There are 9 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2010 Audi A5in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2010 Audi A5. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the failure could be related to the catalytic converter, but a diagnostic test was not performed. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced, but the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that her son inspected the vehicle and discovered that all the fluids were low. The fluids were topped off to the proper level. The warning light disappeared; however, the check engine warning light was illuminated a month later. The contact stated that her son completed a diagnostic test and retrieved a fault code for a defective catalytic converter. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,960.
I BOUGHT THE CAR USED AND WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF PURCHASE AND TO START PUTTING AN ADDITIONAL 1QT OF OIL ON EVERY 1000 MILES...NOW FEW MINTS LATER I HAVE TO DO THAT MORE OFTEN ON EVERY 500MILES... AND RECENTLY I HAD TO ADD COOLING AND NOW THIS HAS BEEN AN NEW ISSUE... MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE FOR MY CAR AND HE IS SURPRISED AUDI HASN'T DONE A RECALL ON IT. MY CAR IS UNDER 90K AND MAY REQUIRE AN ENGINE CHANGE FOR OVER $3-4K. THAT'S NOT RIGHT!
IN THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK I NOTICED SOME UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR WITH MY CAR, WHENEVER I SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE A TURN OR TO PULL UP IN A GARAGE I FELT THE CAR LOOSING POWER AS IF IT WAS ABOUT TO GO OFF, I WILL THEN HAVE TO PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR TO GIVE IT POWER AND KEEP IT GOING WHICH WAS NOT THE SAFEST, KNOWING THAT I SHOULD BE DECELERATING IN SUCH INSTANCES. I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT, AND THEN 3 DAYS LATER AFTER PARKING IN A SCHOOL PARKING LOT FOR ABOUT 12 MINUTES, I RETURNED TO MY CAR TO FIND IT NOT STARTING UP. IT WILL BEGIN TO CRANK BUT NEVER STARTED. I TRIED TO JUMP START IT WITH A POWER STARTUP BATTERY AND IT STILL WOULDN'T START. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND AFTER 2 DAYS OF DIAGNOSIS, I WAS TOLD IT WAS A TIMING CHAIN/TENSIONER FAULT WITHIN THE ENGINE. THIS WILL TAKE SOME DAYS TO REPAIR AND I HAVE TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE VEHICLE FOR WORK. I WAS TOLD THIS FAILURE WAS COMMON FOR MY CAR MAKE/MODEL.
I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY MY GARAGE THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER IS FAULTY AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THEY SAY IT IS A "KNOWN ISSUE" AND I AM WONDERING WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN MADE A RECALL. IT IS $2,000 AND THERE ARE NO WARNING SIGNS; IT COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. I DON'T WANT TO BE WRITING IN AFTER A CATASTROPHE SO I AM WRITING PREEMPTIVELY: PLEASE MAKE THIS A RECALL!!!
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR (2010 AUDI A5), THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ON A STATE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND HAD TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER. IT WAS LATER TOWED TO AUDI OF NEW ORLEANS WHERE I LATER FOUND OUT THAT MY CAR NEEDED A NEW TURBO, TIMING CHAIN, AND TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER AT A COST JUST OVER $4300. AFTER DOING RESEARCH I LEARNED THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON WITH THE TYPE OF ENGINE THAT I HAVE. IT SEEMS THAT IT OCCURS IN THE 2.0T AUDI/VW AROUND APPROXIMATELY 80K MILES. MY CAR HAD JUST TURNED OVER 80K. I ALSO LEARNED THAT HAD I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR I COULD HAVE POSSIBLY DAMAGED THE PISTONS, CAUSING THE CAR TO POSSIBLY NEED A NEW ENGINE. THE CAR ALSO CONSUMES AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR UNDER MANUFACTURER REFERENCE NUMBER: 170626336. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THE CRANK SHAFT SEALS AND TURBO CHARGER IN JANUARY. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER MENTIONED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AT 110,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AT THAT TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A5. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE, EPC, AND ENGINE OIL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,336.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI A5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SHAKING VIOLENTLY UPON STARTING AND WHEN DRIVING OVER 40 MPH. THE OIL AND ELECTROMAGNETIC PARKING SENSOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL AND OIL FILTERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE CHASSIS NEEDED TO BE LUBED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT MAY HAVE NEEDED TO ADD A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,713. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,473. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 40 MPH. UPDATED 11/10/14
AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON A COLD JANUARY MORNING HERE IN THE MID-ATLANTIC, THE WATER PUMP BROKE AGAIN AFTER AUDI REPLACED IT ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THE COOLANT LEAKED QUICKLY, AND THE "SHUT ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. I WAITED FOR FOUR HOURS BEFORE A TOW TRUCK WAS AVAILABLE. ACCORDING TO MY DEALER, AUDI IS AWARE THAT THESE PLASTIC WATER PUMPS ARE DEFECTIVE BUT DID NOT INFORM AUDI DRIVERS FOR TWO REASONS: 1) THEY DO NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT PARTS IN STOCK TO REPLACE ALL THE PROBABLE DEFECTIVE ONES AND ACCORDING TO REGULATIONS, THEY MUST HAVE AMPLE PARTS BEFORE THEY CAN ISSUE A VOLUNTARY RECALL; AND 2) IT HAS NOT BEEN REQUIRED BY THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THERE ARE INSUFFICIENT COMPLAINTS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BROKEN PUMP WITH ONE THAT IS NOW SUPPOSEDLY MADE OF METAL INSTEAD OF PLASTIC. IT TOOK THEM ONLY A DAY TO GET THE REPLACEMENT PART IN, AS OPPOSED TO A WEEK THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH 5-10 CASES OF BROKEN WATER PUMPS EACH WEEK SINCE THE COLD WEATHER STARTED - AUDI A5/Q5S. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026