2018 Audi A5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other A5 years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Audi A5. That ranks 2nd out of 19 A5 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (8 complaints, 21%), typically at around 9,550 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 2 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 38owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Audi A5 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 8 | 21% | 9,550 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 8 | 21% | 3,100 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 11% | 3,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 11% | 47,905 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 8% | 24,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 8% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 5% | 50,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Audi A5 recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger; seats
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module; air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Suspension:front
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:side/window
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Structure:body:door:hinge and attachments
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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 turn. Front wheels were completely locked and vehicle had to be dragged onto a flatbed truck…
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 and vehicle was unsafe to drive. Took vehicle to local Audi dealer and they confirmed broken coil…
My 2018 Audi A5 Sportback previously received Audi Safety Recall 74E3 on January 27, 2023. The recall repair documentation indicates a seat POD (Passenger Occupant Detection System) update was performed. Several years later, the vehicle developed another passenger airbag fault. The vehicle displays…
The MMI ( main screen) system randomly reboots every 5 minutes, even when using CarPlay, which is unsafe. Please check it out. Thank you!
I turned on my car and several malfunctions came on the dash,and would not start and went in limp mode. A local mechanic stated it's the electrical component of the coolant pump causing malfunction. He also stated that could lead the car catching fire if overheats since the 5V is dipping below due…
Other Audi A5 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 A5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 A5 | 8 | 2 |
| 2024 A5 | 8 | 0 |
| 2023 A5 | 8 | 0 |
| 2022 A5 | 7 | 2 |
| 2021 A5 | 8 | 5 |
| 2020 A5 | 60 | 4 |
| 2019 A5 | 12 | 3 |
| 2018 | 38 | 6 |
| 2017 A5 | 0 | 2 |
| 2016 A5 | 7 | 3 |
| 2015 A5 | 8 | 3 |
| 2014 A5 | 28 | 3 |
| 2013 A5 | 35 | 3 |
| 2012 A5 | 22 | 0 |
| 2011 A5 | 25 | 0 |
| 2010 A5 | 34 | 0 |
| 2009 A5 | 11 | 1 |
| 2008 A5 | 5 | 1 |
See all Audi A5 problems by year, every Audi model, or the Audi VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Audi A5?
Owners most often report engine, unknown or other, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 8 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Audi A5?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Audi A5 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other A5 model years, the 2018 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.