RoadVitals

2010 Audi S5

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.
20
Latest Jul 21, 2025
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.
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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.
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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.
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Overview

Our database contains 20 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2010 Audi S5, most frequently naming the powertrain (other), airbags and engine categories. 634 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

  • Airbags728.0%
  • Engine416.0%
  • Fuel system28.0%
  • Brakes14.0%
  • Driver assistance14.0%

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

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

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

Fuel system
Filed Jul 21, 2025

The contact owns a 2010 Audi S5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. Upon a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the aftermarket TRQ High-Pressure Fuel Pump (FPA-63379) exploded, covering the contact in hot gasoline. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,000.

NHTSA ID
11675086
Incident
Jul 21, 2025
Mileage
112,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 10, 2018

CANNOT GET AUDI TO REPLACE AIRBAG. HAVE WAITED OVER A YEAR. CALLED DOZENS OF TIMES.

NHTSA ID
11160532
Incident
Jan 18, 2018
Airbags
Filed May 31, 2018

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 AUDI S5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V082000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (AUDI FREMONT, 43191 BOSCELL RD, FREMONT, CA 94538) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
11099048
Incident
Jan 30, 2018
Airbags
Filed Nov 16, 2017

TAKATA RECALL. I'VE RECEIVED CARDS IN THE MAIL STATING THAT I'M OVERDUE ON GETTING THE AIRBAG RECALL COMPLETED. MY CAR HAS BEEN TO DAY AUDI IN MONROEVILLE, PA 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 1.5 YEARS AND THEY INFORM ME THAT THEY HAVE NO AIRBAGS IN STOCK.

NHTSA ID
11046462
Incident
Nov 14, 2017
Engine
Filed Sep 27, 2017

ENGINE OVERHEATED AUGUST 21, 2017. IT LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY. I TOOK IT TO DAY AUDI MONROEVILLE, PA. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT AN AUDI THERMOSTAT RECALL WAS JUST ISSUED. I PAID FOR THE REPAIR $999.71 AND WAS PROMISED BY AUDI CUSTOMER CARE THAT I WOULD BE REIMBURSED. AS OF SEPTEMBER 27, 2017, I WAS ADVISED THAT MY VIN NUMBER DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE THERMOSTAT RECALL AND THAT THE RECALL HAS TO BE ISSUED BY THE NHTSA. THEREFORE I RECEIVED AN EMPTY PROMISE FROM AUDI THAT I WOULD BE REIMBURSED.

NHTSA ID
11030093
Incident
Aug 21, 2017
Mileage
84,088 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 6, 2017

A "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION" INTERMITTENTLY OCCURS, LEAVING THE CAR IN A "NON-MOVING" STATE. WHEN THIS ISSUE OCCURS, AN ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE FROM A DEAD STOP WILL MOVE THE VEHICLE ONLY ENOUGH TO GET YOU INTO TRAFFIC AND POTENTIALLY GET BROADSIDED OR REAR-ENDED. THE CAR SIMPLY "STOPS MOVING" RIGHT WHEN YOU NEED IT TO MOVE IN ORDER TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. IT WILL NOT MOVE BUT REMAINS RUNNING AND IN GEAR. I'VE SPENT OVER $3000 DOLLARS TO FIX THE ISSUE (REPLACED MECHATRONIC UNIT AND BATTERY) BUT THE ERROR STILL OCCURS. THE CAR IS EFFECTIVELY USELESS AND COUNTLESS OTHERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AS SEEN WITH ANY SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES, THE ISSUE WILL STOP, ONLY TO REAPPEAR AGAIN RANDOMLY AT ANOTHER INTERSECTION.

NHTSA ID
10993527
Incident
Feb 1, 2017
Mileage
58,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 30, 2017

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. WHICH MAKES IT VERY DANGEROUS TO PULL OVER ALMOST HITTING UPCOMING TRAFFIC WITH NO ACCELERATION. AUDI SAYS IT'S A MECHATRONIC UNIT.

NHTSA ID
10992350
Incident
May 18, 2017
Driver assistanceFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 5, 2017

CAR STARTED OF GOING ON LIMP MODE ABOUT ONCE A MONTH THEN IT STARTED TO GET MORE FREQUENT. LIMP MODE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DESIGNED TO PUT YOUR CAR INTO A LOWER GEAR TO PROTECT THE TRANSMISSION, BUT INSTEAD OF DOING THAT THE CAR WOULD SHIFT ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL POSITION WHILE ON THE FREEWAY CAUSING ME NOT HAVE A FULL CONTROL OF THE CAR MAKING IT VERY DANGEROUS TO PULL OVER. AS SOON AS I TURN OFF THE CAR AND TURN IT ON THE CAR WOULD RUN NORMAL AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IT WILL GO OFF ON LIMP MODE INTO THE NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. RIGHT AFTER THAT THE CAR WOULD START HAVING STARTING UP PROBLEMS SO I HAD TO PAY MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET TO HAVE THE ECU REPLACED AND THE FUEL REGULATOR REPLACED AS WELL. AS OF DECEMBER 2016 I STARTED HAVING NEW PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM. SEEMS TO ME LIKE THAT LIMP MODE HAS AFFECTED MY WHOLE CAR AND IT HAS TO BE FIXED. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE BUT IT IS MY ONLY FORM OF TRANSPORTATION. I TOOK IT TO AUDI DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE LIMP MODE WAS RELATED TO THE TRIPTRONIC MODULE THAT WAS LOCATED INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WAS A $5,000 FIX. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT PUTTING THE CAR INTO SPORT MODE WOULD MAKE IT LESS LIKELY TO GET ITSELF INTO LIMP MODE THAN DRIVING THE CAR NORMALLY BUT EVEN THOUGH DRIVING THE CAR INTO SPORT MODE WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THE CAR WILL STILL GET ITSELF INTO LIMP MODE MAKING THE CAR UNSAFE TO PULL OVER THE CAR. I ALMOST GOT HIT ONCE TRYING TO CHANGE LANES WHILE THE CAR WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10940030
Incident
Apr 20, 2015

Manufacturer communications

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

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_2070568_6

This bulletin provides information about professional noise analysis with the VAS 611 015 PICO-NVH tool

TSB_2024323_13

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides information when the parking assistance gives false warnings.

TSB_2024323_12

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides information when the parking assistance gives false warnings.

TSB_2060750_5

ENGINE

This bulletin provides information regarding UV leak additive for finding oil leaks.

TSB_2074846_4

STEERING

This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.

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 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026000
2025920
2024200
2023310
2022120
2021150
2020254040.5
2019640
2018262055.1
2017000
2016100
2015200
2014500
2013160035.3
2012101034.5
2011810
2010Viewing200028.5
2009000
2008300

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.