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2011 Audi S5 Cabriolet

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
5
Latest Jun 7, 2019
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Jan 30, 2018
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Audi S5 Cabriolet, most frequently naming the powertrain (other), airbags and driver assistance categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 584 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Powertrain (other)342.9%
  • Airbags228.6%
  • Driver assistance114.3%
  • Engine114.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
18V082000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Jan 30, 2018
162,782 units potentially affected
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2013 Audi A3, 2007-2009 A4 Cabriolet and S4 Cabriolet, 2008 RS4 Cabriolet, 2009-2012 Q5, and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69R6. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.Manufacturer number 69R6View on NHTSA.gov
16V078000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Feb 10, 2016
659,493 units potentially affected
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Driver assistanceEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 7, 2019

I AM THE SOLE OWNER OF A 2011 AUDI S5 CABRIOLET. CHIEF COMPLAINTS: ENGINE PROBLEM,.WARNING LIGHT SHUT DOWN ENGINE,GEARBOX MALFUNCTION,TPMS MALFUNCTION,. TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY SLIPPING AND WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE,TAKATA AIRBAG NOT CHANGED BY KEYES AUDI COMPLAINT FOR LEMON LAW WITH AUDI CORP. CAR IS INOPERABLE REMAINS IN AUDI DEALERSHIP PENDING OUTCOME PER AUDI CORP.DIAGNOSTIC WORK ORDER REPAIR ESTIMATE,$5, 800. CAR HAD THE ENGINE LIGHT ALERT ON SINCE I BOUGHT IT. DEALSHIPS SAID "IT'S JUST A SENSOR,PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. IN FACT DRIVING ON FREEWAY "DO NOT DRIVE", IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT TO KEYES AUDI.THERMOSTAT IN THE ENGINE.TOLD THE CAR IS NO LONGER IN WARRANTY, HOWEVER FIXED NO CHARGE, "THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED."BROUGHT CAR IN FOR AIRBAG CHANGE AT KEYES AUDI, THE GEARBOX MALFUNCTION, TPMS. WARNINGS WERE ILLUMINATED. TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY SLIPS OR DOESN'T WORK. MY SON TOLD "DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR, THE COMPUTER SYSTEM CAN GO DOWN AND DISABLE THE CAR AS YOU ARE DRIVING" CAR NOT DRIVEN SINCE APRIL. TOWED TO AUDI OF CALABASAS ON MAY 14, 2019, FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING TO DETERMINE PROBLEM. TOLD AIRBAG RECALL NEEDS TO BE DONE. SAID IT WAS DONE AT KEYES AUDI. TOLD ON SENSOR CHANGED. ATTACHED IS THEIR REPAIR ESTIMATE OF $5080. CAR HAS 61225 MILES.CAR REMAINS IN AUDI OF CALABASAS AWAITING DECISION FROM AUDI CORPORATE. ORIGINAL PRICE OF CAR $63,530. ALL WORK INVOICES WERE SEND TO AUDI CORP.ATTACHED ARE WORK INVOICES RELATED TO ABOVE COMPLAINTS. THIS CAR IS A HAZARD AND A RIPOFF! I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE IN DANGER OF THIS CAR. YOUR HELP IS NEEDED.

NHTSA ID
11218424
Incident
May 29, 2019
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 9, 2019

OCCASIONAL LACK OF PROPULSION WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, LOSS OF GEAR WHILE MOVING SLOWLY (FROM A STOP). IN EITHER CASE, THE CAR MAY BE STUCK IN AN INTERSECTION OR OTHERWISE ACT UNPREDICTABLY TO OTHER TRAFFIC. REMEDY IS TO EITHER TAKE FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR TO RE-ENGAGE MULTIPLE TIMES, OR TURN CAR OFF AND BACK ON. TRANSMISSION SHOWS ERROR (MALFUNCTION - YOU CAN CONTINUE DRIVING) WHEN THIS FAULT OCCURS. VEHICLE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION., REGULARLY MAINTAINED, AND UNDER 40K MILES.

