RoadVitals

2012 Audi A5 Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Nov 6, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
36%
of 22 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Audi A5 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Nov 6, 2025

MY 2012 AUDI A5 HAS 155,000 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS HAD EVERY OIL CHANGE AND MAINTENANCE UP TO DATE , MY TURBOS AND PISTONS HAVE CAUSED COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WITH 0 COMPRESSION IN MY ONLY CAR . BOTH HAVE RECALLS ON THEM FOR MY YEAR AND MODEL AND EVEN THO I GOT A LETTER IN THE MAIL ABOUT BEING PART OF A SETTLEMENT FOR MY TURBOS CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE I FEEL AS THO MY CAR SHOULDN'T BE BROKE IT SHOULD OF ALREADY BEEN FIXED

NHTSA ID
11697820
Incident
Jun 10, 2025
Engine
Filed Sep 22, 2022

2012 Audi a5 quattro burns oil every 100miles 5qt and does not allow a quick acceleration if trying to avoid an accident. The car misfires and shuts off while driving. No check engine light was on when it first did this. Mechanic was able to reproduce the same problem. Turbo is bad. O2 sensor is bad. Air intake leak. Running rich at bank 1. The oil meter on the display does not display actual amount of oil. It also has several electrical problems. Rear turning lights have an electrical problem. Great drive most of the time and check engine light goes off randomly then all of it starts again.

NHTSA ID
11485780
Incident
Sep 19, 2022
ElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 9, 2022
Fire reported

While I was driving, my car started to slow down and eventually stopped in the middle of the road. There were no warning sensors or indicators on the car. II then started to see smoke coming from my hood and decided to turn off the car and get out to inspect. On the right front side, I saw a fire under the car. The fire department was called and they put out the fire. They suspected an electrical issue, however it has yet to be confirmed. I contacted the dealership and they said they do not handle repairs of that sort. Insurance sent out an estimator for the damage. The car will be sent to a mechanic to diagnose the issue.

NHTSA ID
11478481
Incident
Jul 27, 2022
Engine
Filed Aug 3, 2022

The contact owns a 2012 Audi A5. The contact stated that the oil warning light illuminated while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where oil was added to the vehicle; however, after the third time the contact was informed by the dealer that it was a common issue with the Audi sport vehicles. A failure cause was not determined. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring for several years. The contact stated that he had an oil consumption test completed with the dealer who informed him that there was an issue with the pistons and O-rings. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be rebuilt. The dealer stated that they would send documentation to the manufacturer for approval to rebuild the engine. The contact stated that he had spoken with the manufacturer and was informed that the request was denied. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID
11477362
Incident
Feb 11, 2015
ElectricalEngine
Filed Nov 18, 2020

THIS VEHICLE HAD A RECALL, AND A NEW ENGINE WAS PUT INTO IT AND EVER SINCE THE NEW ENGINE WAS PUT IN, THE VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS AND ELECTRICAL FAILURES. NOW THE NEW ENGINE, WITH LESS THAN 50K IS BURNING OIL AND NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHY. THIS IS BY FAR THE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED. THE MINUTE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED OFF OF THE LEASE, I FEEL LIKE THE CAR HAS JUST FALLEN APART.

NHTSA ID
11375202
Incident
Nov 17, 2020
Engine
Filed Dec 30, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A5. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND AUDI OF SHREWSBURY (780 BOSTON TURNPIKE, SHREWSBURY, MA) WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

NHTSA ID
11292116
Incident
Dec 1, 2019
Mileage
115,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 18, 2018

PLEASE SEE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS REGARDING AN ISSUE WITH THIS CAR AND ITS ENGINE. I HAVE ALSO FILLED A COMPLAINT WITH THE FTC #978949978

NHTSA ID
11112235
Incident
Jun 2, 2018
Mileage
106,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 1, 2017

AUDI ALONG WITH VOLKSWAGEN, EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.0L ENGINE HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST WATET PUMP FAILURE RATE. I HAVE CONDUCTED SOME RESEARCH AND THERE IS NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS IN BLOGS/VLOGS AND YOUTUBE OF INDIVIDUALS GIVING PERSONAL STATEMENT ON THEIR "WATER PUMP" MISFORTUNE. I PERSONALLY OWN A AUDI A5 WITH 54,000 MILES AND I'M JUST ONE OF THOUSANDS OF STATISTICS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE "WATER PUMP" TRAUMA. I HAVE CROSSED REFERENCED SEVERAL RECALL WEBSITES AND ACCORDING TO AUDI AND VOLKSWAGEN RECALLS TOWARDS THESE PUMPS HAVE NEVER BEEN ISSUED. NOW THAT IS SCARY!!! ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF AGO WHILE MY AUDI WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY I NOTICED COOLANT LOST, THE AUDI DEALERSHIP TOPPED IT OF AND SEND ME ON MY WAY. A SECOND TIME WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY I VISITED AUDI DEALERSHIP AND EXPRESSED MY CONSERNS WITH LOW COOLANT LEVEL AND ONCE AGAIN IT WAS TOPPED OFF, I WAS GIVEN A MEDIOCRE ANSWER, I WAS RESPECTFUL CALLED "SR" AND DROVE OFF. SO FROM TIME TO TIME I WOULD ADD COOLANT AND THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT. SUMMER OF 2017 IS WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER A DAY OF HIKING WHEN I NOTICE A LOST OF COOL AIR, MY A/C QUIT WORKING AND MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS PAST THE MIDPOINT LEVEL. AT THIS POINT I WAS SECONDS WAY FROM HOME SO I WAS RELIEFED.TURNED OUT THE PUMP GAVE OUT, MY COOLING FLUID HAD EVAPORATED AND MY WARNING LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. PERHAPS AUDI DEALERSHIP DID NOT SEE TRACES OF COOLANT AT THE FIRST VISIT AND SECOND INSPECTION. PERHAPS THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT AWARE OF THESE FAULTY PUMPS OR PERHAPS I NEGLECTED TO PLAY THE MECHANIC/SERVICE PERSONAL/PROFESSIONAL. HOWEVER ACCORDING TO AUDI A SB SERVICE BULLETIN RELEASED ON JULY 11, 2013 STATES AS FOLLOWS "COOLANT LEAK AT CONNECTION OF WATER PUMP AND HOSE LEADING TO THE HEATER CORE", ATTACHED IS THE BULLETIN. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER. THANK YOU MIGUEL 😊

NHTSA ID
11011896
Incident
Jul 17, 2017

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .