Vehicle recall R/2018/161

Audi Q5 recall: Rear brake pistons coated incorrectly

DVSA recall R/2018/161 names the Audi Q5. It was launched 18 June 2018. It covers vehicles built 20 March 2018 to 19 April 2018.

Recall data updated 22 September 2026

Recall: R/2018/161
Launched: 18 June 2018
Issued by: AUDI
Vehicles: 606 across the lines below

What can go wrong

The rear brake pistons may have been coated incorrectly potentially causing the brake pedal travel to increase under braking and the effectiveness of the rear brakes to be reduced. Gas bubbles may form in the hydraulic system on the rear brake circuit under certain conditions as a function of temperature and time. In the event of a fault only the rear brake circuit will be affected. As a result the vehicle may take significantly longer to stop.

The fix

The rear brake hydraulic system (rear left and rear right brake calipers) must be bled on the affected vehicles.

Models and build dates

As listed in the DVSA recall file. Vehicle numbers are DVSA figures for each line.
Model	Built	Vehicles
Audi Q5	20 March 2018 to 19 April 2018	606

Is a specific car affected? A recall lists models and build dates, not individual vehicles, so these pages cannot tell you whether one car is included. Enter the registration on the DVSA vehicle recall checker on GOV.UK, or give the vehicle identification number (VIN) to the manufacturer or one of its dealers. Buying used? Ask the seller for proof that any recall work was done.

Other recalls for these models

R/2018/149 Brake piston may not have been coated correctly 1 October 2018, Audi Q5
R/2018/051 Auxilliary heater element in air conditioning may fail and/or overheat 19 February 2018, Audi A5, Audi A4, Audi Q5
R/2018/043 Passenger airbag may not deploy as intended 12 February 2018, Audi Q5
R/2017/334 Auxilliary heater element in air conditioning may fail and/or overheat 8 January 2018, Audi A4, Audi A5, Audi Q5
R/2019/126 The brake master cylinder may not meet the specifications 16 April 2019, Audi Q5
R/2019/225 It is possible that the latching connection on the wheel housing liner may fail. 10 July 2019, Audi Q5

Found one you might buy?

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Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA vehicle recall records (RecallsFile.csv), recalls launched 1992 to 2026. Recall data updated 22 September 2026.

Recall wording is DVSA's, with capitals and punctuation tidied and American spellings such as tire, center and windshield given in British English. We list a recall when its make and model match a car or van family with at least 1,000 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2025, and when the maker of the vehicle issued it.

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