NHTSA ID
11165984
Incident
Jan 8, 2019
Mileage
39,500 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 8, 2018

MY WIFE AND I WENT ON A DRIVE, TO GET LUNCH, AFTER LEAVING LUNCH , WE HEADED HOME, I PULLED OUT ON TO THE HWY, AND THE AUDI,"CHECK ENGINE" "NO REVERSE" LIGHT LIT UP, AND THEN THE TPMS LIT UP, THE WARNING STATED I HAD LOST REVERSE, AND I COULD CONTINUE DRIVING. HOME WAS OVER 10 MILES AWAY, SO I CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME. I WAS TRYING TO MOVE IN TO THE TURN LANE , PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL, AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN, I JAMMED THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR TO AVOID BEING RUN OVER BY TRAFFIC. IT SLOWED DOWN MORE THEN SHOT OFF QUICKLY, AND THEN SLOWED DOWN AGAIN, I MADE IT TO THE TURN LANE, EVENTUALLY, BEING TOLD I WAS NUMBER ONE SEVERAL TIME FROM OTHER DRIVERS. MY WIFE WAS WHITE AS A GHOST. WE TURNED ON TO THE STREET GOING TOWARDS OUR HOME AND THE AUDI TOOK OFF LIKE NORMAL AND THEN THE SAME THING IT SLOWED DOWN THEN SHOT OFF SEVERAL TIMES, WE DIDN'T MAKE THE LIGHT, THE FIRST TIME, WE EVENTUALLY MADE IT HOME. THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT AUDI CLEARWATER, THEY ARE FIXING A KNOW ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION 7 SPD DSG. THE MECHATRONICS UNIT APPARENTLY WAS THE ISSUE. THEIR IS A TSB # SB-10054213-2278 ON THIS ISSUE, BUT NO RECALL SO IT GETS ADDRESSED WHEN PEOPLE ALMOST DIE DRIVING THEIR VEHICLES. MY VECHILE WAS IN WARRANTY WHEN THE TSB WAS ISSUED, BUT NOW IT'S NOT COVERED, THAT ALSO CONFUSES ME WHEN IT TO ME IS A SAFETY ISSUE, IF THE CAR HAD TOLD ME TO "DISCONTINUE DRIVING" I WOULD HAVE PULLED OVER AND HAD IT TOWED, BUT IT CLEARLY STATED "SAFE TO CONTINUE DRIVING" THE DSG UNIT HAS BEEN SERVICED PER THE AUDI REQUIREMENTS.

NHTSA ID
11150038
Incident
Oct 30, 2018
Mileage
96,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 13, 2018

TAKATA RECALL NOTICE WAS ISSUED BY AUDI OVER 24 MONTHS AGO. AUTHORIZED DEALERS CANNOT SOURCE PARTS TO COMPLETE REPAIR JEOPARDIZING SAFETY OF OUR DRIVERS. DEALERS ARE NOT ABLE TO SCHEDULE OR EVEN FORECAST WHEN PARTS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE. GIVEN THE LENGTH OF ELAPSED TIME AND POTENTIAL DANGER PRESENTED, THIS SITUATION IS UNACCEPTABLE.

NHTSA ID
11111108
Incident
Jul 13, 2018
Airbags
Filed Jan 3, 2018

TAKATA RECALL - RECEIVED URGENT RECALL AUGUST 2017. MULTIPLE CALLS TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AUDI USA HAVE NOT PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING 1) WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR MY URGENT RECALL NOTICE, AND 2) IS THE CAR SAFE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE? I UNDERSTAND THE SCALE OF THIS RECALL, HOWEVER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED TO MAKE DECISIONS.

NHTSA ID
11058325
Incident
Jan 3, 2018

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TSB_2082846_1

This bulletin provides a statement regarding the bottleneck of supply for VW approved oil types VW 504.00 and VW 507.00.

TSB_2073282_1

STRUCTURE:BODY

This bulletin provides information when there is a film/visible rings on the clear glass cover of the headlight when the dipped beam is switched on.

TSB_2074729_3

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides informationwhen noises/vibration are detected from front of vehicle in dynamic mode.

TSB_2082048_1

POWER TRAIN

This bulleitn provides information when there are running problems/restricted functions, 0B5 gearbox.

TSB_2059335_7

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides information when there are noises from the area around the instrument cluster.

TSB_2082323_1

ENGINE

This bulletin provides informaiton when the engine is not running smoothly, misfiring.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Audi S5 Cabriolet by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2025000—
2024000—
2023010—
2022010—
2021030—
2020010—
2019010—
2018020—
2017010—
2016000—
2015000—
2014000—
2013300—
2012020—
2011Viewing520—
2010820—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.