2018 Audi A5 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
6 safety recalls list the 2018 Audi A5, and owners have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
6 safety recalls for the 2018 Audi A5
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Air bags: front passenger and seats
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)…
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…
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Inflator module (air bags) and occupant classification (air bags)
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…
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…
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Suspension: front
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.
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…
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Inflator module (air bags)
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.
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…
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Air bags: side/window
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."
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…
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Hinge and attachments (structure)
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.
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…
38 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2018 Audi A5 have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA; 2 describe a crash. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 24,268 miles. Complaints peaked in 2025 with 10 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Without warning or alerts from vehicle, car became disabled while partially into a left turn at a four way intersection. Car engine would rev, but not move. Gear selector worked, but wheels would not”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 15, 2026 · Power train
“2018 Audi A5 Sportback has 16,500 miles only on it. Used for city driving only; never off road. Recently went in for annual inspection and was told that my right rear coil spring had snapped in two an”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 28, 2026 · Suspension
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2018 Audi A5 (A5 Cabriolet quattro, A5 Sportback quattro, A5 quattro). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 27 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 24 / 33–34 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars, Subcompact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (AM-S7); Manual 6-spd |
Compare Audi A5 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Audi A5 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 Audi A5 | 1 | 5 |
| 2009 Audi A5 | 1 | 11 |
| 2010 Audi A5 | 0 | 34 |
| 2011 Audi A5 | 0 | 25 |
| 2012 Audi A5 | 0 | 22 |
| 2013 Audi A5 | 3 | 35 |
| 2014 Audi A5 | 3 | 28 |
| 2015 Audi A5 | 3 | 8 |
| 2016 Audi A5 | 3 | 7 |
| 2017 Audi A5 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018 Audi A5 | 6 | 38 |
| 2019 Audi A5 | 3 | 12 |
| 2020 Audi A5 | 4 | 60 |
| 2021 Audi A5 | 5 | 8 |
| 2022 Audi A5 | 2 | 7 |
| 2023 Audi A5 | 0 | 8 |
| 2024 Audi A5 | 0 | 8 |
| 2025 Audi A5 | 2 | 8 |
| 2026 Audi A5 | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 2018 Audi A5
How do I know if my 2018 Audi A5 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 6 campaigns currently list the 2018 Audi A5; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Audi dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 17V675000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Audi models
- A42,895 complaints
- A61,658 complaints
- Q51,342 complaints
- Q71,047 complaints
- A3731 complaints
- S4588 complaints
- TT319 complaints
- A4 Allroad252 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.