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2018 Audi A5: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues

What the public record actually says about the 2018 Audi A5 — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.

The read

Fewer reported complaints than most sedan.

Owners filed 6 NHTSA complaints — fewer complaints than 89% of 2018 sedans. Electrical System leads the reports (33%). 6 safety recall campaigns on record — check the VIN and remedy terms with a dealer.

Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2018 sedans, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.

Complaints filed

6

Reports to NHTSA, 2018

Safety recalls

6

NHTSA campaigns on record

NHTSA crash test

Not rated

Overall NCAP rating

Combined MPG

27

EPA estimate

Complaint volume vs. segment peers

Fewer complaints than 89% of 2018 sedans

The bar is this car's percentile among 2018 sedans by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.

Known issues

Electrical System issues lead owner complaints (33% of 6 reports), followed by engine (33%).

Electrical System33% · 2 reports
Engine33% · 2 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling17% · 1 report
Power Train17% · 1 report

Share of all 6 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11718683, ODI 11717440.

Recalls(6)

Open a recall to read what NHTSA says is wrong, what can happen, and how it gets fixed. Check the VIN and remedy eligibility with a dealer; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though a manufacturer may offer more coverage.

SeatsOct 2021 · 21V874000Details +

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.

Risk: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: 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.

Structure · 17V675000Details +

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.

Risk: The sharp edges of the speaker trim increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

Remedy: 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.

Air Bags · 17V822000Details +

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."

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the head curtain air bag, if the air bag does not deploy properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

Air Bags · 18V836000Details +

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.

Risk: If the air bag does not deploy correctly in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of an injury.

Remedy: 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.

Suspension · 18V893000Details +

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.

Risk: A loose front wheel may increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: 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.

Air Bags · 19V547000Details +

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.

Risk: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: 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.

A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.

Investigations

0 NHTSA investigations on record

No investigations are on record as of Jul 2026. An empty record is not a clean bill of health.

Crash-test ratings

2018 Audi A5 C AWD NHTSA source

Overall
Not rated
Frontal
Not rated
Side
Not rated
Rollover
Not rated

2018 Audi A5 2 DR AWD NHTSA source

Overall
Not rated
Frontal
Not rated
Side
Not rated
Rollover
Not rated

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

Fuel economy by trim

TrimEngineDrivetrainCityHwyCombined
A5 Sportback quattro2.0L 4-cylAll-Wheel Drive243427
A5 quattro2.0L 4-cylAll-Wheel Drive243327
A5 quattro2.0L 4-cylAll-Wheel Drive243427
A5 Cabriolet quattro2.0L 4-cylAll-Wheel Drive243427

EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.

Before you buy

Useful next checks

Federal records tell you about patterns. These checks can tell you more about the specific car in front of you.

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Compare model years

"Fewest reports" and "most complained" describe raw NHTSA complaint totals, not vehicle reliability. The last few model years are left unlabelled because they have had less road time.

2018 Audi A5: frequently asked

What does the complaint record show for the 2018 Audi A5?

Owners filed 6 NHTSA complaints about the 2018 Audi A5 — fewer complaints than 89% of comparable 2018 sedans, so it sits toward the stronger end of its class. That's a signal, not a guarantee about any single car.

What are the most common problems on the 2018 Audi A5?

The most-reported problem areas are Electrical System (33% of complaints) and engine (33%).

How many recalls does the 2018 Audi A5 have?

6 recalls have been issued that affect the 2018 Audi A5, covering components such as seats. Check the VIN with NHTSA and ask a dealer to confirm remedy eligibility; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though manufacturers may offer more coverage.

What gas mileage does the 2018 Audi A5 get?

The EPA rates the 2018 Audi A5 at 27 mpg combined.