during the course of assembly.
The part’s disconnection from the car could present a road hazard that may result in a crash and the potential for injury.
Timeline of events
Typically, when the details of recalls are made publicly available by NHTSA, the agency provides written details that document how the recall came about, what the results were when officials investigated the nature of these issues and when they occurred.
However, these specifics were not published before the notice went to press.
This isn’t the first recall for Audi or VW in 2019. In August, VW informed NHTSA that it was recalling approximately 7,000 Audi E-Tron’s – an all-electric vehicle – worldwide due to fears that its onboard battery may start a fire. This recall was not just in the U.S., but worldwide as well.
Prior to that, VW also recalled an estimated 138,000 Audi vehicles – specifically A3 E-Tron, A3 Cabriolet, S3, and R3 – because of an onboard computer issue that prevented the system from recognizing the installed air bags.
Motorists affected by these recalls should have already received notifications either from VW, NHTSA or both via first-class mail.
The solution
As for the Audi SQ5 and Q5 recall – which is the automaker’s best-selling model – VW believes it has the remedy that will fix the rear wheel arch cover so it stays put.
As such, drivers who received notifications – which are due to be sent out by Nov. 1 – should take their SUVs off the road so that they can bring them to their local VW or Audi dealership.
A mechanic will inspect the automobile to see if a fix is necessary. Should it be, the clips securing the front portion of the rear wheel arch trim will be replaced so the hold is snug.
For more information on the Audi SQ5 and Q5 recall, please visit MotorSafety.org. You can also use our website to see if there are any existing recalls from this automaker or others so you can take the appropriate measures that ensure your car is always safe to drive.
