2012 Audi A5 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2012 Audi A5, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V082000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR AS THE RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED OVER A YEAR AGO. AUDI NORTH ATLANTA (11505 ALPHARETTA HWY, ROSWELL, GA 30076, (404) 994-4327) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTIFICATION IN AUGUST OF 2017. THE DEALER (ROCKVILLE AUDI, 1125 ROCKVILLE PIKE, ROCKVILLE, MD, 20852) SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR SEPTEMBER AND HAD REMINDER CALLS. AT THE TIME OF THE APPOINTMENT, THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOTIFY THE CONTACT WHEN THE PARTS ARRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. ...UPDATED 11/15/17 *BF UPDATED 11/29/2017*JS
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
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.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 AUDI A5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE, ESPECIALLY WHILE ON AN INCLINE AND WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RUSNAK PASADENA AUDI (626-714-3159, LOCATED AT 267 W COLORADO BLVD, PASADENA, CA 91105) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER AND NHTSA. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.
OWNER OF 2012 AUDI A5 AND 2015 AUDI A4. JANUARY 2019 RECEIVED SAFETY RECALL LETTER REGARDING RECALL ON-ELECTRIC (AFTER-RUN) COOLANT PUMP CERTAIN 2012-2017 MODEL AUDI VEHICLES. AS 2ND OWNERS OF BOTH VEHICLES DO NOT HAVE ANY DOCUMENTATION OF BRAND NEW CARS. LETTER RECEIVED WAS FOR A-4 AUDI, HOWEVER A-5 DID HAVE SAME COOLANT PUMP DAMAGE ON VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. RECALL LETTER VIN # BEING FOR A-4. TRIED INQUIRING ABOUT RECALL FOR A-5 SINCE RECALL ON OTHERS AUDI'S DID INVOLVE SAME TYPE OF ENGINE PROBLEM HAVING TO DO WITH COOLANT PUMP. REASON FOR ADDRESSING WHAT ENDURED THAT IT BECAME HOT AS IF ENGINE WAS ON FIRE, FIND DISTURBING TO HAVE ANYONE BE PUT THROUGH THIS, FIND THIS COOLANT PUMP DANGER IF IT'S NOT REPAIRED WITH OTHER A-5 APPRECIATE YOUR TIME IN READING THIS AND I THANK YOU!
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .