Audi · A5 · 2018
6
Recalls
35
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2018 Audi A5 has 6 recalls and 35 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: engine (6 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2017-2020 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, 2018-2019 RS5 Coupe, 2019 RS5 Sportback, 2018-2020 A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, and Audi S5 Sportback vehicles. The cable connecting the seat heater to the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) may have a contact fault, causing the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.
Remedy Status
Dealers will replace the connecting cable and either the heating mat or entire seat cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 74E3. This recall is an expansion of Recall 19V-547 (74D9). Vehicles previously repaired under 19V-547 will need to return for the new remedy.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi RS5 Sportback, 2018 S5 Cabriolet, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, S4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, and 2017-2018 A4 Sedan and A4 Allroad vehicles. Oxidation on the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) connecting cable may cause the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger air bag.
Remedy Status
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.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Sportback and 2017-2018 Audi A4 Allroad vehicles. A passenger air bag module mounting screw may not have been sufficiently tightened, possibly affecting the deployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
Remedy Status
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.
Volkswagen Group of North America (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Sportback vehicles. The front suspension fasteners may not have been sufficiently tightened during vehicle production, possibly resulting in a front wheel becoming loose.
Remedy Status
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.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A5 Coupe vehicles. The affected vehicles were built with head curtain air bag assemblies that may not unfold properly. As such, these vehicle fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Remedy Status
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.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Audi A4 Sedan and A4 allroad, and 2018 A5 Sportback vehicles. The aluminum trim on the front and rear doors can come loose from around the door speakers, leaving sharp edges exposed.
Remedy Status
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.
The MMI ( main screen) system randomly reboots every 5 minutes, even when using CarPlay, which is unsafe. Please check it out. Thank you!
I turned on my car and several malfunctions came on the dash,and would not start and went in limp mode. A local mechanic stated it's the electrical component of the coolant pump causing malfunction. He also stated that could lead the car catching fire if overheats since the 5V is dipping below due to the faulty coolant /water pump. Ultimately forcing the car in limp mode for safety precautions. The problem is I purchase my car at 87,000 miles from the Audi dealership, and the extended warranty that covers the car is 80,000 miles
I own a 2018 Audi A5. Many critical cooling system parts — including the thermostat housing, water pump housing, radiator end tanks, breather tubes, and quick-connect hoses — are made of plastic and sit in constant exposure to coolant temperatures over 200°F. Over time, these components become brittle, crack, and fail prematurely. Recently, the plastic breather/return hose between the coolant reservoir and the radiator broke apart during routine service due to brittleness. When these parts fail, coolant leaks quickly, which can cause sudden overheating, engine damage, and potential vehicle disablement while driving. Based on owner reports and my own experience, this appears to be a widespread issue across Audi/VW vehicles of this generation. I request that NHTSA investigate whether the use of plastic in these high-heat, high-pressure components represents a design defect that creates a safety hazard.
The vehicle has 36000 miles on it and the oil cooler has failed. The car is meticulously maintained. This failure compromises the ability for the engine to cool properly. Because of the failure, coolant is then forced into the engine oil potentially destroying the engine. Engine replacements are 10,000 for these types of cars. Audi is aware of this issue and should repair all vehicles with this known issue
Engine shuts off occasionally whilst cornering at very low speed. No warning. Been happening for several years.
The contact owns a 2018 Audi A5. The contact stated while driving 55-60 MPH, the yellow message "Steering Malfunction - Safe to Drive" was displayed. The contact continued driving 40 MPH, and the message turned red, and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was undrivable. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that the power steering control module (PSCM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
The water pump failed on my vehicle. Initially reported 2/2025 at Authorized Audi Service Center. They claimed it was normal for coolant to dip. Audi USA Confirmed I have a settlement class vehicle in 03/2025. Mentioned an 80K Mileage limit. (Car only had 69K miles at the time) When the issue persisted I reached out for repair in accordance to Water Pump Settlement. McKenna Audi Service center initially stated the extended warranty expired 05/2025, and mentioned an 8 Year Limit (8/80K whichever comes first) 9/3 Reached out to Audi USA again and they initially provided an approval. Instructed to take to authorized service center for official diagnosis. 9/5 Audi USA recanted approval 2 days later. Instructed to Call Settlement Administrator. SA stated this is fully Audi responsibly warranty does not expire until 9/2025 unable to assist. Spoke to supervisor at Audi USA who stated extended warranty did not expire until 09/26/2025 09/08 Audi Beverly Hills confirmed water pump malfunction. Sent invoice to supervisor at Audi USA. $2338.25 Supervisor informed me later that warranty is expired after all. Stated a regional manager would look at it but no guarantees. At this point I have spent $350 for a diagnosis I did not need to satisfy the demands of the Audi warranty that is now being denied.
passenger side safety seat belt buckle not fixing properly.
I was driving along the express way when I heard a loud explosion, I look up to see my sunroof exploded and there was glass all over the kids and I. The explosion was so loud I lost control of the car and almost veered off the road. It was terrifying. It happened last year in the winter then happened this year as well. The temperature outside was about 30degrees, and I was driving about 70mph. There were no other cars in front of me at the time. My daughter and I had scratches from the glass on our back
Start stop system failure Warning displayed Check engine light Car hesitates IF the start stop happens to decide to function At times it won’t work at all
My complaint is that Audi USA refuses to cover my damages and repair cost for the failed AC Evaporator that is covered under their warranty extension # AWA-21-01. Audi has a known issue for A/C Evaporator. The vehicle AC issue was immediately diagnosed by an independent mechanic who only diagnosed the issue and recharged the system until the Audi dealership had availability to inspect and perform the repair. Jim Ellis Audi was told of the issue and how using a sniffer tool the leak was found inside the cabin. Jim Ellis Audi said they would have to run their own diagnostic and if they found the leak that Audi would cover it. They did not find the leak and did not use the sniffer tool and claimed they detected the wrong refrigerant and would recharge it with the correct refrigerant. I had no recourse at this point only knowing my issue was not fixed. I was told that if it happen again to bring it back and they will credit the repair and perform further diagnostics. I felt ignored and opted for a different Audi dealership (Audi Marietta) Almost 6 week later the refrigerant has leaked again and I took the car to Audi Mariette with the same AC issue. The Audi Mariette dealership confirmed the Evaporator failure and performed the repair. I contacted Audi USA requesting a refund for the cost for Eurofed chargers ($298.26) and Jim Ellis Audi charges ($419.84)and was denied claiming the the failure was a result of the wrong refrigerant. I challenge Jim Eillis Audi at the time for the failure to properly diagnose the issue and only performing a band-aid repair of recharging and allowing refrigerant gas to leak into he cabin for a second time. When I asked what was the wrong refrigerant they detected, they could not tell me. I think Jim Ellis dealership is trying to cover their mistake and poor workmanship. Audi USA refuses to escalate my complaint. The fact remains that the evaporator initially failed all cost should be cover by Audi.
Previous recall 19V-547 and 74D9 impacting the passenger air bag turning off even when a passenger is in the vehicle was repaired improperly, and the problem is still happening.
The Audi pre-sense system will not stop malfunctioning. The specific message is: "Audi pre sense: Malfunction! Please contact Service It is not related to any specific event that I can tell but appears to happen mostly when there is another vehicle in front of me. I have spent over $400 in Audi dealership costs to solve the problem and they have been unable to solve it. The last time, they did a software update in September 2024 and after that, the malfunctions became more frequent. It now happens every time I drive the car. I have tried turning it off and resetting it, but it still does not reset or stop being a problem. There are numerous issues with this reported in Audi Forums and on the internet with no one seeming to have solved their specific problem. There was a class action lawsuit on this, but I was dealing with a death in the family and was unable to file the claim in time. And the lawsuit did not provide a remedy to fix it. I need help on this. Audi doesn't seem to know how to fix it.
Driver's side rear coil spring was broken and both rear spring mounts were corroded. Vehicle did not pass Pennsylvania state inspection. I was not aware of these issue until the inspection - there were no obvious warning signs. Vehicle only has 30,236 miles on it. The vehicle has not been modified, does no towing, does not transport heavy loads, and does not traverse rough terrain or go off-roading. It has never been in an accident. It is parked in a heated garage and is serviced annually. Audi service tech noted they are frequently seeing premature coil spring issues in this model and year of vehicle, but there are no warranty recalls or service bulletins. Both coil springs and both mounts were replaced by service tech at owner's cost.
