Audi A5

Where it stands out against its peers

• Electrical system: more complaints than 96% of 2020 cars — 68% of its 60 complaints, where an ordinary 2020 car has 22%.
• Unknown or other: more complaints than 97% of 2020 cars — 42% of its 60 complaints, where an ordinary 2020 car has 17%.
• Back over prevention: more complaints than 95% of 2020 cars — 25% of its 60 complaints, where an ordinary 2020 car has 4%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 22 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION — 6 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

62% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 17V002000

  If the coolant pump overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire.

  Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the software so that the power supply to the coolant pump is deactivated if the pump becomes blocked with debris, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 20, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 19M1.

• 17V622000

  The melted wires can increase the risk of a fire.

  Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary heater and, as necessary, update the software, free of charge. The Recall began November 27, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 80C5 and 80C6.

• 17V675000

  The sharp edges of the speaker trim increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

  Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the speaker cover aluminum trim, free of charge. The recall began March 13, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 70G6.

• 17V822000

  In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the head curtain air bag, if the air bag does not deploy properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.

  Audi will notify owners, and dealers will modify the head curtain air bags so that they deploy properly, free of charge. The recall began on January 18, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 11-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69T7.

• 18V229000

  A blocked pump or a short-circuited pump can increase the risk of a fire.

  Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pumps, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number's for this recall is 19N3/19N4. Note: This recall is in additional to the coolant pump software update applied as a remedy under recall 17V002.

• 18V836000

  If the air bag does not deploy correctly in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of an injury.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag mounting screw, tightening or replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 19, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Y4.

• 18V893000

  A loose front wheel may increasing the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the front suspension fasteners, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 23, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40O2.

• 19V547000

  A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

  Audi will notify owners, and dealers will install cable ties to the harness, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's number for this recall is 74D9.

8 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Audi filed 174 bulletins about the 2026 A5.

• Electrical system: 83
• Engine: 20
• Structure: 17
• Power train: 10
• Suspension: 7
• Steering: 6
• Wheels: 6
• Visibility/wiper: 4
• Fuel/propulsion system: 2
• Air bags: 1
• Other: 18

• This bulletin provides a statement regarding the bottleneck of supply for VW approved oil types VW 504.00 and VW 507.00. · August 2026
• This bulletin provides information when DTC B1BF4F3 is stored; control unit for low-voltage power distribution. · August 2026
• This bulletin provides information when one or more electric exterior door handles cannot be reached after the KD2 software update. · August 2026
• This bulletin provides information when there is a high-pitched noise in the interior and from the headlights. · August 2026
• This bulletin provides information when DTC B105A1A, B103E25 is stored in 0017; fuel tank level implausible. · August 2026
• This bulletin provides information when DTC B105A1A, B103E25 is stored in 0017; fuel tank level implausible. · August 2026
• This bulletin provides in overview of the combined software update. · August 2026
• This bulletin provides information when DTC B200009 Control Module faulty" is present. · August 2026

166 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.