I was traveling around 7 pm on highway and sunroof shattered unexpectedly. The car ahead ahead of me was two car lengths ahead of me and I’m unsure as to why it shattered, specifically in the center of glass.
Sunroof exploded while driving down the highway. There was no impact from foreign objects and glass breakage shows upward breaks. No injury sustained due to shade being closed.
I am experiencing an oil leak, the car has 49000 miles and Audi has issued a TSB, yet upon my outreach to Audi North they are aware of the issue of leaks developing yet have not offered either warranty extensions or a recall yet.
Malfunctioning sunroof: I was the only vehicle on a flat paved road, partly cloudy skies and 65°. I had issues last summer, where when the sunroof was in the tilted position, it would not close securely. When I exited the vehicle to see what the issue was, I noticed the driver side corner was still in the tilted position, whereas the passenger side corner of the panoramic sunroof, was latched and secured. Causing the glass to warp. After messing with the switch a few times, it finally “popped* alarmingly loud, but closed completely. I informed Audi of this issue the next day, and had them add it to my upcoming service. The sunroof functioned normally up until the appointment. Audi could not get it to reproduce the issue, and during other maintenance like fluid top offs, they greased the track of the sliding roof. Few months later it done it once again then was fine for a few more months, until yesterday 10/02/2022. I got in my car to drive to meet family for my birthday dinner, tilted my sunroof as I do. When I pushed the tilt, it popped loud like it did the first time but opened. I never touched it again. About 12 minutes into driving, I’m on the interstate going 65-70MPH when all the sudden I hear what sounds like a gunshot, followed the downward force of glass shards. The sunroof exploded. Glass projectiles all in my hair, eyes, shirt, and all over the vehicle and my face. Had it not been for having the “autopilot” engaged, I would have unavoidably wrecked. I called Audi this morning and got it into service asap so they could begin repairs. However they don’t want to admit fault to this, and say it should be insurance claim. I can not put into words how terrible that experience was, nor would I ever wish for it to happen to others, as it unfortunately does. Just googling “A5 sunroof exploding” opens cans of worms regarding this issue. Unless Audi will accept fault, this expense is expected to be a $3,000 repair bill. I’m still digging glass out of my skin.
i have a 2018 audi a5 premium plus cabriolet 2D. At 13000 miles all tires were determined to be worn to the point of being unsafe by the audi dealer.they were at 2/32, 3/32.My complaint is against audi for putting a failed type of tire on this new car. This has caused a dangerous condition for this car.This can be verified at the audi in sarasota florida.
In connection to my previous filing : NHTSA tracking # 11641542, please see the below, thank you. On June 24, 2022, I checked my 2018 Audi A5 into Audi Cherry Hill’s service department to diagnose and repair an issue with the front right tire. The dealership indicated that service would take approximately two days. However, upon returning for an update, I was shocked to learn that my car had been towed—without my knowledge, consent, or any lawful justification. Suspicious Connection to ECU Failure & Audi’s Potential Non-Compliance with NHTSA Audi Cherry Hill’s owner, Amanda DeMateo, attempted to justify the tow by stating that my ECU replacement two years earlier had been performed at Wynnewood Audi (Sept 2019) not Cherry Hill. This raises serious concerns about a second ECU failure, which Audi may have sought to conceal. If Audi Company failed to report an initial ECU failure to the NHTSA in 2019, a second failure would highlight this noncompliance. Audi Cherry Hill's actions appear to be linked to an attempt to obscure a recurring issue with the vehicle's Electronic Control Unit (ECU). Audi Cherry Hill’s owner, Amanda DeMateo, attempted to justify the unauthorized towing by stating that my previous ECU replacement had not been conducted at her dealership, implying an effort to avoid responsibility. This raises suspicion that my tire malfunction was a consequence of another ECU failure, possibly affecting the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) through an electrical malfunction. Given these violations and Audi Cherry Hill’s failure to act in accordance with consumer protection laws, I request a thorough investigation and appropriate enforcement action. I urge you, please to investigate Audi’s failure to report ECU failures to the NHTSA and whether my issue was part of a larger defect pattern. Thank you
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2018 Audi A5 has 6 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 35 owner-reported complaints for the 2018 Audi A5.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2018 Audi A5.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2018 Audi A5 are engine (6 reports), unknown or other (4 reports), electrical system (4 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 6 recalls on record for the 2018 Audi A5. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.